My Newest Project

So I’ve been out of the game a while. I haven’t written a single blog, or a single thing besides medical documentation since my departure from Africa. Daniel, however, requested a blog post, and since I’m broke until my first paycheck comes in, this is his late birthday present.

I was reflecting today on why I haven’t written in so long. Almost a year really. And I think its because I thought I had nothing interesting to write about. Not that my blogs prior to Uganda about things like dog vomit and my view on the Olympics were really all that interesting, but once you write about things like African safaris and white water rafting the Nile and sharing the love of Christ with some of the world’s neediest and yet most full of joy children, funny trips to the store and the like don’t really seem all that interesting or worthy of the time it takes to write about them.

That might have been the world’s longest run on sentence.

Anyways, in all actually, I’ve done a lot with my life in the last 9 months. A quick bullet summary (in no particular order) for those of you unable to keep up:

• I discovered in Africa that despite previous concerns, I am actually quite capable of living independently. Before I left, I thought I needed certain people in my life in order to be happy or successful. Discovering the contrary has been quite a freeing experience.

• I learned to appreciate my family and the year I get to spend with them. I learned to view my sister as a grown up. Weird.

• I worked my first job waiting tables at a restaurant called Genghis Grill here in Georgetown. I wanted to make sure that I waited tables sometime in my lifetime, because I think its an experience everyone should have. I learned to love mongolian food. I learned to tip better. I learned humbleness and patience. I learned to care about and enjoy spending time with people who are very different than me in lifestyle and life views. I learned that’s ok. I learned that restaurants and the food that comes with them are NEVER as clean as you think (always drink your drinks from a straw people!)

• I spent 3 months working on Fort Hood for an internship for school. I learned that the military culture is very different from the average Americans. I made some great friends that I still keep in touch with. I learned to love and enjoy the people that serve in our military. I developed a greater respect for the people that serve our country.

• I spent 3 months at an outpatient pediatric clinic in Round Rock. I learned that pediatric occupational therapy is for me. I learned that no matter how old you get, women will always have the occasional spouts of drama and gossip.

• After comparing the two work environments, I learned that I enjoy working in work environments that have more men than women.

• I spent almost every Sunday morning and evening at two different churches sharing with kids the beauty of the Gospel. I learned that children’s ministry is my passion and where I’m meant to be.

• I finished school with my Master in Occupational Therapy in 5 years. My brain still hasn’t learned that I’m actually done with school forever. So weird.

• I got a fabulous contract job in Killeen at a pediatric clinic called Kidz Therapeze. I started there this week. It’s been a bit stressful getting my case load set up and learning how everything works, but I love it so far and I’m so excited about the time I am going to get to spend here. I’m even more excited that I get another opportunity to give back to the military community by helping their children. What a great combination!

• I learned that despite previous thoughts, I still have an overwhelming fear of letting someone in enough that they could hurt me. Its insane to me that even a year or so later, the selfish acts of someone could have such an effect on me, no matter how badly I don’t want them too.

• I dated a great guy who serves in the army. I learned to develop a great deal of respect for the work he does and the person he is. Unfortunately, I also learned that no matter how great someone is on paper, the fear I still have is never going to allow a relationship to work successfully.

Which brings me to my next project. Stay with me here. In occupational therapy, when a kid has a problem processing sensory input, we give their sensory system lots of input to help them overcome the issues (sorry for my inner nerd coming out). I think the average American says it “face your fears head on”. In summary, I’m going on dating overload to help get over my fear of dating.

But, per my usual self, I’m doing it in a different way.

Many of you know that I have a list of things to do before I die. One of these is go on a blind date. One of these is to write a book. One of these is to be on Oprah. Another is to be on Ellen. I’m combining the 4.

Again, stay with me.

Over the next few months, I’m going on blind dates. Lots of them, as many as I can get my friends to set me up on.

And then I’m writing a book about my experiences. The first chapter is already in the works (the intro chapter, I haven’t had any blind dates yet).

My hope is that the book is good enough to get me on Ellen and Oprah. If not, I’ll have to find a weird human trick to get me on Ellen, and something tragic will have to happen to me to get on Oprah. We’ll call that plan B. At this point, the book seems much easier.

Sometime this week, I’ll be posting the specifics of how this thing is going to work. Hopefully, you think highly enough of me to participate.

Ellen, here I come!,
Jenna