How it All Ends

With everything that starts, there must be an end, and so I end this blog with a few of my life updates, that are the cause of some of this projects delays.  I've enjoyed blogging about my experiences in this class, i feel it has brought everything to a nice close.  I've had more bumps along the way towards the end in a very unexpected arrival of my second child, however I'm proud to say she is happy, healthy and doing very well.  She is finally home with us and doing great! Thank you so much for your patience in my completion of this blog, i hope you have enjoyed what you've read and really seen how much i enjoyed the class. 

In ending I will leave you with a few snapshots of my life the past few weeks...


with high blood pressure and other warning signs, they decided it was time...





On December 23, six weeks early, at 3:03pm she was born.



weighing in at 4lbs 3oz

Through lots of feeding help, weight battles and life as a preemie we finally were stable enough to go home!



We are thankful for the many blessings and truly believe she was the best Christmas present we received this year!



Mod. 8 Transition Objects

I thought it would be cool to talk about my own transition object from childhood and how that has gone with me through life.  I guess up until now and after going through mod. 8 I never knew that I even had a transition object.  Mine was a teddy bear that was named Sarah.  I was never able to tell you why the bears name was Sarah until a few years ago, and then everything really began to make sense. 

I was adopted at birth by a wonderful family.  My birth mother was young, had extensive medical issues and was not able to care for a child, and thus gave me an amazing gift of having a family that could care for me and put me up for adoption.  With that being said, I’ve always had a great attachment to this teddy bear, took it with me everywhere, and slept with it at night.  As a child I grew up with this teddy bear, and it never became like all the other stuffed animals that I loved, there was something different about it. 

Come to find out before my birth mother gave me away, she gave me this teddy bear.  My mom always talked about my adoption with me, always shared what was age appropriate and answered any questions that I had.  I never made the connection between my bear and my birth mother as a child that came much later. 

After reading this module, although it was a bit complicated to understand at times, this is the situation that came first to my mind.  I never thought of how objects help us transition in life, to me that was more just for children, however this module really helped me see how beneficial they are, and how even as adults transitions can be hard, and sometimes transition objects are very helpful to have.

Now I ask you, do you have a transition object?  One from childhood you remember, where is that object today.  Mine, tucked safely away to always have, hold on to, and remember!

Here is the best picture I had of the bear and me in childhood!

Mod. 7 Play in Adolescence

The years of pre-adolescence and adolescence in a child are some that really start to shape the person for their adult life.  The way a person interacts, works, and play really are very telling of how that person might be as an adult.  The way the person puts value into work and play along with their values, thoughts, believes, passions and interest are all starting to take shape.  These are the years that we form friendships out of our interest.  I remember back in middle and high school playing my cello in orchestra, participating in the color guard, and playing soccer all of which I found friends that shared in my interests as well.  Finding people with the same interests as you brings you together because you are spending time together during the activates, as well as outside of those, in times were we could just "hang out." 

Learning how to balance work and play was also a key lesson of many people's adolescent years.  I didn't personally have a job until my senior year in high school.  People have to work in their adolescent year for a variety of reasons, sometimes their family needs the extra income, sometimes the person may enjoy having their own money, or sometimes it’s enjoyable for the person to work, to have a sense of work ethic.  While working is important and can have many great lessons for children in their adolescent years, I believe it should be done with caution.  As adults we spend the rest of our lives working, and it is important while teaching young teens the value of work, we also teach them to have balance in their lives with "play."  You want them to develop interests, hobbies, and have fun being a kid, while they still can! 

These years so much is changing for these young adults, I think it is importance to keep as positive and supportive for them during these times as possible.  Support as parents, teachers, or other key adults in these people’s lives really makes a difference.  They are starting to navigate adulthood, relationships with the opposite sex, dealing with money, more responsibilities and so much more.  All those things can be a lot to handle, but with help from adults they can learn how best to deal with all of them and keep balance within their lives.  

So if your in your adolecent years, try to enjoy them, rememeber that there is always tomarrow.  If your know someone in their adolence pray for them, love and support them.  What may not be a big deal to you, really is to them!