you got my heart little girl

So I was able to go spend some time with the sweetest little girl in the whole world. Serae Jackson is nothing short of a miracle. No other word describes her. I have seen one other miracle in my life and Serae is the second. It was such a good feeling to hold her and know God is still in control. We often look at the world around us falling apart, going so many different directions, and so many people losing hope but seeing this little baby gives me hope that what me and all my social work buddies are doing is paying off. Serae has doesn’t know her story but her mom does, her grandma does, and hundreds of others who prayed for her do. What a princess… the closest feeling I have ever felt to pure love. I teased on my way out that I would bring my child support check next week… but until there is a father in that young girls life who will look out for it then that’s what I will do.

The plan is to see her once a month. As it goes now and how much I have thought about her all day I might make it every other week. : ) I cant wait till she gets bigger and we can go to Culver's and get ice cream!!

: )

THANK YOU to all my awesome friends for the support… I could NOT have done this without you!

Planting seeds of hope, harvesting fields of changed lives…

it takes a village,

to raise a child.

i have been thinking a lot about "community" not the actual buildings, houses, or businesses but the people. some communities have reputations, good or bad. corrupt or doing right. snobby or friendly. community has been what my life have been all about the past few years. the opportunities of a community. the love of a community. the learning in a community. tonite i was at a benefit for a sweet little girl named Timber who has leukemia. i was invited after letting them use my sign for advertising which was the least i could do. the "community" at this event was so inspiring. the eclectic group of people made me realize when someone is in need people will come from any background to help. thats a community. even though many traveled very far or were strangers to nearly everyone i felt like i was involved in something, everyone felt like that. thats a great feeling.... community.

theres no I in community, wait.. yes there is... theres no ME in community.

find a community of your own. get involved. change the world. you will never regret it!

i dunno...

i am a little skeptical about mrs. palin. i dunno about this lady. i already voted for someone just because they were conservative and i regretted that! it makes me chuckle to see conservatives swoon over the mccain ticket just because he played his cards right knowing that he would get votes if he added sarah to his campaign....

this in no way means i am voting the other way. so dont judge me those who judge as a part time job... i am thinking out blog. not out loud. out blog.


who am i gonna vote for?? i will follow my dads example. i aint telling... maybe cuz he knew no one would agree... wait... that means my dad might be a democrat! i could never know!

i hope he reads this... cuz if he does and i show up missing this weekend... you might want to look in the cornfield behind our house!

the last one...

dave always told me... "you will learn to say no soon" i really enjoy being involved in lots of agencies and different events but after this weekend i learned i am gonna get burn out soon. its great to work and volunteer in tons of different areas but i did all of those things when i was in college and without any full time job. now that i have that i have been trying to balance both.... after sunday i am realizing its not gonna work. i spent all day sunday on the couch passed out and having no motivation at all. i dont normally do that.. ok i mean i do lay on my couch a lot but i dont sleep for several hours and stare at the wall in my own little world for hours. i love the life i live. its great to see the rewards of helping people and meeting new people! but there has to come a time in each one of our lives where you just say i need this for me. i got there this weekend. i am volunteering for CASA now which is going to be very time conusming but i do feel like i will make an impact on a childs life who needs it. so i am gonna stick with it... but after that i am gonna take a break. i cant start a week knowing every nite is gone for the rest of the week.... dont get me wrong... i am not complaining at all cuz i realize i did get myself into all of this but i am writing this so i can go back and look at this blog and know how i was feeling when i was overwhelmed! : ) you have all been where i am i am sure just feel good to write it out sometime....

still.... livin the dream!

im the lucky one.

i love my blog cuz i can say what i want and no one can stop me. ha

today i was honored, stunned, and overwhelmed to say the least to get an award from the CRC!

Stevie, one of our kids said all kinds of nice things that i thought he was saying to someone else and the person i was thinking deserved all the nice words to. the last line of the "speech" said "but most of all in our eyes, we know that Eric Hoots is a great success at bringing out the best in us." and the first thing that came to mind was it was the other way around... the CRC... the kids there, the people who are involved in running it, and the supporters of it are the ones who have changed my life. when i found the CRC i was lost. i was discouraged, heartbroken and needing a place to make me smile the moment i walked in the doors i knew i found the place. so here is what the community resource center is to me...

its a place where i feel loved and appreciated
its a place where i have found two of my best friends
its a place that allows me to make mistakes and then teach me what i did wrong
its a place that lets me build relationships with amazing kids.
its a place that helps me meet people in our community and be involved
its the place that developed my passion for helping others.
its the place that helped me work on my jump shot... that is still awful
its the place that allowed me to be me.
its the place that made me look forward to 4 and to getting my kids off the bus.
its the place that taught me how to learn all aspects of social work
its the place where i found the two greatest mentors that respect me and have given me so much
its the place the brings out the best in ME...

so blog readers from the CRC... I am the lucky one. I could never thank you enough for the passion, acceptance, and love you have shown me from day one. i could never say thank you enough for the memories and the laughs. i never wanted to leave and if i could live off an hour and a half salary everyday... i would be there! so thank you for the honor and surprise... and thanks for just being there for me.

CRC 4 life. check!

life is like...

i had the awesome opportunity to take my beautiful orange bike all over the city this weekend following the runners participating in the marathon. 26.2 miles of running on city streets has got to take a toll on anyones body. i was able to stand along a cheer, encourage, scream, and i even rub some lady's calf who cramped up right in front of me. at that point i realized that life is like a marathon....

in the marathon of life we run and run. sometimes we even walk or stumble and some even quit. we run through the challenges, the hills, the rough patches in the road, through the crowds. on this run of life we see many things. we see the course ahead and when i was a freshman in college i think it was the first time i felt overwhelmed and thought that part of my life would never end. now i am just starting my first month of a being in the real world and i feel as if retirement will never come. not only have i looked at the course but i remember the people around. the ones on the sidelines. the encouragers, the discouragers, or the ones who just watch. i can remember some of the encouragers on my life. mr. fuller is the first one who comes to mind. my friend adam. jan and houston. kristin. my parents. ron and dave. the list goes on and on. i also look back in the distance and see the discouragers. the ones who questioned my passions. the ones who thought the only way i could serve was in the church. the ones who said a loud mouth ADD kid would never make it. i also see the ones who never said anything, the ones who stand and stare or offer nothing. the race of life is tough. theres lots of hills and valleys, the times where the streets are lined with screaming fans. the times where the course is vacant and you swear you are all alone. i love this race. i would never ever take back anything.... overall my course as been gold paved streets. i am priviledged to be raised by amazing parents who gave all for their kids. i now have a college degree that so many people in this country and world would die to have. i have a job which are few and far between in our present time and i have the ultimate gift... the opportunity to impact others. the chance to help cheer on another. to rub out the "cramps" of life. to encourage the people who are right around the corner but cant quite see the finish line. what a great opportunity! and i plan to take advantage of it everyday!

as i watched the race yesterday i got chills and even teared up thinking about all the time and passion these people had put into this and i couldnt help but be so proud of everyone of the races. even the ones who didnt finish. i felt so good as i stood at the 26 mile marker and i would see someone walking and looking abosolutely spent and i had a part in to encouraging them to finish strong and then they would start to run again. that made me feel great and to think that i meet so many people who are walking, crawling or even planning to sit down and on the race of life and i am able to encourage them, give them hope, and see them start to walk again or sometimes even jog. what a life! i love it!

keep running....

i wish you could feel my stomach.

you ever get that feeling of extreme contentment? like when you accomplished a lot in one day and you know your going to sleep like a baby! i love that feeling and i have it almost everyday.

today was great. i felt the feeling of being a real advocate today. it such a great feeling to give someone a little hope! a little encouragement.... right at the point in their life when they feel like its falling apart. theres nothing like hearing a smile over the phone. and theres nothing like getting other people involved in helping others too!

social work is great.

Oh and i got to finally paint my office. the walls are no longer pink.

lets start the movement...

i am with you on the movement. lets start it and watch it grow. taking true, unadulterated love to new heights and depths. love never expecting anything in return. passion that sees change. heart that is so contagious millions follow. light that permeates the darkness of our society and demands change. hope that sends a message of acceptance! i am in. if your reading this and you get the same feeling down deep in your heart that just longs to see this world be better because you poured your life into others than you should join too!

i got a job to do. i cant do it for anyone else the only thing i can do is show people how easy it can be to impact a life.... just a smile can change a persons day.

ugh. we have got so much potential and how many of us arent using it! nothing in life can be wasted more than a talent.

ok goodnite. ha

cubs are awful.

my post has nothing to do with that i just had to get it out.

its been a great week! i love the job. i am finding its consuming my mind and i should prolly be careful or else i will get burnout in a few weeks. i guess i struggle with the people just being selfish and having no consideration of the feelings of others. kinda gets old.

i do think i have found my next job. i am going to start working towards being a probation officer. kc-casa is going to teach me so much. the court system is a great place to be. you see everything. judges, cops, probation, lawyers, states attorneys, innocent people, guilty people, people who just did something stupid, and people that if you had half the chance you would throw them out a 3rd floor window for what they have done. i have learned so much. my supervisor and my co-worker are great. they help me learn and genuinely dont mind helping me. which makes it so much easier to learn and learn quickly.

i was able to get back in contact with the kid i am mentoring which is great and i get to see him this weekend! life is grand. everyday just makes me more thankful for the amazing life i get to live everyday and so thankful i was raised in a good home and didnt have to worry about some of the stuff these kids have to see. hopefully i can offer them just a taste of all the blessings i have had.

livin the dream.

Life isn't fair and I dont care what anyone says.

when some sick old man steals the innocence of a little girl because he cant satisfy himself any other way i would say that life is not fair.


its tough. get a helmet and some mase.


overwhelmed.