• getting lost and finding your way
• failing and making mistakes
• learning to find your own path
• following your heart
• learning to forgive
• finding your purpose
• letting go and trusting
• learning to forgive
• being kind
• BEAUTIFUL

I truly believe that your life is already planned out for you before you are born.  Each of us are unique in our own way and we all have our own reasons as to why we are placed in each other’s lives strategically.  I’ve come to believe that people travel in and out of your lives for a certain reasons.  You may not know at the time, but there’s always a purpose for it.  PURPOSE…now there’s a word that was my shadow for years.  YEARS…I was questioning…WHO AM I?!?!

 (Photo Credit: Google)

November is National Adoption Month,  a month set aside to particular focus on the adoption of children currently in foster care.  I really think it’s important that while we take this time to give THANKS for what we are grateful for, we also take the time to THANK every individual who has extended a hand to care for a child in need, without those “kind” people, these children wouldn’t have the guidance they need.  Looking for ways to get involved?  Eckerd can guide you along they way.  

 (photo credit: Google/melanieinboston.com)

Internships are stepping-stones.  They provide real world experiences for students transitioning from academic to professional careers. I know all about transitions.  As a child, I transitioned from Spain to America and then one placement to another, never knowing a sense of stability or a sense of belonging. Then, at the age of 18, I transitioned from ward of the court to emancipated adult.  The transition from dependent child to independent adult could have done me in, as I have seen it do others like me, but I vowed to overcome it, to thrive, no matter what.

I barely remember arriving in the United States, although I think I was 5 years old at the time and I know I didn’t speak a lick of English.  My brother, sister and I was escorted by a man whom dropped us off at his mother’s house in NC and vanished forever.

I was 13 years old that wonderful summer day.  My brother, sister and I were picking away at blackberry bushes by the road when the neat business lady arrived.  She was there to take us into DSS custody.  At that point, my sister and I had lost contact with my brother.  He had gone in one direction while my sister and I went in another.  I didn’t even get to hug him goodbye.  The last image I had of my brother was that of his wailing, crying and struggling to reach towards me through the rear window of the car that drove him away that day, out of my life forever.  Initially, my sister and I ended up at a group home, where we shared our own private bedroom.  After a week, DSS placed us with a foster family that warehoused children, or so that’s what it had seemed.  From here on out, I really didn’t know what was going on.  Children came and went, I was going from home to home without my sister, group home to group home, in one school to another, meeting different case workers after another, and it was like a whirlwind.  I had no sense of stability.  I was looking for something…ANYTHING…I needed to bounce back.  The last bits and pieces of my reflective foster-kid family fantasies now dashed, I sunk deeper into depression.

I graduated Andrews High School June 4, 1998, turned 18 June 9th and moved into a one-bedroom apartment the next day.  I had barely more than the clothes on my back when I exited placement; no furniture, no bed, no job, no friends and no adult to guide me.  Depressed and disconnected, I fell in with the wrong crowd, who introduced me to alcohol and drugs.  I self-medicated for a while, as I tried to fit into society.  I was so scared, so confused, so alone, so traumatized by my past and so intimidated by my future.  I just wanted to belong. Oh, how I needed to feel a part of something….anything….

I still remember the pride I felt as I crossed the stage to receive my college degree, and less than a week later, I smiled so wide my face hurt, when I stood on the platform with the other interns to address the U.S. Congress.  In my wildest dreams, I could not have conceived that someone like me, a lowly orphan, would receive such an amazing honor. As the other interns responded to the question, “What one thing would you do in your state to improve the foster care system?” I could only think about how much I missed my brother and sister.  Frightened as I was, I put on my best smile and told them how important it is to keep siblings together because sometimes that is the only remaining connection to family we have left.  Not knowing who your biological mother and father are is already too much to handle, but then losing your siblings in the system destroys any remaining sense of belonging.  I am sure I stumbled over my words some, and at one point, I couldn’t see anymore, not through the tears….

(Referencing to Foster Care Review, Inc): Resilience in physics is the quality of bouncing back, the ability of a body to recover its shape after some force has changed it.  Resilience in children refers to the ability to adapt and achieve positive outcomes despite adversity. (Hard times) 

What helps you bounce back?

Just imagine with me for a moment that you think all your life you are one person, only to find out you’re not.  Everyday you’re faced with many obstacles in life.  How do you handle them? While I was bouncing back and forth to foster homes, I didn’t let it discourage me.  I let it characterize me. I went to church.  I surrounded myself with good friends.  I want to share with you my strengths as a foster child and as a young adult today.  Intelligence is one of my biggest strengths that have helped me succeed into a self-sufficient adult.  Since the day I aged out of foster care at the age of 18, I have been on my own.  I put myself through college working up to as many as five jobs at a time and taking eighteen hours of classes per week.  I’ve earned two bachelor’s degrees from WCU. You have to just embrace your past and be excited about your future!

Sharing my story and experiences is my therapy and helps me grow each day to become a better person inside and out.  It’s my outlet.  Find your outlet. Whether it’s playing sports, performing arts, lending a helping hand, writing, getting an education, going to church, whatever it may be, continue to be strong.  Be a fighter!  Always remember to smile because it’s infectious and you never know who needs it.  No matter what pathway life has you walking down, always remember that you will be faced with adversity and obstacles.  Social competence, problem solving skills, self-sufficiency, and optimism are just a few examples of my resilience that helped me survive while being in foster care.  There are unlimited possibilities of ways to bounce back.  What are yours?

Today, I can say that I have found my PURPOSE!  Speaking about my past and helping those in care to move forward is the greatest reward I can offer.  I also get to work for a Big Four Accounting Firm who enables me to be the best that I can be and allows me to chase after what I’m passionate about.  They allow me to feel confident in my PURPOSE and because of that, I’m able to help others in foster care become future leaders!  #ILOVEMYJOB!

Thank you to ROBERT FROST for coming into my life at an early age!  Because of his famous quote, “The Road Not Taken,” I have found my way 🙂 

BY ROBERT FROST

The post No Ordinary Life for No Ordinary Liz (Repost) first appeared on #NoOrdinaryLiz.

There are things in life that are generally expected to take our breath away, you meet that great love (yep, still looking), you experience the birth of a baby, (adorbs) or you hit your big toe on the corner of your dresser…OUCH!  Whelp, I’m still holding my breath that is…until this past weekend!  No, I didn’t find that great love, or hit my big toe, BUT I did experience something so much greater than any of that!  Are you curious yet?

I don’t know if you remember me talking about CHOSEN in my previous posts, but this past weekend we had the half marathon here in Tampa.  I was introduced to this race by a good friend of mine, and blogmate, Orangespoken who had a friend that was looking to adopt and participate in this race.  I’ve written about BabySanchez in a previous post.  Over the past couple of months leading up to this race, I’ve gotten to know the Sanchez family a little bit better.  We’ve moved from the “friend of a friend” kinda stage to now “friends.”  I have been keeping up with their adoption story and hearing them praise CHOSEN!

 The wonderful Sandra Sanchez! 

That weekend, I didn’t hit the payment and do the 13.1 miles as the other 500 or so runners did, I decided to volunteer at the finish line handing out the medals to those who came across it.  I wanted to look in the eyes of those who were running to give others a SECOND CHANCE, HOPE, a LIFE, a HOME, and LOVE to congratulate them or to comfort them as some had big tears as the finished!  What they didn’t know was that SECOND CHANCE was standing right in front of them.

So why did CHOSEN take my breath away?  See for yourself…

  Seeing these kids who are or in the stages or being adopted running as fast as they could to greet the runner with a medal!  

 Seeing those in PURPLE shirts supporting BabySanchez!  What I found to be most amazing about this is that Sandra had over 70 ppl running for her!  Most of these ppl she didn’t know……but met after the race 🙂

 Two strangers who are from different paths, came together on one for a purpose!

 The people’s SECOND CHANCES!

  The encouragement we get from a friend…

  CHOSEN’s Angels…

 She was running for her SISTER… To be able to capture that moment….

 This AMAZING boy ran for himself and his family!  What an inspiration it was to see him cross  this…

 Ed, who was on a CANE completed the 13.1 mile marathon.  I was so moved with hearing his story, that I had to run out to him and walk with him to the finish line!  This right here was the most inspirational moment, I’ve ever experienced and to know the reason behind it…  he has adopted children…

 Loved this picture!  Waiting on the sidelines and being the cheerleaders for bringing home BabySanchez!

But the BIGGEST MOMENT for me was…

 watching Sandra Sanchez run across that finish line and being greeted by her son who put the medal on her!  Such an epic moment. 

 🙂

Yep, CHOSEN, you did take my breath away, not once, but SEVERAL times!  I have never experienced a more real, heartfelt, motivational race such as CHOSEN!  I walked away that day with my heart so FULL!  I know that BabySanchez will arrive very soon for the Sanchez’s.  CHOSEN soon will be taking their breath away!  I just know IT!

If you’re interested in adopting or would like to participate in a race near you, be sure to check out CHOSEN.

The post is written by me about Chosen Marathon. The opinions are all mine.

The post CHOSEN Took My Breath Away… first appeared on #NoOrdinaryLiz.