I would like to take this opportunity to share a little bit more about myself, however on a more personal level. I am a very proud single mother of two children. I have one very bright and active son as well as a very creative and imaginative daughter. We have a lot of fun together and I am enjoying every minute of being a mommy. I keep very busy with school, work, my children’s sports as well as PTO activities and volunteering in their classrooms. This is a great time in our lives and I am savoring every minute of it. My current life is great however I didn’t start out here.

    I grew up in Sunny southern California and was raised in a traditional family. Both parents lived at home and I had an older brother and younger brother and sister. My mom was a stay at home mom and my dad worked outside the home. Even though most of my childhood was spent in California we moved around often during my elementary years and I attended many different schools. As I entered Junior High my family settled into a home in what I consider my Hometown of Tustin. I was not the most focused child and tended to be the chatty one in the back of the classroom. I heard over and over again about how bright I was, if I would only apply myself. I was very involved in extra curricular activities and found it exciting to sit up all night chatting with friends. I was an exagerated version of your typical teenager. I found school to be easy and therefore became bored and easily distracted. I coasted through high school and was happy to graduate.

    However I got a huge wake up call when I entered into Junior College. I was very regretful that I didn't apply myself more in high school and found myself struggling with study skills and time management. I struggled to maintain a fulltime school load, fulltime job and a social life of an eighteen year old living on my own. Needless to say it didn't last very long. I found my passion in preschool teaching and slowly started minimizing my school load. After a few years of juggling school and work I met the man of my dreams and got married and started a family.

    After five years of living the American dream my marriage ended in divorce. I found myself a single mom with no college education and a mortgage. I went back to what was comfortable to me; working with children. During this time I also managed to take several college courses and found them much more interesting then I had years before. I found it extremely difficult to raise my children alone in California with no support from their father and no family. It was then that I relocated to beautiful WET Washington. That was definitely an adjustment.

    Moving here was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My children and I have settled in nicely and are happy to be surrounded by family. At 31 years old and with a little more life experience I am enjoying the opportunity of going back to school. Learning has definitely become a passion of mine and my education is one of my top priorities. I hope to instill in my children the same passion and excitement for learning that it took me thirty years to find.