The job search...

So the summer is over which therefore means that my summer employment program is over. Going into the summer I knew that my job was a temporarly job, but it was thought that more money would come in so that I could stay at the agency. Now here we are a week and half until the end of September and still no money has come in to pay me. So come October 1st, I will no longer be at TXRS unless some money comes in soon.

Because of this, the job search has begun! There is nothing I enjoy less than searching for a new job! I have my resume out there all throughout the Fort Worth area. I have been applying mostly to non-profit agencies. I have a second interview on Tuesday and am hopeful for an offer. I must say that I am very excited to be done with my school so that I will be qualified for the jobs that I want! Until then I will continue to build up my resume. I must say that my experiences will look great on my resume and hopefully where I end up next will add to that! I'm just ready to know what the near future will look like!

Well...

It has been over a month since I have blogged! What has been going on you ask, well here is the run down!


I finished my first semester of Grad school!


A weekend float trip that brought me back to junior high in the antics of some of the people on the trip!

5 days days in Arkansas celebrating Leslie's birthday with the Steens, Emily and Bonnie!


2 of my very dearest friends from undergrad,Melissa & Natalie, came to visit Fort Worth!


Which included skating, once again a junior high moment!



And spent time with some great friends here in Fort Worth

I have begun to volunteer with my small group at Union Gospel Mission a local homeless shelter. Every Tuesday we help to serve supper there!
I read Same kinda different as me ... Seriously go out and read it, it is GREAT!
I have begun my second semester of Grad school in which I am taking 3 classes that I am already LOVING! I love my classes more and more every semester. It is nice to continue to be affirmed that this is exactly what I am suppose to be doing! As a part of my course work this semester I have to attend two 12-step meetings and also go to 3 "out of my comfort zone" places. I will be excited to share these experiences with you! Next week I am lining up for supper with the homeless at a shelter and experiencing that. SO that is my life over the past month... there is a lot going on right now but I will leave that for the next blog!

Where part of my heart is....

This past weekend I went to Longview to celebrate the marriage of Kacie and Phil Peek. Kacie is a dear friend of mine from Heartlight. Theresa, Marti and I drove over Friday night and stayed with Heather, a friend so very dear to my heart! It was so good to catch up with old friends. Although I was sick all day on Saturday I sucked it up and went to the wedding. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding and it was so good to catch up with old friends! Heartlight was such a huge part of my life and these people are so dear to my heart! I loved the time I had to spend with these great people!

Mr & Mrs Peek


Heartlight staff



Theresa, Marti and I before the wedding


I love these girls!

The last two months...

Well it's been almost two months since I've been on here... bad bad Jen! I've got lots of catching up to do! Here is the run down... Graduated with my Bachelor's of Social Work, transistioned from being an intern to a supervisor of a program that I designed, began Grad school, began teaching the work readiness classes for the youth program, went to Houston for a weekend,moved to a new apartment, saw the X-Fighters motor-cross games, went to Arizona and have really enjoyed life.

Graduation Photo


Sarah, Theresa and I at the X-Fighters


My new apartment!









I will write more soon! For now I have a mid-term to study for!

Crazy...

Well I am officially employed now! I am very excited to begin this new journey! It's been kinda strange to go from being an unpaid intern to the person in charge of a new program! I officially have people reporting to me! I have talked to so many people in the past few days talking about this program that I have designed It's so weird and I can say that it is something that I am very proud of! These next two weeks will be spent contacting people getting them excited to be a part of this program and then the classes will start the first week of June! To say the least I'm excited!

It is funny how some things that should be a big mile stone don't seem that exciting to me right now. In 3 day I will graduate with my Bachelor of Social Work degree, and yet it does not seem like that big of a deal to me. I'm not walking at graduation and I begin the Masters Program in 3 weeks from tomorrow. I think that once I graduate with my Masters in Social Work degree I will feel more accomplished! I should be done next August! That is the day I look forward to! Saying all of that it, is crazy that this milestone is here! I moved to Texas a little less than two years ago with the intention of getting my BSW in order to get my MSSW and now here I am with one goal accomplished! These past two years have FLOWN by!! It is crazy to think of all that has happened over the past two years, how much I have grown, and how much I gotten to know who I really am. I'm so thankful for the amazing opportunities I had over the past two years and am excited to see what the next year of schooling will bring!

News Story

I never thought that when I began working on the grant for the Youth Summer Employment Program back in March that it would turn into this great honor for me. I have to say that I am SO exicted about the program and I'm so excited to be working alongside these young men and women and give them the opperunity to begin to turn around their lives. On Thursday of this week, NBC channel 5 in Dallas came to the office and did a news story on me. Here is the link

I feel very proud that I am able to be a part of this!

The kiddos...

This is funny. The kids were playing a maze game on the computer.
F-U-N-N-Y!