Steve Kern always lived life to the fullest, whether he was working as a social worker, musician, teacher, marketing/event planner, professional clown or shaman.

But now he is undergoing his greatest adventure yet: He is becoming a woman.

The legal changes have already been made. He is legally Camilla Rose Waters, with all the proper papers signed and filed.

The physical changes are taking longer.

“I was teaching music at Del Norte High School when I decided to start the transition,” Waters said. “There weren’t supposed to be any immediately noticeable changes, but I just blossomed.”

The blossoming was noticeable, and it was decided by Waters, the school principal and the school board that perhaps the student body wasn’t quite ready for such a radical change in the popular teacher’s looks.

By mutual agreement, Waters quietly slipped away from the school.

“It (changing gender) wasn’t an easy decision and it wasn’t made overnight,” she said. “I really miss the students, but once the decision was made I was filled with energy and optimism.”

Waters said she was not a bad man, she just wasn’t a happy one.

“I remember when I was in kindergarten, looking at my older sister’s yellow chiffon party dress, and wishing I could have one like it,” he said, describing how he would run his fingers down the soft, shiny fabric.

“I went to Catholic schools in the early years,” she said. “Wouldn’t I have made a cute girl in those uniforms?”

But he had his cars and traditional “boy toys,” and was happy enough through his childhood.

Through high school he was involved in school activities, just like other boys in his school. His gender was not a significant question in his mind at that time.

“I always liked to shop, though,” Waters said.

His favorite extracurricular activity was his four years as a cheerleader. Two of those years he was elected the president of the Spirit and Cheerleaders Club.

After high school came college with degrees in social work and music therapy. Then came marriage and a child, a son who is now in his early twenties.

After his divorce he lost his way for a while.

“It was devastating,” she said of her divorce. “I had been the primary care taker for our son, and losing him was totally devastating.”

The search for peace and identity took Kern to many places, both personal and career-wise, but one of his most satisfying experiences came with his acquaintance with some American Indian friends.

“They made me aware of the male and female parts of me,” he said. “I was with them when a pair of eagles circled us three times. They are the first people to recognize the shamanic portion of my soul.”

Even though Kern was beginning to recognize his female orientation it still took a long time to make the momentous decision of changing his gender from male to female.

“I have parents, brothers and sisters, friends, a son,” he said. “I had to consider the effect on them as well.”

Since the decision was made and the hormones consumed his siblings have accepted him as a new sister. His parents, while originally completely rejecting the idea, are coming around, he said.

“There are advantages and disadvantages,” she said. “Living in the Valley is like living in a small community. Everybody knows everything, so there is no use trying to hide, and it is not in my personality to hide, anyway.”

The disadvantages are more personal: She would love to have a Victoria Secret outlet here.

“I love lingerie, silky, lacy lingerie,” she said.