I have a dream....

Those four little words have never really held such a high standard and meaning to me until today. I have always had goals and dreams, (I usually aim small so I can accomplish them lol) but last year I set my sights a little higher. Everyone who knows me knows that my students are my world. Anything I do, I do for them. For the last two years (when I first began this journey as a teacher) at Halloween (my favorite holiday) my assistant and I have made costumes for our students to go around their wheelchairs and accentuate their costumes just a little bit more. Each year the money for this project comes out of our pockets. Something my husband was never to pleased with :) He's kind of a penny pincher lol. 

After Halloween we decided that with funding we could make these costumes so much more. I looked into turning this project into a charity. A real charity that could take donations. OH MY GOSH at all the red tape you have to go through to get to be labeled as a non-profit. I quickly got discouraged. Shortly after beginning our journey into legit-ville, my husband and I lost a baby that was conceived 9 weeks prior. Emotionally and physically I couldn't put my whole heart into this project being that it was in pieces on the floor of what was supposed to be our baby room. 

I postponed everything. I took the months of November and December to mourn. January, for me, is a month of fresh new starts and a brand new year. While listening to my favorite morning show, Kidd Kraddic in the morning, I heard them advertise a contest called "I have a dream." My mind instantly went back to the costumes for my kids, and the dream of giving them more than I have been able to do so far. So I went to the website an entered. The task was to tell them in 100 words or less what your dream is...so I did...I ended up with well over a hundred words ha ha. It took me almost two hours to cut it down to fit in the allotted space. Never thinking anything else about it. I never win anything but I knew I will have at least tried!

Last night I am working on my newest addiction (made from scratch flat bread) when my phone rings with a Los Angeles number...I hit ignore so it will go to voicemail b/c I'm really sketch to answer numbers I don't know. Not ten seconds later the voicemail notification pops up. I finish kneading my dough and check the voicemail...It's a man named Robert from Kidd Kraddic in the morning. He gave me his cell phone number and asked me to call him back as soon as possible, it was urgent. I called the number he gave me (which sounded kind of strange for him to just give out his cell phone number to random people) and he answered first ring. We talked for about three minutes; he read my essay and asked me about my project and what my goal was. After I get done telling him about our costumes and the meaning behind the name Erase the Space, Given by one of my costume recipients, he drops a bomb. He tells me that I am a finalist and they want to look into it more so someone would call me tomorrow to interview me for the show!!!!

Anyone who knows me, knows my emphasis happy dance :) It would put Carlton to shame. I figured hey, if I don't win maybe someone will hear my goals and help me out!!! Yay positive publicity!!! I immediately called my principal to tell her what was going on and ask her if it was ok to have my cell phone attached to my hip at all times tomorrow. She agreed and expressed her excitement.  This morning when I get to work, I let my co teachers and assistants know what was going on incase there was an urgent phone call....and then it came :) At 9:22 my phone rang. It showed up a Texas number not one I knew but I answered anyway. ha-ha. The woman on the other end let me know that the crew wanted to interview me and ask me some more questions about my goal. By the crew I had NO IDEA she meant THE CAST!

 When they introduced me J-Si was the first to talk to me. I got to say “happy circus” which has always been on my bucket list if I ever got to talk to them. I got nervous b/c the line went silent for a minute. Everyone kind of gasped remembering the story behind that phrase from Kidd Kraddic himself. It was bitter sweet. They talked about how I must have been a long time listener. J-Si read the essay I sent in. After about 3 or 4 minutes of talking and asking about our project and my students, Kelly freaking Rasberry gave me the greatest news of my life. They were not only going to send me to a guy who is charge of their charity (Kidd's Kid's) and walk me through the process of starting my charity with all the paper work, but they were also going to send me $1000 start up money to help me through the process!!!!!!!! I know I sounded like a blubbering idiot but I just broke down. I immediately started balling my eyes out. I thanked them a MILLION times. I wasn’t really sure what to say. My world has been turned upside down and I am so blessed beyond words. Since then I have emailed been emailed back and forth by people from the show. I’m not really sure what happens now, I just know that my kids are going to have the most AMAZING costumes this year. I’m pretty sure 2014 and I can be friends. So far so good!