"Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own."
― Michelle Obama, Becoming
Over the last year, our story has expanded and contracted in ways we could have never imagined. From managing anxiety to getting Covid to watching Jaden turn sixteen, life has taken us on a journey of growth. We hope our mini recap of a wild year helps shed a little light on how we are navigating the "new" normal.
Jaden, 16
Being the parent of a teen in today's world is not for the faint of heart. We have had to figure how to parent our child amid a global pandemic, quarantine, social justice issues, and balancing socializing with friends. We learned to coach and support Jay these last two years in ways we didn't know we could.
This year, Jaden entered a hybrid school year. He returned to in-person school for four courses, and the remainder of his classes were online. Initially, this transition was tough, but after a few months, Jay got the hang of it and ended this semester with five A's and two B's. In addition, this year, Jaden got to go to his first homecoming dance and LOVED it.
Jaden turned sixteen this year! Honestly, we have no idea where the time has gone! That same weekend he got his driver's permit! Boy, was he excited! He now gets to drive around town with Dad, and I have to say he's doing well! We took him to Busch Gardens for his birthday and spent the day with his cousin Ashley! He had a blast!
As a boy scout, Jaden ranked up to first-class, which means he is three ranks away from Eagle Scout. Being a scout has made Jaden more responsible and independent. That's probably why when Heath and I got sick with Covid back in March, Jaden took such great care of us! Just this weekend, Jaden canoed seventeen miles in one day on Silver Lake in the Withlacoochee State Forest!
As Jay gets older, we continue to contact his first family. We especially love connecting with his biological mom. Unfortunately, the pandemic has made it difficult to see each other in person, but Jay hopes to see her in the new year. Jaden continues to share his story of adoption with his friends and classmates. It's been super cool to witness him embrace all the parts that make him who he is.
Jade (Heath), 44
In January, Jade turned 44. His birthday was a difficult one this year due to the insurrection attempts at the White House. As a veteran, that day was a difficult one for him.
While many people were desperate to return to the office, Jade was not. Instead, he found that he thrived in a remote setting, and it gave him space to spend more time to have a work-life balance.
In July of this year, he was delighted to have graduated with a BS in Graphic Design with honors from Full Sail University! He also earned three high director distinction awards. During his tenure at Full Sail we; relocated to a new state, Jade started a new job, sold our home in North Carolina, and bought a new one in Florida. Yet, once again, he missed the opportunity to walk across a stage and celebrate this moment. But he will be the first one to tell you the most important thing is that "I finished."
NEW JOB ALERT
After four interviews, Jade joined KPMG as a Senior Associate Designer in October! Jade is super excited to be part of a company that develops staff, puts their family first, and see's him as a seasoned professional. The best part of it all is that it's a fully remote position!
In this new role, Jade play's a key part in setting up the creative strategy that will bring the programs to life; he creates an interactive visual design, partners with teams in digital marketing to execute the market plan, and reviews projects. Additionally, he recommends solutions that may be different from what was requested initially to elevate the level of work while still meeting the original objectives. I may be biased, but he is brilliant 😊 Jade has been at KPMG for two months and has already seen he's stepped into a great role with the right company!
Ligia, 47
It's the start of something new. :)
This year started rough!
After being the director of adoptions in Tampa for almost three years, I applied for a new role at AdoptUSKids. Since 2007 I have dreamt of working at AdoptUSKids, and landing this job was a dream come true! So, you can imagine how excited I was to step into the role of National Child Welfare Consultant. In this role, I partner with states, tribes, and territories to improve their child welfare systems. Additionally, I provide national webinars for social workers and write articles. This role has changed my life! Although I've only been there for about eight months, I have learned so much! The best part is that it's a fully remote position.
Unfortunately, as I stepped into that role in March, I was diagnosed with Covid. Anxiety quickly set in and left me feeling a bit out of control. As a mom, I struggled with the idea that both Jade and I were very sick, and Jaden had to step in to care for us. In this struggle, I realized Jaden is growing up so quickly. He became our provider and caregiver. I am honored to say Jaden can do hard things.
After several weeks of recuperating, Jade and I slowly returned to our everyday lives. Unfortunately, that's when anxiety took hold of me. I am thankful to God for my husband, therapy, and medication that helped me manage my stress and slowly began to thrive.
With all the challenges faced this year, I was in awe of what God had in store for me professionally. As a result, I was honored to have received a "Top Latino Leaders Award" from the National Diversity Council in September. In addition, words cannot describe how excited I was in October to share an interview featured in NBC News where I shared my wonderful and challenging stories of navigating Afro-Latinidad in family, career, and community. That interview opened the door for me to speak at UNIDOS. UNIDOS is an organization within the NBC Universal family that serves as the premier resource for uniting, educating, and empowering accomplished aspiring Hispanic professionals. I then embraced an opportunity to be featured in Telemundo's Mujeres Imparables, the new initiative of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises to promote the progress of Latina women in society.
This year is a testimony of how God prepares us in quiet so that when it's time, we can bring our whole selves to any situation and share our stories of pain and joy in a way that resonates. I am thankful for this story and all the ones we have yet to tell.
The end of year vibe…
This year has been the start of many new things for our little familia. However, the one thing that rings true is that we have each other's back, and we celebrate the good things as we face challenges together. We are looking forward to a quiet holiday with our family and friends here in Florida.
We hope your year has brought you growth, joy, and beautiful memories with those you love.
- The Cushman’s
