the Kenyon fairy

This is how I sometimes refer to Kenyon. Why? Because he sweeps in and does nice things and leaves, unnoticed. I don't see him. I just see the results. Since my July trip to India the Kenyon fairy has been cleaning my place. I would leave for work with the ironing board out, dishes in the sink, towel and discarded clothes on the floor, bed unmade. I would come home from work with everything in place. The handiwork of the Kenyon fairy. Since starting school the Kenyon fairy has been busy! Not only does he continue to clean my place. He also shops for groceries. I open the fridge one day and it's empty. Next day its full. Same thing happens with my gas tank - empty to full with the blink of an eye. He takes out the trash, puts away laundry, does errands. I can't count the number of times this semester the Kenyon fairy has been to library for me picking up and dropping off books. I'll use this week as an example. I left last Wednesday to D.C., my place was less than clean and my gas tank was empty. Sunday night when I returned I was welcomed to a clean home. Monday on my way to school I realized I hadn't got gas and it had nearly been on empty - I look at the gauge and abra-ca-dabra...gas tank is full! The Kenyon fairy has struck again! He took mail to the post office and books to the library. He left sticky notes (needed for continuous studying), flowers and a sweet handwritten card. The bed has been made and bathroom clean, and I didn't do it. I am so lucky to have a Kenyon fairy. What would I do without him?

encouragement

It is amazing how much words of encouragement mean. My single women's lifegroup participated in an exercise this week. We were supposed to tell each other, "one thing I appreciate about you is..." At the end of the night, most of us were in tears with big smiles on our face. It was an incredibly bonding experience. I heard things from the girls that I didn't know. Ways I had inspired them, things I had done to influence them. Before it had got to me, my spirits were already lifted from sharing the experience with the rest of the group. It went so well, I decided to extend my encouragement beyond the group. I wrote Fiona an email. I wrote Kenyon a card. It feels good to share encouragement with others, I highly recommend you pick someone this week and tell them what you appreciate about them.

best interest of the kids?

Meet Charles and Ramone. These boys live in the inner city of Kansas City. Their father is dead, in fact I believe they witnessed him be shot - Charles remembers it. Their mother is a crack addict. They've lived in foster homes and currently live with their grandmother and eleven other kids, mostly cousins, in a two bedroom home. One of their foster parents had wanted to adopt them, but the biological family prevented it (even though they didn't live with the biological family at the time). Now there is another family who would like to adopt them. Again, the biological family is preventing it. I don't know what the right answer is in these situations. The family is not providing a safe, healthy, growing environment for these kids. BUT, I also understand giving the biological family a preference. In an ideal world these kids would live with their mom, but she would be a mom interested in protecting and loving them - she would not have a long-term addiction to drugs. This weekend I had the privilege of escorting the boys on their first plane ride. We went to Virginia to visit the family who would like to adopt them. In my personal opinion, if the biological parents have been unable (or unwilling) to care for the child for more than two-years, and a loving family wants to provide a healthy environment for these kids, the parents rights should be terminated and the kids should be adopted by the outside family.

The current system gives preference to the biological family. This is the second adoption proceedings of this nature I've been involved with. The first family spent years fighting to adopt two brothers who they had been foster parents to, the biological parents were in jail, involved with drugs and had knowingly molested these boys older siblings. In my opinion, they had more than proved to be unfit parents. It was astounding to me that although the loving foster family had physical custody of the kids for years and wanted to adopt them, the system made it nearly impossible. In the end the mother gave up parental rights and the foster family officially adopted the boys, plus a daughter. I was happy with the result, especially since the foster family was the only family the boys had really ever known.

Why do I say all of this? Because I've learned something through this process. The system is not set up in the best interest of the kids and I wish it were. I wish the default were to give the children a loving and supportive home, to reduce their pain as much as humanly possible. Sure, give the biological parents a chance, but when they aren't able to pull it together in a reasonable amount of time, the focus should change to advocating for the kids best interests.

I don't know what the right answer is for Charles and Ramone. Honestly, I just wish there was some way to improve their lives and show them they are loved. It was an honor to escort them this weekend. My favorite part was when they would say (very loudly) on the airplane, "five, four, three, two, one...blast off!" as the plane was taking off. It was great to share the experience with them.

data

I've long been a fan of research. I'd be insane to pursue a PhD if I didn't like research. I have a curious mind (intellectually curious...and strange). I enjoy looking up information. I like to discover things. I can get lost in data. I recently completed a large research project for my housing policy course. We were asked to look at Census data (not an easy task) and write an analysis of the housing market in our chosen city. I chose my hometown of Santa Fe, New Mexico. I still love New Mexico. It is a part of who I am. Since moving I have seriously considered moving back at least three times - I've considered it many more times then that. You might ask, why don't I live there? Basically, there aren't enough jobs and the cost of living is too expensive. I've thought that, but it's a whole other thing to have data to prove it! What did I find in my school research project? Santa Fe has become a resort and retirment town, as a result it is increasingly unaffordable to long-term residents. I'm not the only native of my generation who have moved away for this reason. Many who would have liked to stay, simply couldn't afford it. They own a home over 50 miles away and commute in for work or to visit their extended family. A few (very few of the overall) statistics follow. In the years between 1990 and 2000, in Santa Fe:

• a 74.1 percent increase in seasonal, occasional and recreational use housing
• the largest population increase was among households headed by a person 75 years old or older
• 20 percent of owners and 36 percent of renters have a severe housing burden, spending more than 35 percent of their income on housing

There were many more statistics that supported the previously held assumption about the housing market in my home town. It is interesting how data can support what we already suspect. Ah, the wonder of data...

Immunizations

Enrollment for next semester came available October 1. I've decided to continue the torture of graduate school - crazy, I know. I plan to enroll in three classes next semester; advanced quantitative methods (good times! - I'm really looking forward to that one, can you tell?), research seminar in democratic theory, and an independent study on non-profit management theory. I have also been asked by one of my professors to present with her at a conference in April - we will be presenting on the topic of non-profit board management with some data on race representation. My first professional conference presentation in the academic world. Ooo-la-la! I'll let you know how it goes. I decided last week I ought to make it official and enroll for next semester. Everything is done online now. I got to the point where I would submit enrollment and guess what - I have an enrollment hold. What could that be? I don't have unpaid parking tickets, my tuition and fees have long since been paid - things that make you go hmmm... I looked it up. It's an immunization hold. I have an immunization hold - that's funny! Why? Because I've been a human pin cushion for years due to my international travel. If there is an immunization shot or pill I've had it at least once, likely more than once. Hepatitis A & B - got it, twice! Tetanus - rather than every 5-10 years, I get one every other year! Typhoid, turburculosis, polio - yup, yup, yup! The reason there is a hold on my enrollment is for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella). I've had that shot three times by my count - once in high school in order to enroll, once as an undergrad in order to enroll, and once last year prior to my return trip to India. The problem is, I don't have records of any of this. Ugh! If you remember, last year a bunch of college students came down with the measles. KU was hard hit - especially students living in the dorms. If memory serves, about 100 kids from my school got sick. Many had been immunized. It was decided to re-immunize the campus. Every student should have not one, but two MMR shots on record. I am a casualty of this policy change. Guess what I'll be doing the next two weeks - getting MMR shots. I thought I'd pick up my malaria pills for India while I'm at it...