30 day challenge day 8

Make someone laugh today! A smile can improve a person's health.

30 day challenge day 9

Experience being blind for a day. Wear a blindfold for a day and use your other senses to survive. This helps humble a person and give a sense of gratefulness for what a person has, but takes advantage of.

Birthday Wish

This year is my golden birthday! I turn 25 on June 25!!! My wish for my birthday is to complete 10 of my bucket list items within the year!!!!

30 day challenge day 7

Take time to read a book today!

Children's Hospital

Children’s Hospital

Service Learning Project

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” Ralph Waldo Emerson.  In my Gen 300 class we were asked to either write a book report or to do a service learning project. I wanted to try a path I have never taken before, but have longed for ever since High School. I have felt compelled to work in a Children’s Hospital. The reason being, my Aunt spent many months in the Children’s Hospital due to Polio. I was too young to remember my aunt, but when she passed away she left many fond memories within my family. It is these fond memories drive me to want to work with children who are very ill. Many of the memories contain my aunt teaching family members. My aunt learned from the hospital and was able to teach others. I want the children, today to have the same opportunities to learn just like other children receive. I can learn a lot from these children and they can learn from me, together we can travel down the unknown path of knowledge.

          My very first day at the Children’s Hospital I received the full tour of the facilities. The woman who introduced me to the Hospital was Kali Gerlich.  Kali helps plan activities for the children. Also, she taught me that the Hospital is both a medical facility as well as a school facility. The mission is to help every child develop and heal both mentally and physically. The Hospital is divided into four wards and treat’s patients from infants up to the age of fifteen.

The first ward is for children who are physically disabled and who just had surgery. The second ward is children with behavioral problems. The third ward is children with minor behavior problems and physical disabilities. Last but not least is the physically impaired/autistic ward.

          One thing that still sticks out in my mind is being introduced to a young autistic child. I was told this child very rarely verbalizes. The lady knelt down next to the boy and told him my name. The boy said my name out loud. Both the lady and I were shocked and pleased with his response. These types of achievements are what we strive for in the Hospital.

As we walked around the facilities Kali lead me into a stimulation room. Lights in the room can be dimmed and there is a fiber optic wall within the room to help calm down the patients. Also, there is a swing in the middle of the room for autistic children to help relax the children. Finally, there contains many various musical equipment, which are spread throughout the room. Music helps autistic children; there are still many studies out as to why. Supposedly, the children like the consistent beat and the vibrations that music produces.

          My second, third, and fourth trip I spent working in the various wards with several children. Each time I went to the Hospital I learned more and more about the Children and about the Hospital. I learned more about the children and their needs. I learned where various toys and manipulative are throughout the building.

One child I worked with is physically impaired and verbally impaired. This student verbalizes with her eyes. When she looks up this means “yes” and when she looks down this means “no”. I held up the videos and she told with her eyes what video she wanted to watch. She kept telling me “no”. Finally, she agreed to watch a Mickey Mouse video.

 Also, we worked on self-esteem. I opened a beauty parlor and I did her nails. She thinks she is ugly due to her physical impairments. However, I am teaching her that the beauty within is far greater than physical beauty.

Another child I worked with is physically seven years old, but is mentally an infant. Also, she is partially blind so she feels people’s faces to in order to get to know people. She loved getting hugs and she spent most of the time petting my hair and face. It truly tore me to have to leave, because when I left she started screaming. The nurses had to go in and calm her down.

 Another child I worked with, we worked on manners and patience. This young man often becomes very angry and irritated with people. This young man is paralyzed and struggles with being paralyzed. One way we worked on patience was I controlled the Nintendo and he told me where to move and what keys to press. On another day this same young man was very upset with his nurse. He has a poor gag reflex due to his paralysis and when the nurse brushes his teeth it hurts. I stayed with him and helped calm him down. I think he was still mad at his nurse, but I informed him he is in very good hands at the Hospital.

          On Friday (4/18/2008) was “Arms around Autism” day. This is a National day to help support autistic people. Over half of our patients in the hospital are autistic. The goal for this day is to show support for autistic people. There were a lot of supporters, since autism is a growing disease.

 All the volunteers and workers stood around the whole school and linked arms to show the children with autism that we support them. It was such a motivating day for: the volunteers, workers, and children. The children appreciated the support even though they cannot show it.

 After Friday, I feel even more motivated to work on my experiment to see if we can use beat/vibrations to help communicate with the autistic children. There are different rates of vibrations and if we can use a code to make an alphabet, we might be able to communicate feelings to autistic people.

I spent about 12 hours working in the Hospital and I loved every minute of it. I will continue volunteering at the Hospital. This has been the most rewarding experience. I plan on becoming a Child Life Specialist when I graduate. A Child Life Specialist teaches the children and instructs them about their illness.

These children long for people to come and spend time with them. They want to be loved and cared for just like everyone wants to be loved and cared for. Most of the children at the Hospital are wards of the state. These children have no family to come and spend time with them. I have spent hours encouraging other people to start volunteering at the Hospital. Also, I encourage people to journey down this new path to help leave a trail for these children.

This path that God lead me down has allowed me to leave a trail with these children. The trail I left is a trail of love. I feel God is leading me to share my experience with others, to show others a different point of view. What people need to realize we cannot take the pain away for these children! You cannot make them walk or see, but you can show them that you care by being there for them. Be the child’s hands or eyes. People do the hands and eye sight for the children and God will do the rest.

 

30 day challenge day 6

Make a donation to a noble cause. Example: charity, homeless person, etc.

30 Day challenge day 5

Help someone who looks like they are in need. Example: If you see someone who needs help crossing the street take time to help them. If you know of someon who is lonely, give them a call. If you see someone carrying a bunch of things, help them carry the stuff.

30 Day challenge day 4

Make your favorite dish of food.

60 seconds

If you had only 60 seconds and your house was burning down what would you grab? Would you focus on material items or would you grab the one you love?

Finding the Beauty Around You

People travel and search their whole lives for the most interesting beautiful places. Yet, what would happen if you could not leave your home? Would you search for beauty or would you complain of boredom. I challenge you to find the beauty in the most simplistic of things.

(page 1) (Illustration with words)

Twinkling stars shimmering down light up the dark sky casting a glow all around.

(Illustration with words) (page 2)

These little lights help light the way to provide a guide along the pathway.

(Illustration with words) (page 3)

Beautiful butterflies fly around scattering flower petals on the ground.

(Illustration with words) (page 4)

Sweet scents of flowers fill the air always attracting friends from far and near.

(Illustration with words) (page 5)

Chattering birds leave a message that is clear that God gave them music to share with those who are near.

(Illustration with words) (page 6)

Spreading their wings gives them great flight to soar above a city with great height.

(Illustration with words) (page 7)

Angels voices whisper through the trees as gentle and smooth as a light breeze.

(Illustration with words) (page 8)

Rabbits hop to and fro digging burrows for their babies to go.

(Illustration with words) (page 9)

Lily white clouds bring a peace that is clear that things are not always as they appear.

(Illustration with words) (page 10)

You see, clouds can change their shape in a minute; proves a deep inner substance that will not limit the beautiful complexity that lies within.

(Illustration with words) (page 11)

But let’s not forget the old weeping willow. Whose branches sway like a graceful dance without leaving her majestic stance.

(Illustration with words) (page 12)

Illustration continues on page continued from previous page.  (page 13)

What about all the colorful stones that provide safety for the bugs to roam.

(Illustration with words) (page 14)

They come in every color, size, and shape leaving imprints of history for next generations to take.

(Illustration with words) (page 15)

These are just a few of God’s marvelous works.

You see beauty does not appear in just grandeur displays. It lies all around us as we work, play, and pray. (Illustration with words)  (page 16)

So take time to enjoy the simplicity of things. And never forget what true beauty means.  

 (Illustration with words) (page 17)

30 day challenge day 3

Tell those that I love how much they mean to me through a special gift. I'm thinking a hand written letter!

Living with Polio

My Aunt Verlys was growing up when Polio struck the nation. She contracted polio when she was a young girl. Doctors did not expect her to live very long, because of how fast the polio spread throughout her body. The polio made her lungs weak so she was unable to breath on her own. Every night she would have to sleep in an iron lung and she was confined to a wheel chair. Did this slow her down? No. She loved life. She enjoyed playing board games, enjoying nature, and spending time laughing with family. She proved the doctors wrong and lived into her early thirties, before she climbed the staircase to heaven. She will always be remembered as living life to the fullest no matter how hard life pulled her down.

My favorites and not so favorites

Favorite smell: Apple Cinnamon
Least favorite smell: vanilla (I like vanilla in foods, just not the smell, it gives me a headache)
Favorite Food: Pizza, Brussel sprouts cooked with bacon, Punset, chinese food, seafood, steak, potatoes, and fruit. Mainly anything
Least Favorite food: pulp in orange juice, the stringy center of a peach by the pit, chunks of fruit in yogurt.
Favorite number: 7
Favorite color: blue and mainly camo
Favorite ice cream treat: Rootbeer Float bars, mint choc, cookie dough
Favorite vehicle: Honda CRV or a Toyota Rav4
Favorite holiday: Easter, second is Christmas
Least favorite holiday: Valentines Day

Bella funny moment

I had started reading a new Mary Higgins Clark book (my favorite). My niece likes to hide things (she thinks it's so funny). One weekend the whole family met up at my parents house. I brought my book along to read before I went to sleep. The last day at my parents house we packed up all of our things and left our separate ways ( I completly forgot I brought my book along). After I returned home I started searching for my book, I assumed I left it at a public place and someone grabbed it. I gave up searching for my book. A month later my mom is deep cleaning and she opened up this antique pot, inside was my book. Moral of the story: if you leave a mystery novel lying around; it just might become your next real life mystery.

30 Day Challenge Day 2

Find a spot to take a nap in the sun. It warms a person up both inside and out :)

Celebrities vs. Reality

Walking through the store the other day and going to the check out; the first thing a person notices are the tabloids. Celebrities are constantly breaking up and hooking up at an increasing fast rate, they are gaining and losing weight, they are caught in an environment that is scandalous. I do not envy celebrities. In fact I feel sorry for celebrities. Their whole life is exposed to the world. Their mistakes are publicized, while an average person's life can be hidden. How do celebrities get on such a heightened pedistal? Why does society subject itself to placing these people at a higher level compaired to the rest of society? I think the problem originates at a young age. A person walks into a school hallway. People are divided into different groups. There are the jocks, the nerds, the emo's, etc. The division continues as adults through the various jobs that people pursue. This is food for thought, the next time you see a celebrity sign your name and hand them your autograph. :)

30 day challenge Day 1

Take a picnic in nature. Nature can heal the soul!

Time will tell

"Just in the knick of time." "Time will tell." However, what if you only had a little bit of time left? What would you do? Where would you go? Who would you spend it with? I recently watched the movie, In time! The Premise of the movie is everyone is given an amount of time. It's up to you how you $pend your time; through money, way of life, and work. Everything costs your time. After watching this movie, I thought, Wow!!! This is similar to life in general. We work to gain money. Money allows us to a way of life. Some people are rich and others are poor; sound familiar. This is why I decided to do a 30 day challenge. I am going to challenge myself on how I spend my time and money to improve my happiness in life.

Bella laughing moment

Yesterday, Bella and I decided to put on fake hello kitty tatoo's (yesterday was cool outside and I had a long sleeve shirt on). I decided to put the tatoo on my muscle (shoulder) to be funny. Guess what, today is Sunday and warm out! I went to church with a short sleeve shirt revealing my hello kitty tattoo. Pretty cool!!!

Life Bucket List

1. Meet One Direction (yes, I like boy musical groups :) )
2. Travel to New Zealand
3. Travel to Australia
4. Meet Zac Efron
5. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
6. Witness a Miracle
7. Travel to Switzerland
8. Become a Childlife Specialist at a Children's Hospital
9. Write and publish my novel, A Season for Autumn
10. Run in a marathon (after suffering from several bouts of pneumonia I struggle with running)
11. Travel to Alaska
12. Meet Dick Van Dyke
13. Play baseball for an afternoon with the Minnesota Twins
14. Inspire someone
15. Help others in need

Bella funny moment

Bella was deep in thought the other night and asked my sister if the baby would have hair or would she be bald. She told my sister that if the babies bald they should pour water on her head so the hair will grow.

Bella funny moments

A conversation between my sister and my niece (Isabella):
Bella is lying down to go to sleep when my sister has her saying her bedtime prayers; however, Bella wants a snack (putting off going to sleep). My sister tells her that it's bedtime and she needs to say her prayers and go to sleep. She continued to complain about being hungry. My sister again asked her to just say her prayer and go to sleep; so Bella starts saying her prayer, "Come Lord Jesus be our guest let this food to us be blest".