mommyhen42

642

I have had many roles in my life and have become someone I am proud of.In High School I was a shy wall flower with peers but at home I ran a small commercial rabbitry out of our barn, worked with and trained horses in 4-H and even was a 4-H leader for a rabbits and Cavies (guinea pigs) group that we called Hippty Hop and Bunnies Too. Out of High School I joined the Air Force and went on to be an AGE Mechanic (which simply means that if it rolled up to, came close to or connected to an aircraft, I worked on it) Met my ex-husband and had 2 boys. Out of the Air Force I was discouraged that my 4 years of training and experience ment nothing on the outside, I went into nursing and worked as a Nurses Aide or CNA at the local Convalescent Hospital, Later I became an LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) I worked long term care for over 20 years and also did Home Health, Hospice and even taught CNA's and Pharmacy Tech for a while. I founded Reptile Rapsody Reptile Rescue http://www.reptilerescueca.org in 1989 but recently turned it over to the local Herpetological Society due to my struggle with Fibromyalgia which hit me like a ton of bricks in October of  2001.  Jasper who later became my Service Dog was to begin training with me for Search and Rescue in December of the year I got sick, so this was a particularly hard blow. At that time I was walking 5-10 miles daily after work and doing half day rock climbs on the weekends that I did not have any Adoption Events. Fibromyalgia stole my life for a time in that it took me from the things I loved the most, being with people and the outdoors! Believe me, even though I am no longer able to answer the call the mountians call to me, I hear their song, feel the breeze on my face and mourn for what I have lost.Life goes on, things change, we adapt...I have new goals even though they may not be as lofty as what I was once able to accomplish. I have limitatins now, but I still struggle against my boundries that this body has placed me on. You know the old saying... Sometimes you get the bear, sometines the bear gets you... This has become the story of my life, but I still try to get the bear more often than he gets me... LOLGrowing old Gracefully, to me means, accepting who I am and not trying to conform to what others think I should be, enjoying life to the fullest extent I can, screaming louder than anyone else at the sporting events, and loving my family and friends for who they are.I came into this world at less than 5 lbs struggling for my first breath... I will go out of this world the same way.Live, Love, and be proud of who you are, and what tomarrow holds.