I used to have dreams of grandeur.
And when I say "dreams of grandeur," I'm talking a two-decade-long love affair with stardom.
It all started when I was a wee lass of 5 or 6 and got to be on a seesaw with a big red bow in the Neiman Marcus Children's Christmas catalog. From there, I skyrocketed to elementary-school fame...
Read MoreWritten by Elissa Romines
I have tried really hard to be a normal, productive person.
I went to college (Woo Pig Sooie!) and earned a Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. My resume is loaded with service projects and hours of committee-ing it up. I have spent months working with inner-city kids and have rallied man, woman, and child around anyone with a pulse and a need.
Read MoreOur friend Lula was killed on the streets the Sunday before Christmas. I learned about it on our drive to Memphis to see Austin's family. Lula was also murdered. It is such a harsh word, but there is no other way to say it. She was killed across the street from where Ava had been killed a mere four months before.
Read MoreThe number one question I get about being on the streets is about safety.
Am I afraid?
How do I stay safe?
Last night, I waited for food-to-go next to a Dallas Police Department officer. He and I got to talking. He also talked to me about safety. He didn't understand why I do what I do. I told him that we are on the streets because we believe every person has value. I told him that I don't go out alone and that we are conscious of what's going on around us at all time.
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We are often asked how the homeless handle the cold. It's such a natural question during the winter as we get to curl up by the fire and turn up the heat. On really cold days, it's easy to think about people living on the street who have no such luxuries.
Today, I was out on the streets in the cold for about an hour, and when I went back inside, I couldn't feel my hands or feet. I can't imagine living outside as a way of life.
So how do the homeless handle the cold?
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Eva's apartment building where we will be on Saturday.
On Saturday, January 10, we are moving Eva's furniture into her apartment!
It's amazing: so many of you have jumped in to be a part of furnishing her new place. You have given nearly every item she needs. That's incredible! Between the money donated and items given, all of the essentials are accounted for.
Read MoreOn Saturday, December 13 we headed to South Dallas to hand out the brand new coats that so many of you helped purchase. I don't if there are any America's Next Top Model fans reading this, but Tyra would be proud of so many great photos we got from that day.
Read MoreBefore I had this job, saying thank you often got forgotten. It was a lost relic in my busy life.
Over the past year, I have gotten to say thank you more than ever before in my life.
And I have come to love the privilege of getting to say thank you more than I ever thought I could.
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