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!

Top 9

1) I did Habitat for Humanity over the weekend. It was super fun! I would highly recommend it to ya'll if you have never done it before. It was a LONG day but super fun!

2) I got a new bed and I L-O-V-E it! It is so comfortable!

3) I decorated my new bathroom. It's very HAPPY looking!

4) I'm pretty sure that Allisha has the Swine Flu... It's only a matter of time before I get it. Just add it onto my crazy medical history!

5) I have 4 more days of undergrad class left... ever!

6) I registered for my first Grad classes today, I begin June 3rd.

7) Tomorrow is my first day as a paid employee at Texas ReEntry Services

8) The University of Texas at Arlington is highlighting me as an outstanding graduate. They are doing a story on me and the summer program I designed and will be running it in the UTA magazine. They called today and asked if they can pitch my story to the local newspapers and TV channels. (I'll keep you updated on that!)

9) Is it just me or did April FLY by?

Thursday = Monday

As it has been pointed out I have missed a couple of Mondays. So here I sit on Thursday trying to make up for that. I am "working" from home today due to my Jeep being in the shop. My Jeep has been leaking anti-freeze and yesterday it over heated. Kelly (my boss) looked at it and thought it was the Head Gasket which totally stressed me out all day yesterday! But I just got the call and it's just the heater valve....Phew!!

So I have been a live in Nanny for almost a week now! My second day in the oldest girl (14) "ran away" in the middle of the night. She came back that night and is safe. I spent a good majority of Sunday talking to her. My Heartlight days are coming in handy! Other than that it's been good. It has been a good transition.

I have 2 weeks left of undergrad! The last day of class is May 8th and I graduate on May 15th. It doesn't really feel like I'm done though. My goal in going back to school was to get my Masters and I'm not there yet so I don't feel like it's that big of a deal. But I have a MAJOR case of senioritis!! I will be glad to be done with these silly general ed classes I have had to take.

The Youth Summer Employment Program (YESP) officially starts May 1, 2009! I will transition into that position that first week of May as I finish up my internship hours and begin that program. I am SO very excited about it! I'm excited to be working alongside a good friend of mine and doing something that I have a passion for!

That's all for now... I'm sure I have more to say but I really should get back to work! I will try not to miss another Monday!