Questions Continued

Did you suffer illness or injury?


I am very thankful to say that I am very healthy. Very rarely (knock on wood) do I ever get sick. I can't remember the last time I was sick. That is a good thing because I HATE to go to the doctor. Don't like to wait for a long time in waiting rooms where other people are sick and just don't like to go. I have to be close to dying before I will go. I also won't go inside a pharmacy to pick up my meds. There are a bunch of sick, coughing, hacking people in there and I think it is even more germy than the doctor's office.


What was your biggest achievement of the year? What was your biggest failure?


I am combining these two together, because my answer to these is the same. In August of 2009, I became a CASA. To find out more about CASA, read this link. My first case will probably always stand out for me. I was assigned two little girls. My supervisor gave me this case because unlike most cases, she thought the mother could use some mentoring that would help her develop her parenting skills that she was lacking, and reunite her family together.

I worked very hard developing a relationship with the mother. We talked on the phone a lot and went to lunch several times. She did not have any family, as she aged out of the foster care system herself. I tried everything I knew to help her help herself to get her children back home. After some rough times, her children were returned to her in May 2010. Unfortunately, she violated a court order and they were removed again in August.

The fall was bombarded by court hearings and two scheduled jury trials. I was very torn about the situation because I was going to be the main witness.

I know that the mom made the bad decisions to have her children removed, but I felt like such a failure because I had not taught her the skills she needed to parent. It was ultimately up to her, but the thought kept running through my mind, what else could I have done. I hurt for her, but absolutely without a doubt feel like the best decision was made.

The biggest success in all of this is that the girls are going to be adopted by their foster parents. These people are wonderful! They will give these little girls a fantastic life and they will love them unconditionally. I am so excited for them and look forward to seeing them flourish in the future.