Have A Heart For Monkeys!

 Those are my 3 girls! Proud to have been a part of a another great event at the capital. We spent our Saturday morning, dancing inside the dome to the music of the band Recess Monkey. Recess Monkey is a children's music band that is comprised of 3 elementary teachers who rock! Recess Monkey was brought to the capital today by Mom'sRising. This Momsrising dance party under the dome was a fun and powerful way to make sure our Washington State Legislature pays attention to kids and families. And such an awesome event that made me proud of my kiddos. 

On the way to the dance party, Ashley and Lauryn, pictured here in the middle and right, were reminiscing about being at the capital for the Children's Alliance Have A Heart for Kid's Day, where they lead the parade of marching families carrying the banner in February. Their older sister Morgaine, here at the top, didn't know what they were talking about. Ashley proceeded to tell her about attending a rally. Morgaine didn't know what a rally was. Ashley responding with "Well, you know how they're making cuts to the budget about childcare, and preschool, and cuts for kids? That's why we were there, at a rally to tell them not too. Cause they are making way too many cuts that are going to affect kids!" 

I was completely flabbergasted. That's my 9 year old! 

She obviously has been paying attention to what her mama has been advocating for, and learning along the way. Not only am I making a difference in advocating for these programs, but I guess I didn't realize how much what I do is affecting my own kids. Last year, when I was really just learning how to stand up for my family, and how powerful my voice as a parent really is, I didn't really involve my own children. They just knew mom was gone a lot. This year, as I've taken on a different sort of role, I've made it a priority to bring them. And it's obviously making a difference in the lives of my little people! I was just such a proud mom to hear her talk like such a big person with such knowledge, that her 11 year old step sister had no clue what she was talking about. Now Morgaine has a little bit more knowledge, and was excited to be a part of what we did today. Even if it was just dancing! 

 Going on a rollercoaster ride in song with the Recess Monkeys!

Me and my youngest daughter Lauryn dancing it up.

Morgaine swimming in song.

The girls with a Recess Monkey.

I hope that today some of our legislators took note of all the little people dancing in the dome. I know that on a Saturday, it wasn't very busy like it normally is at the Capital. But I know that I will be doing just what Momsrising asked us to do, and emailing these pictures to all the Representatives that will be voting on issues that affect my children, and thousands of others across our state. They might not be able to vote, but their presence can hopefully make a difference.  

I know that my voice and actions are making a difference, even if it's only at home. 

Selfish Prayers

This last week, I've been super sick. More sick than I remember being in a long time. I had what started out as the flu, and has now turned in to a head cold. The head cold, I can deal with. I spent a lot of time in bed, in my room isolating myself from my family so they wouldn't get sick, because in my house, it can spread like wildfire.

Anyway, the same day I came home from work vomiting, my sister was admitted to the hospital for a flare up of her Crohn's disease. I spent a lot of time praying that I could get better. It was killing me, that I couldn't be there for her, or for my mom, who needed the support just as badly as my sister. If not more. I asked my friends on facebook to pray for my sister, send well wishes, positive vibes, whatever they believed in. Just to make her better. In the same week, the massive earth quake hit in Japan, and one of my oldest friends lost her baby of less than a month old to SIDS. The celebration of life was today, and still being sick, I couldn't go. I found myself feeling sorry for "ME" being kept from helping and being there for the ones I love. But it also made me stop to think, if I'm praying for all these things, and all these other people are praying for God to do something, he sure has a lot on his shoulders. Or hers. I won't argue. Some days I feel like I have huge burdens on my shoulders. Like I just can't handle anymore. It will turn in to a pity party for myself. I couldn't imagine being God, and having these kinds of burdens all the time.

I had kind of an awakening, that sure I might have been laying there in my bed, sick, unable to be there, but I could be so much better off. Why should I ask God to make me better, when there are so many people that need his strength right now more than I? I don't have a Chronic Condition, I didn't lose everything I own in an earthquake/tsunami, I didn't just lose my newborn child. I just have a cold.
I found myself asking how I could be so selfish. Then I realized, I wasn't.  I was asking for the strength for me to be well. Not only for me, but for my family, for my friends, and for all those who count on me. It's not selfish to pray for your own health, even when those around you may be suffering. I just wonder how he decides which prayers to answer and which to not answer....

Warm and Fuzzy

I apologize in advance, as I'm typing this, a bit groggy from pain medicine from having a tooth pulled today.  I just have some thoughts in my head, that I need to get out while I'm feeling giddy. And no, it's not from the pain meds.

One of my fellow Parent Ambassadors from last year, took it upon herself to organize monthly conference calls between us to keep in touch. One of the commitments that comes with being an Ambassador with this program, is attending two conference calls a month. Now that our season is over, a lot of us found ourselves, wanting to keep in touch, continue advocating, and just stay a part of each other's lives, and active in what we've been doing for the last year. So my dear friend, made it happen for us and tonight, I dialed that conference number.

Tonight, even though I'm not completely myself, I wanted to call. I knew I wouldn't be able to talk much, because my mouth is really sore, but just listening was awesome. One of my friends just won the National Father of the Year Award, and found out about it tonight. So we all got to congratulate him, sort of in person. Personally, at least. Another told of things she never thought she'd do, that she recently did. Another, filled us in on how his experience at attending Have A Heart for Kids Day, changed someone else's life, because he brought him. It's just so amazing, to see the changes that have come in our lives in one short year. I feel like these people are not only my friends, but have become family. And getting off the phone with them, I had a huge smile on my face, and I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

The Parent Ambassador program taught us about advocating, about real life issues that we could be a part of and change. About government, about grassroots organizing, about legislative advocacy, about communications, and also some leadership training. But what ISN'T in the description for this program, is the life long friendships that are built, the confidence in knowing that when I'm down, I can call any one of those fellow PA's, and they will listen and be there. The close knit family we've become, is just indescribable. I've said before, that I never knew that being in this program would change my life. But it has, in so many ways.  Building these friendships like family is the best thing to come out of my year long experience. These people will stay a part of me for life!

Technological Challenge

Today, I thought I forgot to pay my internet bill. I know, stop the presses right? Me without the internet??
 I went to look up a recipe for chili, and "page could not be found". I was a little ticked off, and irritated. But my mama was here, and helped me remember what I needed to  have for chili. I had already checked my emails, responded to a few, did my face booking, and surfing of the internet, so I went about my day. I made all kinds of stuff in the kitchen, patched some holes in my jeans, (after my wonderful mom fixed my sewing machine and patched a pair for me) made muffins with the girls, cleaned the kitchen, the kids' rooms, and got the laundry put away.  The kids and I sat down and watched a movie. Cuddled up under one big blanket, I realized how much I've been relying on technology lately. I haven't really paid attention to how much I'm "connected", until I didn't have access to it today. Turns out, I just needed to restart my router. It was having troubles from the snow I assume.

But I went all day without it. Sure, I posted a few photos to my Facebook Page from my phone of us playing in the snow, but I was really present. I wasn't checking my emails every five seconds to see if there was some hot political issue I needed information on, or sitting here staring at my computer trying to remember what PTO thing I'm forgetting to be doing. I wasn't searching the internet for information to use for my school assignments. I was just present in the moment. Which is kind of funny, the topic for my next mom's group night, is being present.

We are supposed to write down one moment from every day until we meet again, on a memory from each day, that we enjoy, laugh at, or just really love. So it was ironic timing, that the day I read my "assignment" from my mom's group, I was kind of forced to be "present". Not that I'm not. I'm obviously very involved in my children's lives, just sometimes I tend to get overwhelmed or stimulated and forget to take the time to slow down a little. So my challenge to myself over the next few weeks, is to not be so "connected". I have responsibilities, and some things that require me to check my email daily, and get up to date information, but for the most part,  if you don't hear back from me promptly, don't be offended. I'm just spending more time with my cute lil family and  I'm taking time to stop and smell the roses. If they ever get to bloom with this crazy weather!

Little Ol' Me.

I'm kind of a big deal.

Not really. It's just fun to say that.

I needed to write about my experiences today, so that when I get old and have dementia, my children can read me my stories and remind me of the wonderful memories I've created in this lifetime.

Anyone who knows me, or knows me well, or just has me as a "facebook friend" sees that I've been pretty active in advocating for children, and educating parents on how to be a more active voice in their children's lives. I love doing this, and it's become a part of who I am, and who I want to be in the future. Over the last few weeks I've had an interesting couple of events, that have made me realize, that little ol' me, has made some differences. And some strides to make a change. And who knows if it's for the better, who knows if what I've done or am doing will make anything better. But it's working. For me. And that's all that matters.

It's Legislative Session time, and being up on Capital Hill over the last few weeks for different things, I've come to notice just how much I've put myself out there. For example:

When testifying on behalf of the WaKids bill, I met with a group of like minded people before hand. It was people I had met before, and people I hadn't. I was being introduced by someone I knew, and the person I was being introduced to said "hey! I've seen you on YouTube, you were great!!". It was definitely an awkward moment for me. I'd never really thought about strangers viewing my video. I mean, obviously, I knew people would see it. That's what the intent was. But I never in a million years thought that someone would recognize me in public that way.

Last week, at a conference I was attending, I was sitting down eating my lunch, and some one came up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and asked me for my email address linked to my YouTube account. It took me a minute to figure out what she was talking about. And then, it hit me, I was wearing the same shirt I was wearing in one of my videos from Washington DC. I made a reference to that, and she said she had recognized my shirt, and wanted more information from me. She wanted to show my videos to her friends, but didn't know how to find it. Another incident, weird, but cool.

Today, on the capital steps, I was approached by someone who had seen my news interview with King 5. She had spotted me and wanted to interview me to "follow" my story of how the child care subsidy changes were affecting my family. Again, she introduced herself to me by starting off with " I saw you on tv."

It's strange. My kids think it's cool that their mom is a "celebrity". It's not how I look at it all. I'm out there doing something that I'm passionate about. Something that makes me feel good, and doing things for betterment of my family, my self, and my future. If in the process, I inspire just ONE other person to get involved, then letting my videos and messages be sent in spam context to those involved in the same issues, so be it. If I become a celebrity in the process, well, that's just an added bonus.

My Little Advocates!

HAVE A HEART FOR KIDS.

That's what I did today. And so did my amazing children. I've been advocating for early learning, children and families for two years now. A few months ago, after returning from D.C. and then having to be gone a few nights in a row for school board meetings, PTO, and a Parent Night, my oldest daughter (who tends to be a bit melodramatic) said to me, "It feels like you aren't even our mom anymore, you're never home!" She may have been just speaking from the heart, and it wasn't that I'm never home, it's just how it felt at the time. But, it struck home to me. That sentence rings in my ear a lot when I'm out traveling, or having late night meetings, or gone after school doing very important things of course! But my children don't see what it is I'm doing. They know I meet with people, they know I send messages to the Governor, they've seen my YouTube videos, and they've seen me on tv. But that's not really ALL I've been doing! There is so much more to their mom being gone, then just a news interview. I've been advocating for all issues surrounding my children. Whether it's trying to protect our state funded preschool program, fighting for child care subsidies for low income families, or educating people on why it's not smart to take away funding that provides small class ratio in K-12 education. There are many more issues that I advocate or "fight" for. I fight for programs that are relevant to not just my own children and family, but for families from here to across the nation.

So today, was a chance to let my children see what it is I do. I signed them up a few months ago for the "Have a Heart for Kids Day" sponsored by the Children's Alliance. At the time, today was a scheduled day off from school for a mid winter break. Technically, they had school today because of our snowy weather we had, it became a make up day, but since I had already signed them up, and had talked to them about it, they played hooky today. I almost think that I should tell them we are going to the capital every day because I don't remember the last time I didn't have to drag them out of bed. Today, they were up before I was, ready to get dressed and out the door. They were raring to go. So we bundled up and headed to our State Capital.

There were some "boring" parts, according to my oldest daughter, but the two youngest enjoyed the child care provided by Children's Alliance. Playing with play dough, coloring, and building legos. Ashley and I both were interviewed about the School Breakfast program, and Ashley is very excited to see herself when that is broad casted. She was nervous, but definitely a natural at talking. I wonder where she gets that?

It came time for the march to the Capital.

The March was lead by a drumline, that was absolutely fabulous. We had been provided chants, and cheers, and the kids had learned the words. They needed someone to hold the banner in the front, and Ashley, and my friend's daughter Yanava volunteered. Lauryn snuck up and held part of the banner too. We marched across Capital Blvd, and across the campus lawn to the Capital Steps, cheering, chanting and dancing.

On the steps, we listened to my dear friend Bianca inspire us, Representative Ruth Kagi give us hope that early learning and children and families are a priority, and Senator Lisa Brown thank us and give us even more inspiration. It started to hail, then turned in to snow, but that did not stop our rally. We were loud, and I know we were heard, and if nothing else, seen!

After the rally, Ashley watched intently as my friend Immaculate and I were interviewed by a Children's Alliance staff member, and gave her opinion on what it meant to be at the capital.

I was supposed to testify on behalf of WaKids again this afternoon, but Logan had other plans. My favorite part of the day was walking to testify, and one of the other kids asked where we were going. Ashley said "mom's going to testify", the other child said "what's that?" and Ashley responded, "I don't really know, but she's going to talk to legislators and stuff, she's not in trouble, she's just gonna talk to them." A legislator happened to be passing by at that moment, and was rather impressed by her conversation. He said nothing, but his smile said a lot to me.

All of my kids had a great time, I had a fantastic day. Lauryn's favorite part was going in to the capital, Logan's was seeing the "castle" (he thinks the capital is a castle) and Ashley wants to know when we are going back.... My little advocates in the making!

Dear Governor

http://www.wsaheadstarteceap.com/documents/AprilRittertoGovernorGregoire-Iwanttoworkpdf.pdf