It is very difficult to sum up your life without boring everyone to tears! Yet, I am in such an unusual occupation that maybe you do want to know the roads I've traveled.

I was 26 when I started work as a teacher assistant for a third grade class in California. I ran the creative writing center and worked with children who had behavior problems. I had always worked in business previously and it was the first time I realized that I loved working with children.

At the age of 29, I moved back to my hometown of Louisville, KY. This was to accommodate my husband's schooling. I started work as a teacher's assistant with delinquent teens in a school that was court appointed. While I may have been frustrated with the system, I loved my kids. It was quite a challenge, but what I learned about behavior modification and learning disabilities started a life long quest for understanding wounded children.

By the age of 33 I had two children and a husband who had completed school. He was hired by IBM in upstate New York. I geared down to part time work as an administrative assistant to the Rural and Migrant Ministry. I worked with the director to organize a one-week summer camp for rural and migrant children. Since our camp was run by volunteers and free to the children, I spent each year helping to fund raise and recruit counselors. I also worked with our lay ministers for weekend programs for children.

It was during this time I became involved in community activities. I was the children's church leader. I wrote church plays and the children performed them. It was a crazy time as my co-leader and I did not have a clue how to run a children's church! But no one else volunteered so we were free to be creative! It was another great life lesson. Listen to children--in the end they teach you... A few years down the road I took on a cadet and senior Girl Scout Troop. At one time I had 35 teen-age girls! I credit Girl Scouting for the leadership skills I developed in those years. They taught me how to write grants and dream big. I would eventually write and get accepted for a Reader's Digest Grant program. It allowed me to take 8 teens and two adults to our Western Camp site in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Later I would take 3 girls and myself to our Cabana in Mexico. My daughter was in my troop and we created some wonderful memories together.

Then at 46 I found myself moving to Tallahassee, Florida due to the cut backs at IBM and my husband decision to accept a job there. I accepted a part time job with a large church as their nursery supervisor of birth to 2. I also ran programs for all ages on Wednesday night. It was a great 2 years but an offer to do nanny work for one of the church members appealed to me.

I worked for that family of 4 for two years and moved on when the youngest entered school full time.

My next job was with a family of twin boys for two years. Twins will teach you to multi-task quickly!

Nannies build a strong bond with parents and I remain good friends with both parents.

I've traveled many roads during my years of working with kids. I have worked with several disabilities including Autistic, Williams Syndrome, ADD, learning and behavior disabilities. The sensitivity it takes to work with those children carries over into all my work. It has helped me develop patience and put problems in perspective.

I am also a member of the International Nanny Association and the National Association of Nannies.

Some where I got on the road of computers and the internet. I found a writers board and revisited my love of the written word. I monitored boards for MSN on the old WomenCentral Boards. I started writing an online column called A Womansview for Skateboard, a diverse board that encourages writers. I mention this because I often tell stories to my young children and help my older kids learn how easy it is to write fiction.

I've written two short chapter books for children, "The Misadventures of Jerry and Contrina" and "Max and the Go-Kart", that I share with my kids.

Okay, I know you are dying to ask, "How does my husband feel about all this traveling?!" The man is a saint! But then I always understood in the years he had to travel for his job too!

I hope this will allow you to "see me" just a little more clearly.