Claim it - my word for 2023.

Each year I try to find a word and focus on this one word, in hopes it would make a lasting impact on my life. I haven't done too well with it for the past several years.  I so hope 2023 is different. 

This year is already off to a different type of start with good things on the horizon.  In my workplace, they allow 16 hours towards volunteering.  Since I was trying to learn the ropes last year, I didn't even attempt to figure out the "giving back" portion of the company. Thanks to a friend who also works at my company asking me to volunteer with him, I kinda rolled my eyes and said - sure, why not. (Just as a side note here: the number one reason people don't GIVE or VOLUNTEER is because they are never asked.) 

So you have here the newest volunteer math tutor for HEART Math Tutoring!  I've met one of the two students I will be working with this semester and she is PRECIOUS.  Adore her. We hit it off right from the beginning. Now, let me say here, I have a tendency to reverse numbers when I'm tired or stressed. I told my student this - let's call her Maggie - I told Maggie and she thought that was hilarious! :)  I'll meet my second student this coming week. 

Today, I scheduled time with a coworker to learn more about my company's match in giving. Holy smokes, you can give up to $2,000 a year and they match this!! And the match can go to any organization you prefer, not necessarily the ones you gave your money to, which is also awesome! I immediately looked up two organizations that mean the world to me: 

• Itmann Food Bank in West Virginia.  They have the most creative ideas on how to help people through difficult financial times. Yes, they give out food. But they also have a chicken project that provides a chicken coop and chickens for those who are willing to try it! 35 families now have chickens! And they provide school supplies, clothing, and more. Love them. 
• The Marfan Foundation.  Likely you have never heard of Marfan Syndrome, but it has a huge impact on my family. This foundation works to advance research, serve as a resource for families and healthcare providers and raise public awareness. I've sat in on a presentation from them and it's amazing where they are taking research and finding new solutions to Marfan related problems. 

So, in addition to giving to these companies, I can also give them my match.  AND I can give my gift in memory of my brother-in-law and Dad! I think that's just AWESOME that I can remember these two loved ones through my gift from work! 

AND FURTHERMORE! I discovered as I volunteer and log my volunteer hours, I can earn Community Care Grants to give to organizations. I earned $50 for signing up to send a card to someone in Maine. I'm so excited about this aspect of my workplace.  This is foreign to me and I love it. 

What else can I CLAIM in 2023? I'm hoping to get my passport and am encouraging Mom, my sister and niece to also get theirs... you know, just in case we should want to travel somewhere! Mom has an interest in traveling and I think I could convince her. And I want my niece to see the world outside of our little state. Or the states around us. I want to have to understand there is so much more to this world and it's so beautiful and awe-inspiring.  For Christmas, I signed her up to receive the magazine, "Faces", which is supposed to be about other countries.  So I hope to instill in her a love for travel and exploration.  

I know this year is going to be tough, going through so many things without my Dad.  Today I found a voicemail on my phone from him and listened to it.  I can't believe it's already been four months since I've heard that voice.  Wow. But he would never want us to sit and mourn. That wasn't him. He loved us so very much, this I've never doubted.  The voicemail was him worrying about me and wanting me to call and check in to let them know everything was ok.  Yeah, 2023 is going to be hard. But it's going to be good, too. Claim it. Claim all the good out there and push through the bad. We got this, right?