Jennifer Duckwall- Burns, RN, CCM
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Welcome to Cardinal Dreams Taking Flight, and thank you so much for stopping by! I chose the name Cardinal Dreams Taking Flight for several reasons. The word “cardinal” sometimes refers to the beautiful bird we often see in our yard, and many people feel that they have been visited by a loved one that has passed when they see this red, crested bird. Cardinal can also mean paramount, or of utmost importance, as in “the cardinal rule” or “cardinal virtues”. So the Cardinal Dreams part of the blog name gives tribute to my own loved ones that have passed on, and also denotes the importance of one’s dreams and aspirations. My most recent loss is my precious mother, who we lost last year in a tragic accident. Losing her has been extremely hard for myself, my kids and our family. The last part of the name, Taking Flight, was derived from a family history of pilots, along with the idea that things you learn on this site will help you either get off the ground toward achieving your dreams or soar even higher to your aspirations!
I sincerely appreciate the valuable time you are spending on my website, and it’s my hope that the content you find here will truly enhance your health and your life! I will be sharing things that I have learned, and continue to learn, along my own journey. Of course, not everything works for everyone, but hopefully you can learn some new things on this site that will help to propel you along your own wellness journey, and oh what a journey it is!
Sharing a little about me…
I started out with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing. (Both my father and mother have strong business and accounting backgrounds, so this was a natural starting point for me.) After that, I worked in sales for several years, even co-founding an offset printing company at one point. I learned quite a bit, but kept being drawn back to the medical field. In retrospect, this is really no surprise as my paternal grandfather was an MD and a surgeon, and my paternal grandmother was an RN. So eventually, I set out to obtain my registered nursing licensure while my kids were still fairly young. I have worked in many different environments as a nurse (first as an LPN, then as an RN), including hospitals, private nursing, home health care and managed care organizations. I’m also a Certified Case Manager, and it’s through that designation and my more recent Certified Health & Wellness coaching certification that I discovered how much it means to me to be able to help people learn how to balance their lives and become healthier from a holistic perspective.
Homeschooling has also been a huge part of my journey, so I will be posting some tips, articles and may even offer an occasional class to help other families who choose this path. Currently, I am in my 19th year of homeschooling, and it has been an absolute joy and blessing. My mother, and her father before her, educated and coached many students in various academic settings. I draw a huge amount of my inspiration through them! My mother has also been a significant part of my children’s homeschool journey, and I am forever grateful to her for that gift. Above all, the extra time I have had with my kids along the way is beyond priceless, and I will always treasure our time together. Family time is something I treasure above all else.