day 17 of 21 (Treena Glover)

Today was not a typical day in that it felt slow and quiet. I seem to thrive in high stress environments...which probably explains why I excelled when I was an Accountant on the trading floor at Cargill in Minnesota. After close to five years, I left my accounting career (not because of the high stress & high workload volume) but because my busy work schedule left me little time for my then seven year old daughter. I looked at my darling one morning...and thought "MY GOD...I am giving my daughter EVERYTHING financially, but I am not giving her the most important thing...which was me; her mommie." I gave a verbal one month notice, followed by a written two weeks notice. I reevaluated what was important to me...deciding at that moment that I would commit to a career that could offer me three months out the year downtime to be with my precious daughter, Essence. What could that career be you ask?? Teaching!

Having a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting (with yrs of experience) was not going to be enough to give me a competitive edge in teaching. So...I went back to school to dig deeper into the subject matter that I loved the most; Mathematics. I ended up receiving a Masters of Science Degree in Mathematics. Chicago State University (CSU) offered me my first chance at teaching under the guidance of two wonderful, amazing mentors!! Mentor Dr. Attele (who is the current Math Chair at CSU) helped me all the way to the last leg of my collegiate journey. Then Dr. Musial helped me cross the finish line. I then began teaching at Daley College while simultaneously teaching at CSU. Somehow I ended up teaching mathematics to high school students under the umbrella of the champs program at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) during the summer. On the weekends I began coaching the students at Betty Shabazz International Charter School to compete with other schools in the mathlete competitions.

One morning...I looked up and thought "OH MY!! I am literally teaching math seven days a week; morning to night; YEAR ROUND." Let me add...that while I was a struggling student in college again I started up my own private math tutoring business called Twilight Wonders. I continued Twilight Wonders for three more years after graduation. So...I plugged my clients into all of my free time. My very first client was the daughters of the Vice President of Financial Affairs at CSU (Alan Robertson). Alan became like a big brother to me, encouraging me, guiding me, motivating me. It was quite bizarre to think of Alan like a big brother and yet see his signed name on all of my payroll checks!! At one point...my client roster became so full that I began reaching out to some of my old math buddies to assist me in the demand. I even took to taking some clients for free once a month. I wanted to help the younger students who had parents who couldn't afford me.

I looked again at my daughter at one point and thought..."what happened?" I left Accounting so that I could spend more quality time with my baby and I ended up working even longer days (add in the time needed to grade papers). I hated myself for doing that!!!!!!!! I truly felt like my daughter didn't have me in her life (like she should) as her mother. I felt that I had somehow neglected her by allowing day cares and after school care and weekend camps and summer camps to watch her instead of me.

I also started to notice other children who were lacking strong parental role models. I didn't give my daughter the needed time, but I noticed some other parents were not giving their children needed food, clothes and shelter. O the horrors of some parents who even abused their precious children. I was angry at myself for not being there for my daughter and angry at other parents for the injustices they did to their children. I had made another critical decision that reshaped my life. I was going to get a grant (somehow), buy a building and begin to house ALL OF THE CHILDREN who needed my love, safety and security!!!!!! I was going to take the children nobody else wanted and claim them all as mine. I was convinced that if I turned the energy I always gave my career towards my beautiful Essence and other children I could move mountains.

Well guess what...I did just that!!! I am moving mountains! My friends and family were shocked when I said I was going to throw away my degrees and careers to help as many children grow into their greatest life possible. I was not sure of how I was going to fund this new project, but I knew with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY I would be a success!

I began with a conversation with my daughter Essence. I apologized for not being there for her earlier. I told her I wanted to change and asked her to help me change. We also talked about the possibility of opening our homes and hearts to other children who might need us. I was aggressively searching grants...when my friend Falechia Turman (Co-Producer of Self-Portrait) told me about an agency (SOS) that is doing EXACTLY what I wanted to do!!! SOS is a not for profit agency helping children in need grow into caring, productive, self-reliant adults.

I left my career teaching to join SOS in their mission and vision. I have remained in the employment of SOS for 3+ yrs now. My salary has dropped to 1/4th of what I was making as an Accountant and yet I am the HAPPIEST I HAVE EVER BEEN!!! I wanted the children (clients) that nobody else wanted. I took the cutters, firestarters, gender confused, mentally ill, sexually abused, teenagers, medically complex and so on. I wanted to help the children who were standing on their last breath of hope. Of course, I knew that I needed the training and education to do this. So, my agency trained me extensively...but then I went on my own relentlessly seeking out information and classes to assist me in this passion. I burst into my new life with mind blowing energy...but the good thing this time...my daughter, Essence had the opportunity to remain by my side for the entire time. I now have mommie daughter date night with just Essence. The weekends are family time now...not WORK TIME! Though I only gave birth to one child...I have opened my heart, time and space to five other children. Though my other children call me momma or momma Treena I am not their legal nor biological mother. I am their foster mother.

I take my role as a foster mother...VERY SERIOUSLY!! I love all of my children more than one could ever imagine! I enjoy what I am doing...and in my enjoyment...people began to notice me. I was featured in the Chicago Suntimes on March 14, 2009. The Chicago Suntimes is one of the major newspapers in this area...and they featured a whole page on me. Wow!! In addition I did a commercial for DCFS and voices4illinois not to long ago. The commercial will air on CBS later this year. Also, my agency tried to pitch my story to the Oprah Winfrey Show on amazing mothers. I was told that I would appear on the show, but then Oprah bumped the show for something else. Oh well. Smiling. In addition...SOS (which is an international organization) has written articles on me numerous times in their newspapers.

I mention all of this to impress upon you the importance of finding your passions in life and driving it full speed ahead. I am SO passionate about helping a population of children often overlooked by our society. I only wish that I could find a mate who loves children as much as I do. Someday my foster children will leave me. One day my daughter Essence will leave the nest..and I wonder if I will find a man who has a heart big enough to continue to take in children with me who are in distress. Hmmmm...

Okay...I digressed. LOL

Back to day 17. Today was not a typical day in that it felt slow and quiet. The slowness of the day tried to creep beneath my skin. For a moment I actually considered not going to Hapkido. Then, I remembered that I was testing today. A little after 7pm I headed out the door to my gym.

I arrived to the gym ten minutes before class started. I quickly changed into my Hapkido gear then went to class. Master Lee spent a good twenty minutes stretching us and working us hard. Next, Master Lee called three students to the front (me and two others) and told us to practice our forms for testing. I practiced over and over and over and over and over and over and over...until twenty minutes before class ended. Then Master Lee approached me to do the routine...which I did. He then approached the other two students to see their routines. Ten minutes before class ended, everyone was instructed to sit down. Then Master Lee called the test takers up one by one for our exams. I was the second to be called. Though I received my fourth stripe today (only three of the four count toward progress for the next belt; one was simply a special requirement) I didn't feel excited about it. My breathing was fine...my back fall excellent...but my side falls and front falls were not as polished and precisely executed as I wanted it to be. I didn't feel like I deserved the fourth stripe today. I worked hard, but I think I needed to work a little harder.

So...on day 17 I worked out for one hour in Hapkido. The slow day seemed to have effected my eating because I think I may have eaten only twice. I ate a huge vegetable salad today for breakfast and two turkey sandwiches for lunch. I munched on apples, celery and carrots throughout the day. I truly didn't feel hungry around dinner time, so I didn't eat.

I drank a boat load of water today...almost sixteen cups. That's probably why I'm not hungry. lol.

Until day 18...begin to rediscover your passions.