Welcome!

Happy New-Year and welcome to my blog :)

I'm Chanel and currently a Graduate student at Walden University studying Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Teaching and Diversity. I earned my undergraduate degree from The University of Illinois at Chicago in Political-Science with a concentration in Urban Politics and Education Policy.

As a career, I am still testing the waters; unsure of what GOD has planned for me or my life. Originally set myself to become a family lawyer and realized that my heart was not truly in it. Someway, somehow I found myself deeply invested in education and policy- merging two of my deepest interests together and fell absolutely in LOVE. I enjoy teaching all age-groups, though I have an affinity for middle-school children, and have taught in several countries as an ESL teacher.

The thrill of experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, getting lost, trying new things, and getting to know yourself in an entirely new environment is the thrill I receive from teaching and traveling
 Being African-American, traveling, and teaching allows me to have teachable moments with every step I take and with every "hello" I give. It's a phenomenal experience I encourage anyone and everyone to consider as it provides a newfound perspective, cultural appreciation, and a world-view that was never considered before that metaphorical "walk in another person's shoes".

Lastly, I am quite sure the theme of my blog  has raised questions; which I am more than happy to answer. I am a PROUD mother to an angel born May 20, 2016 at 9:49pm. My son, Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth, was born at 24+6 on May 20, 2016 instead of his intended due date of September 3, 2016 due to my severe preeclampsia.

Because of his extreme prematurity, he had underdeveloped lungs and kidneys that were unable to handle an infections he had contracted during my birth. He lived on this earth for ten beautiful days and made his transition home on Memorial Day, May 30, 2016.

Through his death, it was revealed that I have a wild strand of E.Coli in my digestive track due to my immunity to most antibiotics and that I can pass this to my next unborn child (ren). Isaac's death not only saved my life but the lives of his future siblings; giving me eternal gratitude to my first-born son. Every single day, I think of my son and the moment I got to hold him for the first time as he prepared to return home.

My life shut down for the remainder of 2016 after that day and I fell into depression. Life became mundane, my relationship with my fiancee became torn, and I found no reason to continue to live life happily. I was angry at GOD, myself, my fiancee, and the world for taking my child away from me. My child, my reason for breathing, was no longer here and I felt there was not much else to look forward to.

My wonderful fiancee and Isaac's father, Stephan, and my family were a big support during the time of my depression and helped me get back to a safe and happy place. I rediscovered my passion for writing (hence this blog) and took steps back into my rightful place- the classroom with Bright young minds. Heck, I was even pregnant in Marmand, France during my time teaching at a Spring Language camp. Some of my fondest memories are my son's little kicks he would give right before lunch time during a lesson and my students would want to feel :)

I have no idea what GOD has planned for me, but I know he gives his roughest battles to his strongest soilders. I love teaching and can see myself teaching Head Start for at-risk children in my hometown of Chicago, on the south side where I was born and raised. Soon after, I would transition to curriculum development that would assist in meeting the needs of Early Childhood education for minority children and bring insight and development on how the educational gap can be bridged started from birth.

Aside from my career aspirations, I plan to get married later this year to my fiancee on our son's birthday and possibly have another addition to our family when the time is right. Other facts about me are that I am an Aries, lover of all things taco, proud plus-size fashionista, and I love to read romance novels during my spare time (considering writing and publishing one actually ^___^

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and keep an eye out for more of the innermost thoughts of my soul.

Chanel