Here...There...Everywhere...The Journey of Life

As I prepare to go back on duty tonight I figured I would share a little bit about my past week and my break. I honestly cannot complain this past week...I guess that means we had a great week! But usually with a great week comes a rough week...it is only natural so we shall see. I hit my 4 month mark here at Grace on April 22 and it was super crazy to believe I have been here for 4 months now! Henderson has definitely become apart of who I am and I can see myself here for quite awhile. We now have 5 girls in our cottage which is a normal number seeing as we can house up to 8 so I am sure there will be a few more girls coming our way before summer gets here. I guess the biggest thing I have had this past week was that one of my girls had to have her wisdom teeth taken out. So I took her to her surgery and brought her back and really just took care of her along with my fellow staff what with getting up at 2am some nights just to get her some pain medicine so that she could sleep. It is amazing how once I took her to her surgery how much I truly felt like a mom! I even had the soccer mom mini van when I took her so that really added to the effect! It is amazing how after only 4 months of working here your mother instinct takes over because these kids slowly become yours, as frustrating as they may be sometimes and you just wanna go crazy...but hey I guess that is parenthood right!? As my step mom would say "you are a parent...you just missed the cute phase of their life and where you find out what their personality is like!" Which is so true! But I am definitely trying to figure out the personalities of each of the girls...both the good parts and the bad. But they aren't necessarily "Bad" they just have a lot of hurt and somewhere deep down is that true person who needs to come out and show themselves. So week was overall good. I even went off duty with a ton of energy! I stayed late just to hangout with Becca and Hannah after the kids went to bed. Normally when I get off duty I can't wait to leave and just go to bed but not this week. I hope there are more moments like that. I have been going over there every night of my days off just to hang with them. Which is awesome because it gives me the opportunity to know them more and become better friends! I hope these friendships continue to blossom as they have been as I learn more about who they are and their personalities and they get to know me more, as I slowly open up more about who I am.

I spent most of my break hanging out with Caitlain, cooking and baking. I was just energized to bake and cook and so I made homemade chicken and rice soup for the first time and also some tapioca pudding, then I made my very first cinnamon rolls for class on Wednesday! It was all super successful! Then last night I had a slumber party at Green House with Caitlain because I didn't feel like waking up early with the Fire Marshall coming over to my off duty house so we had a sleep over! We scrap-booked then I went and hung out with Becca and Hannah, came back and Caitlain and I just sat up talking and falling asleep on the couch and chair. Then this afternoon we went up to Aurora had coffee, and lunch at this cute coffee shop called Esspressions and simply just walked around town since it was super nice out! Then when I got back into town it was a perfect day for a jog, a slight breeze so I ended up lacing up and going for a jog around the pong and back. Now the rest of my day consists of relaxing before I go back on duty tonight at 9:30pm. I look forward to another great week and I appreciate your continuous prayers you all have been giving me and supporting me while I am down here on this grand adventure! I love and miss you all!

Ashley