Changes

Yesterday was my first day back to work after 6 weeks off.  As often as I grump about my job, I must admit that the summer lay off is a true benefit.  As you all know, our family is so busy, and the time off in the summer allows us to cram as much of our blessings into each week as humanly possible.  We literally spent 6 weeks in simple celebration of life with family and friends under the warmth of the sun.  What more can a person want in life, really?

Vacation can't last forever, though, unless you are independently wealthy, which we are not...at least not financially wealthy!  And even though I love the work-free summer weeks, I am also a person who thrives on routine, so the return to work is also good news.  I'll admit, I could have used a few more weeks off, but I'm happy to have a job, and not just a job, but a job working with some women who I truly consider friends, so my return is only slightly bitter sweet!

This year will be a little different for me professionally.  Due to the state budget and a lot of other  internal changes, there has been a considerable amount of shifting in my agency.  Without boring you with the details of a place you probably know little about, I will simply tell you the biggest impact this has on me:  I am no longer a case manager.  I am now (at least for this fiscal year, while the budget permits), the Family Community Partnership Supervisor.   I'll basically be coaching the case managers and assisting my boss with any supports that she needs.

Head Start is an organization that is near and dear to my heart.  I truly believe in the program, its vision and its encompassing assistance for families.  It not only provides a quality pre-school curriculum, but is also a true reinforcer of overall family success.  We offer comprehensive support, giving our families a hand in overcoming some of the significant obstacles that they face.  I have been in this field for 11 years now, working for Child Advocates for 6, and I am amazed at the perseverance and resilience of some of the people I have met.  Seeing their struggles first hand has given me a more clear perspective of the issues facing our country today.  I read a lot of posts on facebook and see a lot of chain emails that discourage the continuity of the public welfare system.  I'm not discounting that there are abusers of the system, but there are also people who use it as its is intended, as assistance - help, guidance, a bridge to a better future.  If we allow ourselves to become jaded by those who take advantage, we turn our backs on those who need us most.  Head Start is a program that advocates for the little guys (literally), defends the under dog, offers friendship and counsel to the downtrodden, and assures the sustenance of our future.

This is an exciting (and also a little bit scary) opportunity for me.  I'm thrilled and honored to have been asked to take this position.  I pray for guidance through this next year - that I am open-minded, kind, and fair.  That I keep my eyes open and learn.  That I am not pulled down by the negativity of others. That I am a true support to both the case managers as well as to my supervisor.  And most of all, that I continue to serve the needy population with a compassionate heart.