Things that I enjoy...
Well, of course I enjoy being a mother (most of the time). It is a great blessing to have children and a huge responsibility. But as I grow older, so do my children. The oldest will be 25 this year and the youngest is getting ready to turn 16 on March 22. One is in graduate school, 2 are in college, the 4th will graduate from HS this year *fingers crossed* and the youngest is a sophomore.
Next year will seem strange with just one teenager in the house. But some of my hardest days are spent doing things for her. She is a very talented soccer player. Because she attends a small Catholic school, she has played on the Boy's Varsity Soccer team since her 8th grade year (most of the girls are playing volleyball or doing cheer). And she holds her own on the field. She usually plays center midfielder and has chalked up several goals and many assists to date in her varsity years. During the rest of the year, she plays club soccer for a U16 girls team in Albuquerque, a two hour drive - one way. So on Tuesdays, I take her and another girl from Gallup on the same team to Albq. for practice at 4:30 pm and then we eat a quick dinner and drive home. On Fridays it's the same thing except we spend the night because games are on Saturday. This starts in February and goes through May. There are also tournaments, we are going to San Diego over Easter and hope to meet Da Goddess. In the summer there are camps. Her favorite is Notre Dame, but she tries to go to at least 3 in the summer. So, I guess there is some truth in the statement "Soccer Mom".
But, that's not all I do. I try to guide my older kids and to be there when I'm needed. But, I needed a break sometimes from being a Mommy so I learned some new skills and they have been exciting, fun and most of all useful to the community.
I first got my EMT license, and then upgraded to a Wilderness EMT. Then I joined Search and Rescue. Some missions are pretty simple. A hunter or pinon picker goes out and gets turned around in the forest and we get called by the State Police to go find them. We find their vehicle or a family member tells us where they are supposed to be ( sometimes they've told a little white lie and are someplace totally different). Then we start looking for tracks or any kind of sign that will give us a direction of travel. If it's late at night, we still look, but usually the person has taken shelter for the night and we find them the next morning walking down a dirt road. There are harder missions, some that last for days and a few where we have never found the person/s.
The next thing I did was to learn about radios. Cell phones are handy, but they don't work too well in parts of New Mexico, esp. when you get deep in a forest or a canyon. So I studied and took a test to get my Amateur Radio License or Ham Radio for short. I am a Technician level and my call sign is KD5KTY. It has been a great asset. Using a system of repeaters linked together, we can talk pretty much all over the state and even into Arizona and Texas. Some Ham operators have higher level licenses and talk all over the world. As I got older, it was harder to keep up with the young guys on the searches. They hiked so fast and my body just rebelled. So, I went one step further and became a Field Coordinator. This means that if I'm on call and sometimes when I'm not on call, the State Police call me and pretty much hand me the mission. I decide the types of teams we need, how many, other needs, like dog teams, helicopters, ATV's, snowmobiles, etc. Using my Ham radio, usually the one in my truck because it is more powerful, I keep in touch with the Ham's in Albq. in a group called Amateur Radio Emergency Services, ARES for short. I call them or have someone helping me call them and they get on the phone or radio and locate the teams I need. There is a lot of paperwork involved and I wasn't prepared for that the first couple of missions, but I'm getting better at it.
So, although my life as a wife and mother still come first, I've taken the bull by the horns and made a career in something I enjoy and have some skill at. I might suffer a little from empty nest syndrome, but at least I have something to do to keep my mind off of it. And since Jay and I both like to travel, I think our years where we are back down to 2 instead of 7 people in the house will be pretty fun.
Just a reminder to everyone that you are only as old as you feel. I don't plan on stopping being an outdoors person just because I'm 60, 70 or even older (if I make it that far). And it's a good feeling to be needed. When a families loved one is missing in the wilderness, we certainly are needed and for the most part we have a good outcome. The added benefit is I like to talk so I can use my Ham radio for just talking to other Ham friends and that's another thing I enjoy.
Next year will seem strange with just one teenager in the house. But some of my hardest days are spent doing things for her. She is a very talented soccer player. Because she attends a small Catholic school, she has played on the Boy's Varsity Soccer team since her 8th grade year (most of the girls are playing volleyball or doing cheer). And she holds her own on the field. She usually plays center midfielder and has chalked up several goals and many assists to date in her varsity years. During the rest of the year, she plays club soccer for a U16 girls team in Albuquerque, a two hour drive - one way. So on Tuesdays, I take her and another girl from Gallup on the same team to Albq. for practice at 4:30 pm and then we eat a quick dinner and drive home. On Fridays it's the same thing except we spend the night because games are on Saturday. This starts in February and goes through May. There are also tournaments, we are going to San Diego over Easter and hope to meet Da Goddess. In the summer there are camps. Her favorite is Notre Dame, but she tries to go to at least 3 in the summer. So, I guess there is some truth in the statement "Soccer Mom".
But, that's not all I do. I try to guide my older kids and to be there when I'm needed. But, I needed a break sometimes from being a Mommy so I learned some new skills and they have been exciting, fun and most of all useful to the community.
I first got my EMT license, and then upgraded to a Wilderness EMT. Then I joined Search and Rescue. Some missions are pretty simple. A hunter or pinon picker goes out and gets turned around in the forest and we get called by the State Police to go find them. We find their vehicle or a family member tells us where they are supposed to be ( sometimes they've told a little white lie and are someplace totally different). Then we start looking for tracks or any kind of sign that will give us a direction of travel. If it's late at night, we still look, but usually the person has taken shelter for the night and we find them the next morning walking down a dirt road. There are harder missions, some that last for days and a few where we have never found the person/s.
The next thing I did was to learn about radios. Cell phones are handy, but they don't work too well in parts of New Mexico, esp. when you get deep in a forest or a canyon. So I studied and took a test to get my Amateur Radio License or Ham Radio for short. I am a Technician level and my call sign is KD5KTY. It has been a great asset. Using a system of repeaters linked together, we can talk pretty much all over the state and even into Arizona and Texas. Some Ham operators have higher level licenses and talk all over the world. As I got older, it was harder to keep up with the young guys on the searches. They hiked so fast and my body just rebelled. So, I went one step further and became a Field Coordinator. This means that if I'm on call and sometimes when I'm not on call, the State Police call me and pretty much hand me the mission. I decide the types of teams we need, how many, other needs, like dog teams, helicopters, ATV's, snowmobiles, etc. Using my Ham radio, usually the one in my truck because it is more powerful, I keep in touch with the Ham's in Albq. in a group called Amateur Radio Emergency Services, ARES for short. I call them or have someone helping me call them and they get on the phone or radio and locate the teams I need. There is a lot of paperwork involved and I wasn't prepared for that the first couple of missions, but I'm getting better at it.
So, although my life as a wife and mother still come first, I've taken the bull by the horns and made a career in something I enjoy and have some skill at. I might suffer a little from empty nest syndrome, but at least I have something to do to keep my mind off of it. And since Jay and I both like to travel, I think our years where we are back down to 2 instead of 7 people in the house will be pretty fun.
Just a reminder to everyone that you are only as old as you feel. I don't plan on stopping being an outdoors person just because I'm 60, 70 or even older (if I make it that far). And it's a good feeling to be needed. When a families loved one is missing in the wilderness, we certainly are needed and for the most part we have a good outcome. The added benefit is I like to talk so I can use my Ham radio for just talking to other Ham friends and that's another thing I enjoy.
posted by Kitty at 1:22 AM
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