North Country

I went up to Alexandria Bay for Monday and Tuesday this week. I went with my grandmother to meet my 5th cousin who my grandmother meet while making a family tree. During the two days I was able to learn a ton about my family’s history and where they come from. On the first day we also went for a two hour boat ride over the thousand islands. Where we got to see Alan Jackson’s house (my hair dresser dream hubby) and wolf island which is owned by the skull and bones society (spooky right).

It was a wonderful get away and great way to spent time with my grandmother who is here for my graduation. We also celebrated her 80th birthday while there. It was so much fun and a time I will always remember. Every time I go up there it feels so peaceful and relaxing there is nothing like it truly.
It was also beautiful weather also and great food. Roe also got me a great bracelet that says Believe and Achieve and Dream Big Work Hard. Very important words and things to remember.

Gym has been going good, Pilates start after next week and running will start I am guessing mid-June. I can’t wait for states and seminar coming up.

As Chris Says I Focus on What I Want

The last day

Today I will take my last final ever as an undergraduate student!!!!!!!! This is a huge deal. I grow up with a learning disability and was behind in areas of reading and spelling (sometimes you might still see it). I also had speech problems, now I will have complete Bachelors in Science in Political Science and Pre Law. I am very proud of myself, and I am very grateful for all the people who have put in hard work to help me get here.

I also must say that my college education would not have been possible without the resources of Federal and State student grants. They are the reason I could afford college. I am grateful that when I started high school so scared about how I would pay for college. Someone who was smart but have to work hard and wasn’t the very top of her class was going to go to college. It was through the resources the school gave me and the people who took the time to help me that I was able to go to college with very little debt.

There is no way I would be here without the love support and encouragement of my family and friends. I also must thank my teachers throughout the years who took the time to work with me, and never made me feel stupid because of my disabilities. I am also so grateful for my AmeriCorps family who have been with me all the way through my last two years and my Mary Kay family who always ask me how I am doing and keeping up with where I am at in my classes.

I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life. Thank you to all of them Saturday when I walk across stage you are with me. I carry you in my heart and stories every day.

Mother's Day Weekend

Fabulous Females is an annual fund raiser for the Genesee County YWCA, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The event honors women in the community who have done great things and are really fabulous.

It is one of my favorite community events of the year. I think its important to life women up and supported each other. Also as women sometimes we need a mirror to reflect on us and show us how much we truly do. This event also draws attention to the important role the YWCA plays in the areas and nationally. It was a great way to spend a Saturday, but not just any Saturday it is always the Saturday of Mothers Day Weekend

Also a Happy Belated Mothers Day to everyone. Another yearly tradition is spending the morning at my Church's yearly mother's day Breakfast where we also do the May Crowning of Mary. I spent the morning with the women of my church celebrating all the women who fill the role of mother in our lives. One of my favorite movies is the crow and there is an amazing line in it "mother is the name for god on the lips and hearts of all children."

I think its very important to remember as a woman we are all role models for the children and also need to be positive role models for other women and younger girls. So a very special Thank You to all the mothers out there and thank you for your inspiration and love and caring words you have given me.

Some of you may know i lost my mother at the age of 10 a couple weeks after my birthday. I am blessed for all the memories i have of her and for all the women who help me along the way. I stand here today because of them and because i have a huge, amazing loving women who brought me into this world who desires to see me become everything i can make myself into.

Earth Day

Service is something that has truly help to change my life. I am a firm believe that you can learn so much more about yourself when you lose yourself in the service of other. Saturday April 24^th I was able to take part is a planting project at the Dewitt Recreation Area on Cedar Street. I was asked to lead the youth that came out in a number of projects. The day started with them painting bird houses and bat boxes, in case you ever want to paint them remember to not cover the whole bird houses with paint they will get to hot. We then help to plant trees, many thanks to Greg Briggs for helping to teach the kids how to plant the trees. Greg was the master mind behind the whole project and came up with the idea. Also big thanks have to go out to Genesee County AmeriCorps for helping to make it a reality and for asking me to help out and be a group leader. The youth also helped to make bird feeds and hang the bird houses.

It was very rewarding to help the youth create and beautify the area. I am also very proud to have taken part in the planning of the project. It was also very inspiring seeing how people use their natural talents to help the larger community they live in. It also helps me to step back and rethink how I can further use my talents and gifts to help the larger community.

About 50 adults and youths were volunteering for the Genesee County Earth Day Celebration. It was a great way to celebrate earth day, but I hope that we all make changes to our lives not just on earth day but all year long.

Wal-Mart Case

Wal-Mart is facing a class action law suit over sexist hiring and pay practices. The law suit is the largest class action ever filled and could cause the company billions of dollars. This is not the first time that the retail giant has faced accusations of unfair pay practices. They have over the years been accused of this a number of times and have cases against them before, this however is the first time that is has been in a class action suit. It should be noted also that to date women across the country make Women make only 75.5 cents for every dollar that men earn, according to a new release by the U.S. Census Bureau (of 2004).

This is something that we need to start bringing more attention, how is it that we will be in nine years celebrating being given the right to vote yet we still don’t make the same as a man. How is it that we have had women in some of the highest offices and have done amazing jobs, yet having a woman as president still is mocked? Sexism seems to be one of the only forms of discrimination that seems to be accepted. We allow it in all the small things, expressions and jokes. These are the small things that all women can stand up against and start making people questions the norms that are in place now.

The Best is Yet to Come

I am finally a blogger!!!!!! Lol yes that is right I have broken down and started a blog. I use to have to keep one for school. Why start a blog now? While I figure this would be a great way to keep me on track and on target.

Why do I need motivation? While has many of you know, I am 23 years old. And this makes me almost a grandmother in the pageant world. I am also finishing my undergraduate degree and will be starting my Masters degree this fall, after that I hope to go onto law school. So there are many starts and finishes going on right now in my life.

What will I be doing in this blog? While for starts talking and going over current events and my views on them. I will also be talking about my community service works and about the research behind it. Finally some stuff about my personal preparation for pageants and studying for my LSATS. There will be a lot I promise so hang on and keep up.

What do I have going on currently? While Monday I will be starting a new amazing work out plan thanks to my lovely friends at the local YMCA to help me get whipped into shape. I am also getting ready for graduation, attending the state pageant and SEMINAR!!!!! Seminar is like the Miss America Pageant of the Mary Kay world, it’s a celebration and an inspiring and moving experience. I will also be putting on the Genesee County Fair Queen Pageant.

With so much going on right now this might be a slow start but after May 15, I will be able to keep up a lot more. So please comment, enjoy and watch my journey. Because….

“Blessed is the heart that finds joy in the journey”