Gods reminder

 Hi everyone, 

I think it can be easy for us sometimes to ignore or forget about the little blessings or mundane parts of our lives until something something happens. For those of you who don’t already know; I was in a pretty serious car accident last weekend which totally my car and caused my airbags to go off. This is a big deal for anyone. For people with Dwarfism; airbags going off are more likely to result in serious injury or death as we tend to sit closer to the steering wheel and are significantly shorter then the average driver. 

While it is still fresh in my mind; I want to take a second to reflect on this event. Last sunday evening, I was driving down I90 business loop going westbound  headed towards I90 to go have dinner with my family like I do almost every Sunday. All of a sudden;another driver turned in front of me in order to get in the far left lane going the opposite direction. There was nothing I could do. All the airbags in my car went off and the car was totaled. Long story short; I am thankful to be alive and only have a few bumps and bruises. 

I am a firm believer that God is watching over us at all times. It can be easy in these situations to wonder why he would allow something like this to happen. Something my pastor regularly reiterates in his sermons is that God allows all things to work together for our good and his Glory. This is a phrase that I hold onto. I’m not going to pretend that I wasn’t a little angry or scared afterwards cause i was. This phase allows me to direct my attention to trying to figure out the lesson that God wants me to learn. 

This past week, as i started the recovery process, working with insurance, and car shopping online; I have been blessed in multiple ways by those around me. My family has helped to provide rides so I can get to work. My supervisor and others at work are coming along side to help me get things done while I am without a car. These are just some of the blessings that I have experienced. While I don’t fully know exactly the lesson that God is trying to teach me from this situation; I do know that he is providing a great reminder that he is the provider of all things and that in every situation we can rely on him to provide what is needed. Another thing I am being reminded of is that cars are simply material possessions. They can be replaced. You can replace things; not people. 

first year on my own

  On November 6th, 2020 my dad and I packed up the car and moved me out to Spokane, Wa. Those who were around me most between the month of November 2020-March 2021 can tell you that I was not a very pleasant person to be around. Lets face it I didn't even like being around me very much. I was filled with so many negative emotions: fear, stress, overwhelmed, alone, confusion, and frustration. While I was surrounded by family; I felt like many of them didn't really know me. Almost everyone who I felt knew me best, I had left behind in California. I can't even tell you how many nights I woke up in the middle of the night crying out because of how alone and scared I was. My fight/flight response was active most of the time. 

    I moved to Spokane to start a job as a Job coach  which helps people with disabilities find and then keep jobs. One aspect of my job was that productivity was tracked regularly and the expectation of maintaining at least a 80% productivity rate was enforced. For the first several months, I could not understand why my supervisor was not happy with my productivity. From what I understood, I was doing everything correctly( visiting my clients, attending required meetings,ect). I became frustrated because I kept getting emails from my supervisor about my productivity score and asking how she could help. Of course I recognized it was a problem but I had absolutely no idea in what way to ask for help.

    In March, I finally closed on my condo. I was happy to have my own space. For a while, I thought I had my emotional nightmare under control. In May, after receiving my first client requiring full shift assistance, my boss asked to meet with me. She brought to my attention of number of complaints/concerns that were brought forward by the clients caregiver/parent. The main compliant was about my ability to communicate or lack thereof. The caregiver and parent didn't feel like like they received the full answer whenever they would ask a question They also asked my boss whether I liked my job. I wasn't too surprised about the complaint regarding my ability to provide a full answer as that has been a habit of mine since childhood. However, I was somewhat surprised about the second question. That meeting caused me to do some serious self evaluation about where these issues were coming from. I realized that I was still holding on the fear that I thought I had let of a few months ago regarding, leaving home and being on my own for the first time(minus time spent in college). I shared with my parents and my friend Pj the conversation that I had with my supervisor and the complaints/concerns that had been brought to my attention. I also shared with them the self evaluation that I did as a result. Both Pj and my parents advised me that I needed to share that information with my boss. I did just that. My boss was understanding and by sharing my feelings with her it broke the ice allowing me to feel more comfortable with sharing things in the future.The self evaluation I did also helped me realize that I had no reason to be afraid anymore that I was safe and that there really wasn't anything to be afraid of. 

    Since then I have learned some new skills and had a few experiences that I wouldn't have expected. I joined a new church in town, learned how to knit on a loom, was elected to be the treasurer of the HOA board of the condominium that I live in, and many other fun experiences. Even though I spent every summer in Spokane growing up, I am getting to know my family better and I know they are getting to know me better too both the good and the bad. I see my brother ,Nathan, sister in law ,Chrissy, and niece,Sophie, almost every Sunday at church. If it weren't for my family and their patience and support I honestly don' t know where I would be. 

Post graduation reflection

Hi everyone,
     Four years has come and gone like leaves in the wind. I still remember getting that phone call from my admissions councilor at George Fox saying that I had been accepted. Thank you to all of you for reading these monthly blogs. These blogs allowed me to reflect on my journey through college in addition to providing an update to those of you who I didn't keep in contact with on a regular basis.
     Going to George Fox challenged me in more ways then one but Im not even going to pretend that that was bad. Going to a Quaker school allowed me to learn about and somewhat appreciate another branch of christianity that I did not grow up with. I was able to intern at and then later fully attend a quaker church were I could witness what an evangelical Friends(aka quaker)church service looked like.Up until February, the church participated in as part of their service a time called open worship. At first I didn't fully understand or appreciate what this time was used for but then the more I attended and learned about their beliefs began to appreciate and enjoy this time of the service as a time to fully engage with God and let our minds and hearts process the message that was preached.
     Attending George Fox not only helped me to learn more about myself but about my cohort and the world around me. I feel like I was truly able to learn how to advocate for myself to people that didn't already know me or the needs that I had. I was able to learn in more depth about issues happening in the world around us such as houseless-ness, unemployment, and what it truly means to be a social worker in today's world.
     The Bible tells us that God will be with us wherever we go. Well, I have felt him more in the last four years then maybe ever before.  I feel as though I have become closer to him and that my relationship with God has become stronger. I have mentioned this before in a blog or two but I have a firm belief that God created a plan for each of us as to what will happen and where we will end up in each stage of our lives.As many of you know, I had decided last fall that I was going to apply to grad schools and attend right away. Well, that clearly was not his plan. What this taught me was that we may think we know what the plan is for our lives but despite what we think will happen. God is in control and I think that was the ultimate message and lesson that I learned during the last four years.
Thanks for reading these and for following me on this journey,
Allison😊

March-April: year 4, semester 2, month 3-4

Hi everyone,
     I know this is a little late. During the month of march, I had the opportunity to participate in a lobby day put on by the National association of Social workers. This is an event done every year where social workers and social work students come and lobby for bills passing through the state legislature.  It was an interesting event. I am glad that I had the opportunity to participate but if I am being honest probably wouldn't do it again.
     A few weeks ago, I had spring break which was much needed. This break allowed me to relax but also get work done in a leisurely manner. I also had my first job interview which went great. It was for a position working with children and teens with autism. I would go into their homes and/or schools and help them implement the plan they created. I also had a great birthday.
     The next big thing is graduation. I can't believe it is here already. The closer it gets the more I excited I get for the future and what the future holds.
Thanks for reading
Allison

February: year 4 semester 2 month 2

Hello,
     This has been one crazy month. I have started applying for jobs and recently got to pick up my Cap and gown for graduation. The whole job search thing has been stressful for me not  in the sense that I am worried about what will happen if I don't get a job but more in the sense that I am worried that I won't say the right things or present myself in the right way. Even though in the moment it seems like the semester is going by really slowly, it is really speeding by. At the time I am writing this; it is already the end of the 8th week.
     Next week on March 9th I am going with my colleagues and some professors to Salem for National association of Social workers(NASW) lobby day. This is an event that the department participates in every year in order to help students understand the social workers role of fighting for legislation relevant to their clients.
     As I mentioned earlier, I applied for a family advocate position in San Jose. I am excited because it is at a Head Start program. For those of you who don't know I am currently doing an internship at a head start program so I feel as though having that experience and having some knowledge about head start and how it works will be beneficial.
     As the semester continues and opportunities continue to show up; I will be interested to see where I end up.
If you feel comfortable sharing I would be interested to know what your first paid job was as an adult?

January: Year 4 Semester 2 Month 1

Hi Everyone,
This month's update will be more about how I feel about events that have happened than the events themselves.
     This semester so far has been both mentally and emotionally exhausting. This may sound ridiculous to some of you but it is how I feel. I have been applying to Masters programs lately and just received my first rejection. I am a little disappointed but not too devastated. I have had a hard time focusing on my school work no matter how hard I try. Its those cross roads of being a student and figuring out what to do afterwards.
     This is something that I have been wrestling with internally. I know in my heart what the right way to go is but my mind is saying something complete opposite. I have been looking online at a few jobs that I think would be interesting to have post graduation if my grad school plans do not happen immediately.
     I try to always be in the mind set that God has a plan for all of us and we try to follow it but never know where it will take us. Nevertheless, I know that whether I work first or finish school first; God is in control and I will go wherever his plan takes me.
     Nothing too interesting has happened this month other than applying to programs. It has been very stressful for me because I don't like to feel as though the decision I am making is not fully agreed on. While I feel support from my family and friends no matter what happens. I can feel a vibe from my professors that let me know that they don't support that decision and they aren't afraid to show it. Sorry this update is so negative but I have been feeling many negative feelings lately and I think it is healthier to talk about them then to keep them bottled up.
See you next month on
What's going on with Allison

November: Year 4 Semester 1 Month 3

Hi,
    This month has been a busy one. At the end of October I got to go to Roloff Farms. For those of you who don't know is a famous farm from the TLC show Little People Big world. This to me was a once in a life time opportunity. When I heard that my local LPA chapter was going to be making a  trip there I knew that I had to tag along and experience in person what I have watched on TV for the past ten years. I was also able to get a picture with Amy the Matriarch of the family, take a wagon tour of the farm, and even pick a pumpkin of my own. I would say that it was well worth the effort.
      This month I also made progress in the process to apply to graduate school. I met with a few professors about letters of Recommendations and all that but the process for me is an interesting one. I think that deciding to apply to grad school and all that encompasses it is a lot harder than applying to college was. I feel like a lot more is at stake and the decision that I make could affect me for a while so I am kind of stressing about whether or not to work for a year or two or go directly into my masters. I have heard a variety of different people's experiences. Some say it is better to wait and some say that it is harder to get back into the school mode after taking a few years off and that it is better to go directly into your masters. I will say that I want to go directly into my masters but I am taking into consideration what my professors and others who have already been to graduate school have to say.
     On a happier note, I am looking forward to coming home for thanksgiving this upcoming Tuesday. It won't be long before the semester is over and Christmas break is here. I would appreciate prayers about graduate school and that I make the right decision.

October: Year 3 semester 1 month 2

Hello,
       This month has been crazy. First of all I can't believe that it is the end of week 8 of a 15 week semester. The semester just seems to be flying by. I would say that since I last updated you four weeks ago my busyness level has gone up a lot. My internship has started picking up. The kids have been coming for a few weeks now and every week I feel like I am learning right along with them. The different experiences that the other teachers plan out for them also become memories for me that I can take with me.
     I have 5 or 6 group projects to complete this semester along with a variety of other things. One of the individual projects that I have to do is meet with an "older" adult 6 times throughout the course of the semester for a total of 8 hours by the end of the semester. The person I have picked has gone out of her way to provide me with a great experience already and we just met. I spent four hours with her yesterday and I had more fun than I have had almost all week. She gave me quite the tour of the retirement center. Started telling me about her life (even gave me some more assignments to do). She is a super sweet lady who just tells me like it is. At the end of the month I will get to go to roloff farms with my local LPA group and i am excited about that.
  I will be coming home for thanksgiving which is always a fun event especially because that means my next trip home isn't as far away.
Talk to you next month,
Allison

September: Year 4 semester 1 month 1

Welcome back,
        It is my senior year and it still amazes me how fast time has flown bye. Summer is over and fall has officially arrived. This last month I experienced my first LPA district regional and it was really fun. I met a lot of really nice people and got to reconnect with some friends of mine. At the convention I got to go on a boat tour of Lake coeur D'Alene and it was fun. I also got to fly to Spokane and celebrate my grandpas 80th birthday with my family.
         I am interning at a Head Start program here in Newberg this year. I am looking forward to it since I will be working with my ideal client population. This first month has gone by so fast. This summer I experienced post op depression which I now know happened last summer as well. I think the traveling that I did helped me to have a smoother transition into the new school year.

Tune in next month to hear what new adventures I had
Allison

Year 3: Semester 2: Month 2

Hi everyone,
        This has been an exciting month, I went to a mosque and that was an interesting experience.  I didn't really know what to expect but everybody who we met there was really nice. They answered all of our questions and were happy that we wanted to learn more about their religion. We had to wear hijabs and I think it added to the experience because it gave us an idea of what they have to wear in public every day.
       Last Tuesday, I received a letter in the campus mail saying that I was eligible for  phi alpha honor society. This is an internationally recognized organization that is specifically for social work. Members are chosen based on their overall GPA and their performance in their core social work classes. I was surprised but happy to have been chosen since I don't get chosen for things like this very often.
       Early in February, we filled out a form listing our four top choices for agencies which we would want to interview/intern with. Then our internship coordinator chooses three or four agencies for us to interview with at field fair which is this upcoming Monday the 7th of march. This is always exciting because it is the first step to deciding where each student interns next year.
     This week I started looking at which classes I wanted/ needed to take next year. It dawned on me that I am going to be a senior in college next year. Where on earth did the time go. This means that I will also be graduating. I have loved my time here at Fox and can't imagine where I would be if I had chosen to go to another college or university. I honestly feel that God called me to go to George Fox and has therefore guided me through this journey. I am aware that I still have a year and a couple months left but I know that they will fly by as the other three years have.
I hope you enjoyed reading this months update.
Allison

Year 3: Semester 2: January

Hi,
This first month of the semester has gone by very quickly. It is still hard for me to believe that a third of the semester is over. This semester consists of classes and my internship which takes place three days a week. My social work classes are all going well. I am taking a practice 2 class which includes learning about leading groups and working with families, Human in Social Environment 2 which is a continuation of a class from last semester. The other three classes that I am taking are a practicum class which oversees my internship, a stats class, and a world religions class.

My internship is the same as it was last semester. I am interning at a Friends church also known as "Quaker". I have been going to this church on Sunday as well. I am working with the children and family ministries. I enjoy the people that I am working with although I will admit that sometimes the work is frustrating and tests my patience.

I hope everyone is doing well. I will be home in about a month and a half for spring break and easter so even though I miss everyone the semester will go fast. Please pray that I can keep my focus where it needs to be and not on where I want to be.
Thanks for reading
Allison

Year three-month 2-3 the October-November

Hi everyone,
Within the last two months, I wrote my first two 8+ page papers. One was about child abuse and the effects that it can have on the child and the other one was an autobiography about my development from infancy to adolescence. This was a somewhat interesting paper to write since I was able to learn a lot about myself and see how the events of my life leading up to today have affected who I am as a person. I lost my voice for the first time in a long time this month. That was not a fun experience. I decided to come home for thanksgiving which I am excited about since I have not come home for thanksgiving at all since starting college.
         In the first weekend of November, I completed a safety training course for my social work practice class which was fun. We learned different moves to help us stay safe when we are working in the field. At first I did not think that the moves would work for me in terms of the height difference. The instructors were able to work with me in adjusting the moves so that I could do them. One of the moves we learned was how to get a gun away from an active shooter.
       My internship is going well. I have finished up all of my pre-hours which is basically like orientation for the spring when our internships really start. I love working at the church that I am interning at especially getting to know the families and the kids. This semester has gone by so fast. After thanksgiving we have two weeks and then finals. In between now and then I have two more social work papers due, and a term paper and I am done. Can't wait to see many of you soon.
Allison

Year 3: month 1-september

Hi everyone,
      It's hard to believe that four weeks of the semester have already come and gone. I am loving this semester. I do have to say though about two weeks ago I was beginning to think " how on earth am I going to make it through this semester". I began to doubt that I could do it. Thankfully though that has changed. I am in the swing of things now and have a schedule. This semester I started an internship that I absolutely love. I get to spend two hours a week taking care of children and the rest is helping with the children's and family ministries.
        Last week I was able to be a part of a panel of students who have disabilities. This was cool because even though many times I don't consider myself to have a disability. According to the government I do. I love the house that I live in.  Those of you who knew us when we lived on Fey street; I'm told it looks similar to that house. My knee has had its up and downs. As of the week, this blog was written. My knee has done pretty well. I am attempting to wean myself off my walking stick. So far so good. I know that as time goes on I will get stronger. All my classes are interesting. I am taking a class on the history and doctrine behind Quakerism.  This is interesting because before I started attending George Fox I had never heard of Quakerism. All my social work classes are going great. My classes all confirm why I decided to go into social work. One of my professors keeps her dog in her office. So whenever we go over to the social work office we get greeted by him. His name is frisky. Can't wait to see you guys soon.
talk to you later
Allison

Year 2 semester 2: April and May

April 3rd, 2015
Hi everyone,
This past week was Spring break for me and probably for a lot of you guys too. This past Sunday was also my 21st birthday. I had a great spring break, it was a great break from the craziness going on at school that comes with finishing up the semester. Believe it or not I only have three weeks left, from the time that I am writing this( which includes finals). My last day is May 1st This year has gone by too fast. I must say that this year has been an interesting one. This year has brought a lot of emotions that I was not expecting such as homesickness, fear, and nervousness and later on stress.
               So much has happened and I feel as though I have grown up a lot this year. I'm progressing in my major, I am going to have an internship next year along with living off campus. So much has gone on, however, that also means that I am learning more to think for myself and make my own decisions about what happens instead of someone else. That alone is a big thing because I feel like while I have been able to make decisions. I have generally relied on others to make the decision for me.  Within the last week or so I realized that I am not a kid/teenager anymore. I am an adult whose decisions mean something in the future.  The last thing I wanted to say is that the last couple weeks to a month have brought more stress than I am used to. It reminded me that the decisions I am making now are and will affect my future. This will probably be the last update until after summer begins. Thank you to everyone who reads these posts. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them. This blog gives me the chance to vent/ say some of the things that are on my mind that feel I can't say out loud.
Hope you all have a great easter,
The lord has risen
From Allison

Year 2 semester 2: January-March

Friday: March 6th 2015
         Hi everyone,
   I haven't updated everyone for a while on whats going on. I am excited to say that life has had many great things thrown its way the past couple months.
My semester started on January 12th and the remainder of January was pretty hard for me. I had a hard time adjusting to getting back into school after Christmas break. Thankfully this only occurred for a couple weeks.
          February I have to admit was such a great month. So many exciting things happened that lead me to believe that I am finally taking major steps in my major. A few weeks ago as many of you may know I was accepted into the Social work Program. The next step after that is the Social work Internship fair which happens on Monday the 9th. These are for our internships for next spring but we have to do orientation hours so we technically start in the fall.
          On February 13th I"celebrated" 14 years since my leg lengthening/ bone straightening surgery when I was six years old. Even though this surgery was extremely painful and uncomfortable. I am very grateful in the long run that I had it done because without it I would be unable to walk and not as independent.
          March is going to be a fun month. The week after next I will be coming home for spring break. During that week is my birthday. I'm turning 21 this year its a big deal. One big decision that I made in the last couple months is that I have decided to live off campus next year in a house with my current roommate. I feel like this is a big decision as it means more independence.
       I'm going to say good bye for now but I will talk to you guys soon. Only about 1 and 3/4th months left of school til summer how exciting.
Adios
Allison
     

Year 2:semester 2 January 12,2015

Monday 1/12/15

Hello again everybody.
It feels like a while since I sent out a report. Christmas break went by so fast. I have to say I wasn't thrilled with the idea of coming back to school. However now that I'm back and with my friends it's not so bad. I've had one class so far and so far so good(even if it is only the first class). One interesting thing that happened over the break was that I got a biopsy done on my thumb. It's all healed up now and my thumb looks pretty normal again. Isn't modern medicine great.
I hope you all enjoyed your holidays.
Talk to you later
Allison

October/November: Month 3 of year 2

hello everyone,

           Thanksgiving is upon us. A lot has happened this month and it was a lot of fun.  I got my certification in first aid in CPR. Along with this came the ending to the class. I am glad to be gone with one class as this gives me plenty more free time.
         Next is Halloween. For Halloween I slept over at my roommates house. This was a lot of fun because I got to take my first trip to Powell's bookstore. This was very exciting because I feel as though it is an important landmark in Portland.
         Now, for November events. I hope everyone is enjoying their extra hour of sleep. Last weekend my dad came for a visit and it was a good visit. I was really needing the visit. We had a good time being together. We had lunch with my roommates family, got some sushi, and even set up a printer(that works!). We celebrated my nieces 2nd birthday(how time flies).  Last night I enjoyed a dinner play that my roommates sister's high school put on. They preformed a play called Promity. It was about high schools and their experience going to the prom. At the end they invited people to come up and dance with them. I went and it was fun.
    I will be going to my grandparents for thanksgiving. I will meet up with my parents there. Its hard to believe but after thanksgiving I only have one more week of classes and then finals and I will be home for Christmas. This has been a good semester.
See you guys soon,
Allison

October: Year 2 month 2

Hello everyone,
Well October is here and fall weather is just starting to hit here in Newberg, Oregon. All my classes are going well. It's hard to believe but as I am writing this I am enjoying my mid-semester break. It seems like just yesterday I was moving in to my apartment.  The box trolls came out and I was able to see it with my roommate and her family. If you haven't seen it I recommend it. Just a heads up it may be somewhat scary for young children. In my ethics class we watched the Truman show. I'm sure some of you have seen it. Personally, I thought it was a little weird. Overall things have been pretty quiet. Our campus has had quite a few burglaries the last few weeks,thankfully none of it was mine. My drawing is Improving in my drawing class we did a midterm still life, this is a composition of non living things. I  enjoy updating you as it gives me a chance to reflect on what has happened the past couple weeks. I will talk to you later or as Truman from the Truman show says if I don't see you good morning, good afternoon, good night.

September: Year 2 Month 1

     
        Well, I am happy to say that I made it once again through the first month of the semester.  This has been a good month.  On September third, George Fox had our annual Serve day where we all go out and serve at our assigned areas.  My apartment was assigned to work at a homeless shelter and we ended up cleaning out their walk in freezer which ended up not being so bad.
     
          I usually am not a big reader and therefore don't normally have book suggestions. However this time I do. I am taking a Christian discipling class. This month we read this book called In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. I'm sure some of you have heard of it. I was impressed by this book. It is defiantly a must read if you are looking for a book to read.  I am learning so much in this class. Its teaching me the value of small groups it allows me to get to know a group of people really well.
     By the end of the month Ill be CPR certified through the red cross. I know doesn't seem like that big of a deal but its a good thing to do. This will be through my first aid and safety class.
 
           Two weeks starts Dwarfism awareness month. My favorite month of the year.  I had my first exam of the year in Music and didn't do as badly as I thought that I would.
 
          My drawing Class is going well. Although it is very frustrating when you look around and everybody's art is like ten times better than your own.  On Thursday the 18th of this month, Urban Outreach started up again.  This is something that I participated in and mentioned some last year. We are going to a new location and working with different people this year. I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed as I had made some  friends with the people at the old place. My hope is that I will like the new place too and make some new friends and be able to serve these people.
     Well that is all that happened this month. It was mostly just getting into the swing of school and getting into the groove of classes.

Thank you for reading and your thoughts
Allison

On my own again-first week of school

Hi everyone,
Welcome to round 2 of my college adventures. Today is August 24th,21014,the last day of summer, and classes start tomorrow. Needless to say I'm on my own again. My parents and I flew back to portland,Oregon this past Friday August 22nd and left yesterday Saturday the 23rd. I'm all moved in to my on campus apartment and have met 2/ 3 of my roommates. I believe this will be a good semester.
    The first week of school is over and classes have started.  I feel that I can admit that this week I have had some moments of homesickness.  However, I am loving my apartment and the people that I live with.
Thank you for reading these blogs over the past year. I hope you enjoy them.
Allison