My Supports

1. Throughout my life I have had many supports within my life. In fact, I think at every stage in my life it was someone different. The one constant is my Savior Jesus Christ! He is my never faltering support. A poem call FOOTPRINTS is a great example of His support to me. I may make mistakes and not do things that will make Him happy, but His love is constant. Footprints One night I had a dream-- I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. "I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you should leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." ...Mary Stevenson Something I have learned over the years is that in order to build supports around you, you need to be able to ask for help, accept help, and give help. I like to look at different people in my life as part of my puzzle of life just like different events make part of the puzzle. Without my support systems, I would be missing pieces of my life puzzle.

2. My husband is a great support to me. He supports me in various ways emotional, physically, and he has supported my dreams. Without him I would not be in this Masters Program. He jokes sometimes that he is a Bachelor to my Masters program, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He loves to be there for me and see the joy I gain from a goal completed a dream come true. I am a very touchy feely person and I need hugs and kisses often. My husband is good at hugging, and caressing my hand in the moments I need it most. I also discuss challenges, aggravations, and seek his advice often.

3. My father... a fathers support comes in different ways at different ages. At this point in my life he listens to my thinking and validates my feelings or asks me questions to deepen my understanding of various things.

4. My Assistant Director at work is a great support in taking time to know how I want things to run and having ownership in her duties. She is often a sounding board too. I think it is awesome how we balance each other. When she is mad about something I am chill and vice versa.

A Challenge.... If I were to ever lose my job I would need great supports. I have worked for my company for 10 years and it really has become a part of my identity. It was my baby before I had babies. My job was and is not just a pay check, but a passion. I would need emotional support from my loved ones especially my husband. I would need support because my self-esteem would be threatened because of my passion for the job. Physically, I would be fine. Without my support system, I would be a wreck. Having supports is an outlet for my stress. I just hope I am a support to people around me as much as they are to me.

"My Connections to Play."

“Play is the work of the child.” – Maria Montessori The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery.” – Erik H. Erikson “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” – Mr. Rogers

I loved to play when I was little; I did a lot of dramatic play from playing school, office, house, gas station and much more. Playing office was something I did most often and my dad would support that play by bringing home scrap paper and notebooks from his office. I loved to write too, I had a great love for pens, pencils and paper, and still do. We did not have many “toys” so we created our own play. I feel that my love for dramatic play grew great skills within me. I feel organization skills were one of the best skills I learned through playing office. Coincidentally I work in an office every day. I feel that play made me who I am today. My favorite toys:

I actually had the above barbie. I remember when my mom bought it for me, when my friends would not share. I am saddened by the lack of play throughout today’s generations. Play as I know it has been replaced by technology. I am trying to instill play in my own children, but I do struggle within this technological society. I too love technology and model my love each day to my children. I have to make a conscious effort to show my children play.