Here it is 2015 and I am catching up on my events and
thoughts from the past year.
I started 2014 with a new job as a Nurse Practitioner in the
Primary Care Department at the Veterans Administration Hospital in New
Mexico. What an amazing opportunity. To
be a veteran and serve veterans is unique. Having insights and a shared
experience and language is such a positive way to help make an impact on
patients. I have to admit I was probably
a funny site: tall, pregnant, woman veteran (OIF & OEF) on a mission to
improve the health of my fellow veterans. However, I jumped in and learned a
lot. Not only about the VA system as a medical provider, but also how to help my
fellow veterans navigate the “system” to get great health care.
In addition to starting a new job I completed my training in
the Emerge program. Emerge is an organization that promotes diversity in
politics by developing support for Democratic Women. It works by identifying,
training and encouraging women to run for office, getting elected and seeking
higher office. The training is a cohort-based seven-month training program. I
met so many amazing, and talented women leaders. It was great to share the
perspective of being a women, veteran and nurse practitioner with other leaders
in our community. Now that I am done
with training I am developing a plan for what I need to do to run for
office. We need more nurses and Nurse
Practitioners in leadership roles in our community and that includes political positions
that influence and build our community.
2014 was also the 25th Anniversary for CLNkids(also known as Cuidando Los Ninos). Our
25th Anniversary Celebration was amazing. With the help from
generous donors and Alpha Bravo Events we were able to not only ensure that all tickets and proceeds went to CLNKids
but we raised $16000. Even more exciting, that increased visibility in the
community made our Christmas Fundraiser a huge success and we raised
$58,000. It has been a busy year. As
Board President not only do I manage the executive committee, but I attend the finance
committee (to maintain our budget and ensure fiscal responsibility), the
advocacy committee, and anniversary planning committee. I am not sure where I found the time, but I
think the success was due to our event planner, amazing staff and our board
members. I love working with motivated,
dedicated and engaging individuals. It makes everything easier.
With all those activities I am not sure we could have added
anything else in my life. However, life happens and now I can add being a mom
to my list. Our daughter was born in
June and my life has been changed in so many ways. I changed everything to be
more efficient with my time and be able to spend as much time as possible with
her. Mountain Man has also shown me his
“dad” side. He really is an amazing man in so many ways. It is often the little things I notice when I
get home that just make me smile. The other morning after I fed baby girl and
was headed off to work he said “I have noticed she likes to wear a sweater in
the morning” right before dressing her . Or the other day when I
came home to find him vacuuming the floor with baby sitting in the REI Baby
Backpack on his shoulders laughing and giggling as he cleaned our
home. I love being a mom and still being able to support my community. And now
I get teach this to my daughter and hopefully show her the values I have
through my own actions.
2015 is the year of the mom-veteran-nurse practitioner for
me. I hope everyone remembers that in everything you do you are always more
than just a nurse or a mom or a friend. You are all of those things and
more.
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