I will hand out autographs for free

I don't like blogging about myself. It makes me squirm and feel very uncomfortable. Technically this whole blog is about me but if I think about that too much it makes me want to shut the whole thing down. That's why it's taken me nearly four years to discuss an award I received.

Starting around age 18 I began working towards the Congressional Award. To quote the website:

The Congressional Award is the United States Congress’ award for young Americans. Our Foundation remains Congress’ only charity. The program is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. Young people may register when they turn 13 1/2 years old and must complete their activities by their 24th birthday.

Participants earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Congressional Award Certificates and Bronze, Silver, and Gold Congressional Award Medals. Each level involves setting goals in four program areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. Earning The Congressional Award is a fun and interesting way to get more involved in something you already enjoy or something you’d like to try for the first time. You move at your own pace – on your own or with your friends. This is not an award for past accomplishments. Instead, you are honored for achieving your own challenging goals after registering for the program.

For each of the four categories, I had to complete a minimum number of hours. The point is to set goals and achieve them over several months so the participant becomes proficient in the chosen areas. It's not a race to get it all done is a couple of months.

For physical fitness, I (for some absurd reason) decided to take up running. I must have had a lack of judgment when I made that goal. We lived at Fort Lee for 4 months and I made the goal of running a mile nonstop before we left. I know that a mile is nothing for most people, but for someone who hates running, it took a lot of discipline to get up and train myself. I had to get to the track before the sun rose and scorched everything. I wanted to quit 7,000 times but I stuck to it and finally ran a mile in just over 9 minutes. I haven't run a mile since but I'm proud of that one mile. I did run to the mailbox which is the equivalent of a marathon.

The other physical fitness activity was zumba. I felt so self-conscious when I started, but now I love it. I've always hated doing things in front of others, but zumba has helped me be more confident. I still do zumba whenever I get the chance. I did it two days ago and was the youngest person by a good 25 years. I thought maybe I wandered in the zumba silver class by accident. I did something like 300 hours of zumba and running.

For personal development, I learned sign language and how a production is put on by learning how to be a stage manager for two musicals. I knew NOTHING about how stage productions but I studied and learned along the way. It helps that I like things color coordinated and alphabetized so keeping all the props in order came naturally to me. The first show was Ebenezer (aka The Christmas Carol) with 22 scenes. The second was Babes in Toyland with 6 larger scenes. Both shows had over 20 actors. I still talk with fondness about my time as a stage manager. Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't also win an Tony Award for Best Production. 

For expedition/exploration, I planned a camping trip. This was the easiest of all the categories. I had been camping several times growing up but had never planned everything myself. Mom and the twins came with me to Pocahontas State Park in Virginia for a week-long camping extravaganza. Elizabeth got sun poisoning and Mom got a mysterious rash so the infirmary was bursting which was an issue I had not foreseen.

Our little cabin in the woods. 

For voluntary public service, I did community service projects with a girls club, and volunteered at to children's hospital and preschool weekly. I did the hospital and the school for about five years each and logged almost 900 hours. 

The gold medal ceremony is held in Washington DC. Recipients are given tours of local attractions and it's very exciting, very fancy time. I was so so close to getting the gold medal. I worked so hard for years and went beyond the number of hours in all categories. I sent in all the final paperwork a few months before I had Annabelle. I knew the ceremony would be shortly after I had her but I planned on bringing Mom with me so I could still go. I still remember the man from the awards office calling to tell me that while I had done more than enough hours in every category, I had done one in less than the required time. I knew I couldn't start up again since I was so close to having the baby and would age out of the program in three months. I laid on the bed and sobbed. I felt like I had done all that work and failed because I hadn't reached the top level. When Christopher came home I told him and started sobbing again. I still get disappointed when I think about it.

In March of 2015 I went downtown to City Hall for a small bronze and silver medal ceremony with the US Representative. I held Annabelle the whole time because I didn't know what else to do with my hands. The newspaper was there and quoted me as saying, “I like working with preschool kids anyway, so it was just a good opportunity.” The ONE time I'm the subject of an entire article and that's the best I could come up with?! No one will slap that onto an inspirational poster or cross-stitch it onto a pillow!

The next Sunday at church, multiple people stopped me to say they saw the article about us. The pastor said he meant to mention it from the pulpit (I would have died) but he forgot. I've never felt so famous. I should start preparing my acceptance speech for when I finally get that Tony award.