Jane Ammon

The tears just leaked out. As we waited the required fifteen minutes after the boy got vaccinated...... to my left was a woman being spoken to with love and care as she fretted over a possible reaction, across the aisle was a translator on an iPad on a mobile cart helping a healthcare worker explain how the process worked... It was a flurry of activity everywhere yet the room was full of promise and hope and relief... and next to me sat our son, who had been waiting for this moment since the horrible night he found out his great uncle had covid, our deeply empathic kid’s greatest fear in this pandemic came true when we lost him, and now he knew he’d finally be able to stop being afraid he would be the one who made someone else sick and my gratitude leaked out and ran down my face while simultaneously feeling wrapped up in my despair in wishing we could have called him to say we can’t wait to hug you because we finally can! So instead I took a picture of my feet and rested my hand on his shoulder, exhaled and said thank you to no one, but everyone in that room too.

Is it paddle season yet!?!? Kami from @aquaompaddle dropped off my new and scrumptiously beautiful Roots @evolve_boards and paddle today and I’m over the moon in love! Can’t wait to hit the water, who is coming out with me? #waterismyhappyplace #paddlelife

My therapist told me-the second hardest thing we do is raise our children, and the hardest thing we can do is to raise someone else’s child. It was her reminder to me that I’m doing two of the hardest things, in a pandemic, while simultaneously grieving the person who made a conscious choice to parent me. I keep leaning into the language behind the word parent. Who defined what it means to be a parent, legally, and why have we landed in that space in our society? How many p...eople are we leaving in the margins with our need to put a check box on a piece of paper that stakes claim to what is ours? I get to parent our daughter because someone wrongly decided her parents weren’t worthy of her. My uncle chose to parent me because he believed I was worthy of being loved unconditionally. Yet because I have legal paperwork, my title as parent to Our daughter holds more value, or power if you may, in our society. His title as Uncle, while valuable, does not stake a claim of him as one who parented, all because of semantics in a clause on a piece of paper, in a definition created by whom? When? Why? Yes, we can talk about those who parent children that are not biologically theirs, and give them credit where credit is due, and say they were like a parent to us. Yet, we continue to live in a society that defines parenting by title, rather than by what the act of loving unconditionally does for the well being of a whole child, the whole person. Collectively, we continue to cling to a definition that allows for a claim of my child, either biologically or legally. When, truthfully, I believe children are never ours, they are gifts from God, our Father, given to us with unconditional love, to raise as the hands and feet of His son. So who are we to put a check box on a piece of paper that says parent yet only let that name be attached to those biologically or legally classified as such? What happens to those who are in the parenting margins? By shifting the definition of parent to include those who love us unconditionally, those who mentor us or those who heart- lead us, what could happen in our society? Who are we now including? How does this make us collectively better? Does it matter? As an educator who firmly believes she is an other mama to her students, am I reaching too far here? Or am I simply seeking to validate the unconditional, yet firm, love I have for the children of God, given as gifts in packages labeled students, to me, to parent?

I woke up thinking about the depth of what having a woman VP means for men like my husband and my Uncle Jack. Regardless of anyone’s political leanings, I think yesterday was a win for all of the men who have lifted women up, encouraging, supporting, believing and knowing....knowing what it means to love a woman and want her to shatter glass ceilings, while happily standing with her, confident in who you are and confident in her love for you, always wanting more for her and n...ever wavering in your love for her. I’ve been so blessed to have been loved by men like this, my father, my uncle, my father-in-law, and husband, all of whom have always said Yes, you can. And yes, I’ll be here. I defend my dissertation proposal today, the next step in my doctoral journey, on my way to the degree I’ve been striving for my whole life. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for men like them, men like our new second gentleman, who believed, supported, loved and fought valiantly for equity alongside women. #wecandohardthings See more

It’s been four days since you went to be with Jesus, Uncle Jack. Navigating the world with out you in it feels like walking through the dark, with only ambient light showing me the way. As a little girl, seeking a father figure because hers was taken too soon, you were my rock steady, you were the presence I needed, you were the calm to my chaos, always. When things were hard, you always showed up, steadfast, true, twirling your mustache, reassuring me it would all be ok. We ...laughed a lot together, we were always teammates and I knew with you by my side I would never lose. From you I learned how to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving others was your calling, your purpose, your gift. While losing you feels like the biggest gaping whole in my soul, I know you continue to love me deeply, I feel you with me as I navigate life without your earthly body present, your spirit well alive in me and around me. Being your favorite was one of the best blessings of my life. your favorite niece PS: #effyoucovid See more

Well 2020, if there is one thing you’ve taught me it sure is this. This year has ripped me to shreds , given me hope in the smallest moments and taught me that there will always continue to be light in even the darkest moments. #wecandohardthings

Hi world...Our family is beyond thrilled to let you know that Luigi has found his new person and we believe it’s a perfect match. We are so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be in a place we could do this. Giving is the ultimate blessing of the world. #thisisthegoodstuff

Hello world...this is Luigi and he needs a new person. Our family has decided we’d like him to go to a deserving future teacher and college student who is in need of a car...as a gift from us to them. We are hoping to bless someone who could use a vehicle, so we want you to know about Luigi. He’s a 2013 Fiat Pop. He has 120K miles and is a manual/stick shift car. He’s served Erik as a commuter car for the past 7.5 years. We would like anyone who feels they are in need of him ...to send your story/why you need him to [email protected] After reading the stories our kids will decide who Luigi’s new person is. (Note: his new person would need to be a PA resident and need to pay the PA tags fees, we will pay the title transfer fees). Please feel free to share this with anyone you know could use this blessing! p.s. accepting emails until 12/11/20 and will decide next weekend! See more

We frolicked through the tree farm, as she exclaimed over the colored trees and the sheer size of many of them...until this quiet moment of pause as she looked over the creek trying to spot a beeber dam and looked over at me just for this second...so grateful for times like these.