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Entertainment Parade 2026 (Mini Preview)

We still need to have our application that was turned into the city for approval and cannot wait for yet one another incredible opportunity none of us will soon forget. I cannot wait to get to work on our brand new float that will be the star of this event and have something to get decorated for America's 250th birthday coming up in a few short months!!! I am excited to once again be a part of an event that everyone here in the beautiful city of Provo wants to join in on and obviously there will be memories to make alongside my friends who attend classes with us at our independent living center. I cannot wait to see what we come up with in the weeks to follow and hopefully bring some positive energy into the crowd as we take all of our time walking the parade route. I really missed not being able to see a lot more familiar faces alongside the street of downtown Provo and getting to maybe catch up with them if I am lucky---but it will most likely not be a guarantee either. Please stay tuned for more to come later!!!

Advocacy Awards Ceremony (Sneak Peek)

LONG STORY SHORT----One of my colleagues reached out asking me if I would help with reading some bios of our advocacy award nominees at our upcoming leadership conference. I obviously didn't hesistate to accept the invitation and look over what was said about each of our awardees that was all written up by the best executive director I could ever work with. I feel truly honored to be given this amazing opportunity and recognize individuals who have gone out of their way to make the disability community a better place. 

Italy Vacation (Next Summer)

I have never been to this part of our world & cannot wait to experience it all next summer when I have the opportunity to do with it my family. I am excited to see what else this beautiful world of ours has to offer... which if you ask me is a whole different story!!! We have planned to do one of those cruises that will take you on at least nine stops to various places and cannot wait to see the beautiful sceneries each of them will have in store for us. I am really excited for the opportunity to explore and try some new things that I hope are going to take a lot of pictures to share with everybody after we have flown back into the states. 

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Podcast (Revised)

I am not particularly someone who listens or watches a lot of podcasts, but there was one specifically that I could hardly wait to see get released on YouTube. It was definitely something that I had not quite known was ever going to happen or let alone make me feel as excited as it did, but I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that having followed my all time favorite vlogger for almost three years-- I did not want to pass up the chance to hear their inspiring story. I was left in such awe over how professional and well put together this entire podcast was from the little snippets I came across on social media up to the real thing. I legit could not even help myself but think of the journey this role model has taken to get to where they are, which if I must say has been a dream come true for me!!!! I genuinely have loved all or if not every single step of their journey and cannot wait to cheer them on from the sidelines.

I am someone who knows next to nothing about basketball and yet have continued following Paisley on her adventures with this sport that she loves so much. I will never forget when I attended her amazingly legit senior night back in the middle of February in 2022 in the BYU Marriott Center and unexpectedly getting a teardrop all of the sudden rolling down my finger. I definitely felt there was something really special about her team during their unforgettable and stellar season, which I will admit I wished had a chance to attend more of those games. After the basketball game was over, I remember quietly talking with myself that one day I would get a chance to meet one of those players and that was the only thing I ever wanted to do for a while. 

This entire podcast was an incredibly heartwarming moment for me to watch and realizing what it has taken a former collegiate athlete from professional basketball player to being one of the assistant coaches for the UVU women's basketball team!!!!! I am grateful to be just a very small part of their journey has impacted my life so much more than I ever could have imagined. I am truly hoping to one day leave an imprint on the hearts of people whose great examples have inspired me to become a better version of myself to anyone I have an opportunity to interact with. 

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Packed Show

LAST NIGHT----My twin sister and I along with our best friends went to attend the Big Time Rush concert on their 2022 Forever Tour at the USANA amphitheater. It was definitely one of the greatest experiences ever as we got to watch our favorite band perform live in concert and squeal with all the excitement we could possibly bring to the show. We absolutely loved every song that they performed which if you ask me was not anything of an understatement and we could not help but cheer all of the guys on from our seats!!! 

The entire amphitheater was packed to the rims with fans of every age and I'm glad we were not the only girlies who were excited to be there. We had such a blast singing along with the guys and dancing in our spots throughout the entire show!!! I especially loved hearing all of the classic songs that they did on the show during their nickelodeon days and remembering how much happiness they brought me when I just simply needed it was a dream come true!! 

I had never attended a Big Time Rush concert before and to admit it was an unforgettable experience isn't much of an understatement. I absolutely loved getting to see what an incredibly talented group of singers they are and man I was more than impressed with their performance!!! It was such a treat for me along w/ my friends to watch these guys do what they love so much and having not watched their show on a very popular television network (expect for one episode) I wanted to see what one of their concerts was gonna be like. 

We also ended up buying ourselves the coolest BTR shirts ever and wearing them the entire concert which if you must know was probably my favorite part. I loved showing my support for BTR & just simply being there to see their first tour in over a decade, unfold right in front of me. I will admit that James who is a singer in this group is probably my favorite and talking about how handsome he is---- that's a completely different story!!! 

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Mini Preview

Advisor Role??

Not sure if this will end up happening for me--But I would be incredibly grateful for a chance to learn more about being a leader in the disability community, but I have to remember they are probably better candidates for that role if you ask me!! I am excited for my involvement with the non profit organization that I dearly love so much and can only hope to make a good impression on my new colleagues. It was a very sentimental moment for me hearing the kind words of my friends, who made me tear up a lot more than I'm positively certain I was able to make them. It was heartwarming for me to learn how I made an impact on their lives made me realize that no matter where I am in this world, I will continue to do what ever it takes to keep making my voice heard. 

YLC Chair Plaque: 

I've not received this yet and look forward to seeing what it looks like in a couple of weeks!! It was really bittersweet knowing that my time with these extraordinary people had to come to an end, but I am grateful to have something I can look back on with a smile on my face. I look forward to putting it in my bedroom somewhere it can be kept safe and remind me of what I dedicated the past three and a half or four years of my life to. (More about this later!!!)

(To Be Continued)

Business Trip

NACDD Conference (Mini Story)

I'll admit that serving on two governor appointed councils has at times, made me feel like I'm a little bit of an outsider who wishes they knew a lot more in regards to disability awareness. It's obviously hard when I feel like everybody else knows more than I do, because they have more experience advocating for people with disabilities and I am just tagging along for the ride.

It was thoroughly enjoyable to learn about what other developmental disability councils are working on in their states and trying to get ideas from them in regards to making the UDDC better. I attended two break- out sessions that I really liked so much and was able to learn about ways we can make disability inclusion a part of literature, etc. I was able to share my feelings on what we learned from not being in the epidemic and trying to see how much we could grow from our experiences in it. 

Hotel Room Key Problem (Tenth Floor)

To make this very short--- I ended up going to the wrong number room in the hotel we were staying at and they had to call an engineer to come up and fix my entire door lock because the battery inside of it-- had died itself out. After waiting for a little period of time, the engineer person came up to my floor and helped me fix the door lock where you insert your room key into. Luckily, I was able to get into my room without any problems during the remainder of my stay there in Washington was a lot more pleasant and comfortable once I noticed my room temperature was set at 68 degrees. *(Much earlier that evening after getting into the hotel, I walked into my room and it was set at 62 degrees!!! Burr!! Talk about being extra cold when I just wanted to be in a nice warm bed and relax after a very long day of traveling in airplanes all day!!)

Coming Back Story (Mini Version)

We boarded the airplane that was going to fly us from DC all the way to Newark, New Jersey and then we would go from there back to Salt Lake. Our flight ended up getting delayed and canceled without any kind of notice whatsoever and being left stuck in the DC airport until we were able to make all of the new arrangements we needed to reschedule our flight to Chicago. There was apparently bad weather in New Jersey that would make the aircraft being unable to land safely. We were told that it would be an hour and forty five minute wait until they knew of anything else leading up to getting us back into Utah, which at the time felt an eternity because anything that I had expected to not go wrong ended up going in that direction. We were asked to deplane the airplane as well as gather all of our belongings and head back inside of the DC airport for what was supposed to be a four hour layover in New Jersey. We ended up having to rest up in the airport which if you ask me is not the best place to unwind from a business trip, but all of us made the best of what we had at the time. To make this story less complicated-- Our executive director had us grab all of our essentials that we'd need to have as we would have an overnight stay in Chicago. I was lucky enough to have grabbed all that I needed to make sure I was prepared and ready to go for tomorrow as we would finally head back home. (They did not necessarily feed us too much on the airplane which I did find rather odd because when you are on a flight for that period of time, all I wanted to do was have something in my stomach to hold me over.) #LikeForReals 

We had rescheduled our connecting flight from DC all the way to Chicago...but little did we know that was not going to end up being the case. There was a really bad rain and hail storm in Chicago and they were unable to land the plane, which lead to my anxiety being a lot worse than it needed to be. I forgot to mention that the unexpected turbulence that we felt like was as though we were riding on a rollercoaster, believe it or not--it's true!!! The pilot announced they would have to make a pit stop in Indianapolis which was right in front of us and at this point I just wanted everything to return back to normal and we could get on with the rest of our trip.


Prior to this happening I really tried my best to keep a smile on my face and yet the tears came, because I just simply wanted things to work out for us. (Luckily, I was able to get some comforting words and a very nice hug from my executive director who genuinely reassured me of knowing it would all be okay.) #TalkAboutAFirstTimeForEverything.

We finally made it back to Chicago and ended up booking a short night stay at the exact hotel that I competed at for the 2019 national miss amazing summit. It brought back a lot of memories for me as I walked into those doors and remembering the excitement that I had knowing it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to share with people what was really important to me. Me and my colleague had a chance to quickly grab a bite to eat before heading to find our hotel rooms for the evening. We finally got a chance to get all cleaned up and off to bed for the night--which if you ask me after the crazy day we experienced--it was so very much needed!! (Did I forget to mention that the airplane was old & had no air conditioning whatsoever?? Yes...No air conditioning and wearing a mask on your face inside of an old airplane with a lot of people crammed into one spot is a lot harder to deal with than you would think--Believe me!!!) 

Long Story Short---We ended up making it back into Salt Lake safely and then was able to find my mom after not having clear directions about where to find her outside of the airport. I did enjoy being involved with this event in a state that I have always wanted to visit and check out---which if you must know it was a dream come true!! I wished had an extra day with seeing a lot more sights and sounds of what DC had to offer but we had to get back home sooner than later. 

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One Month

It's hard for me to believe that in less than a month, I will conclude my service with being on the best disability leadership committee ever. I am grateful for the memories and experiences that I was able to share with my friends who made it an adventure every time we had a meeting over Zoom. We definitely learned and grew so much more as individuals than I think we ever could have imagined possibly seeing ourselves as in a million years from now. I am grateful for the heartfelt moments we shared together as a group and even when it was hard to keep a smile on my face, I tried my hardest to get as much out of the meetings we had as I could instead of just leaving you all hanging out in the dust. 

It was such an incredible journey for me to serve as a committee member, secretary and chair of this YLC so much more than you could ever know. I truly loved being able to create our meeting agendas and make them look cute in anyway that I could while keeping a professional outcome, which if you must know was not something I took lightly. I loved being able to listen to your ideas on what we could work towards with making our committee the best ever and trying to never lose sight of what we can do rather than focusing on what we can't do. I especially liked being able to come up with and answer our icebreaker questions as we prepared for what we had on our agendas to look forward to talking about. I will greatly miss being on our meetings every three months and learning from you all about what we can do to make the community that we live in a better place. 

I am so grateful for the unforgettable memories and lessons this committee taught me about what it meant to be a leader within the disability world. It was such a delight to be in charge of what we needed to have a lot of deep conversations about how we could make this community we live in better and accepting of lots of people like ourselves in society. I will greatly miss you all so much and cannot wait to keep working w/ USILC in the distant future on ways I can be more engaged with disability related issues, which I know-- are still tough for me to understand sometimes but I can only hope for the best outcomes possible as I move forward with my advocacy journey. I love you all so much and wish you all the best of luck as you continue on with things that I cannot wait to hear about if we ever see each other again!!! 

(To Be Continued) 

Five Years

Summer 2017-2021

FIVE YEARS AGO----I decided to quit my store maintenance job of almost two years and wanted to take a chance with being involved on the speakers network. It has been such an incredible experience for me to educate individuals with disabilities about issues that affect our everyday lives and getting that message of hope out there, that they can accomplish many of their dreams. I am grateful for the confidence boost this experience has given me over the past five years and learning how to be more comfortable when it comes to talking in front of large groups. I have no legitimate plans to stop advocating for the disability community and hoping to continue this platform of mine where I can keep getting my voice heard, rather than being silenced from people. It's almost hard to believe five years has come and gone so quickly.. but I am very certain there are only more people to educate about issues that need to be addressed, which if you ask me is not much of an understatement. It has been such a delightful experience to be asked to come back to not only but a few disability conferences or workshops to teach about these topics that we need to bring to the table. How did these many years arrive and leave so quickly?? It has been such an amazing journey for me to take on with my fellow colleagues and learn more about what we can do to spread awareness about how we can make the disability community a better place than it is. 

(To Be Continued)

New Song

Hilary Weeks - Soul On Fire

If you've stuck with me on this blog for the past six years, I have obviously written up about some of my favorite songs and yet here I am again doing the exact same thing. This song I have linked into my blog post today has become one of my favorites and I cannot stop replaying it multiple times. It has reminded me so many times about who I really am and what I can do regardless of what others think--which if you must know is a completely different story. It's been a whirlwind of emotions for me to reach this point in my life and not feel the least bit of gratitude for what I have accomplished. I have neve felt more than just slightly envious about not being more involved with my favorite things after this summer ends and I can't imagine what else life has in store for me, once I say a tearful goodbye to what has shaped me into who I am now. 

It's always hard for me to write up about songs that I love so much & trying to sound eloquent as to why it has impacted my life as much as it has. I am grateful for the peace it has given to my heart as I learn about why I have to leave things behind for others to love as much as I did. I felt disappointment with pretending not take what I wanted to do one last time personally and yet this week has definitely shown me, that all I can do is just keep my soul on fire. I'm certain that my colleagues and friends know I have so much more that I need to offer towards the disability community as these next few years pass on. I know there is a lot more unconditional love and potential within myself that needs to be shared, whether I am ready for that or not. I know my heart will always belong to where this journey of mine began and can only hope to see myself grow into the person I need to become. 

I know this is a very spiritual song for those who are reading through this, but I am hopeful things can only continue to make me the person I need to be in the future. I am grateful for the ongoing support & love that my friends have given me as to whether or not I deserved it throughout the last few years. It's been heartwarming for me to see how I am never alone when things get tough and uncertain--but I am grateful to know there is a lot more I can do to tackle my problems. This song has helped me feel a lot more at peace when my anxiety has gotten itself out of control and wanting to get in the way of every single trial that life has ever given to me. #SoulOnFire #HilaryWeeksMusic

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Ninja Forever

My self advocacy journey began a little over ten years ago when I received a piece of paper about a youth leadership retreat that would be taking place on the campus of Utah State University. I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to participate and learn more about becoming an even better person, self advocate and so many other things in between. I am grateful for the many new friendships that I was able to make with such an amazing group of people who still to this day, look after each other no matter what life is throwing at them. I cannot tell you how much of an imprint this conference has left on my heart over the course of these ten years and have never had any regrets since that time. I am grateful for the laughs, memories that me and my friends were able to make with each other, staying up late into the night hours and learning as many things as we could to be good disability leaders. 

TEN YEARS LATER----I am grateful for the doors of opportunity that this conference has given me to walk into and learn what my potential as a self advocate truly is. I also loved being able to teach at/on the conference itself more than anything in the world and getting to share my message of hope with my ninja friends was a delightful experience for me. It has been life changing for me to see the personal growth in myself to not be afraid to stand up for what I know is important and not letting any obstacles get in my way of what I can accomplish. 

LONG STORY SHORT---I am so grateful that this conference is where my self advocacy journey began and it is definitely not the end for me. I only have so many more opportunities out there for me to grasp a hold of and can let impact my life more than I will probably ever know. I have learned and grown so much from being a part of this conference and knowing that my legacy will live on forever is heartwarming. I'm grateful for the family that these group of people became from me as I returned back to this conference & wanting to learn more about becoming a good example for others. 

USILC:

It's been an unforgettable ride for these past ten years as I have gotten to participate in your disability conference that I will always have a special place in my heart for. You have helped me want to be an even better person than I ever thought I could become and I owe it all to you for making that happen.

Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunities to teach at the conference and letting me have an experience that I know will be cherished forever. You have been a wonderful part of my life that I will never want to lose or see itself fade out of here any time soon. I am so grateful for the chance that I do have to serve with you among so many other incredible people, who I know will continue to make an impact on the lives of so many individuals with disabilities. #ToBeContinued

Mini Updates

Disability Advocacy Day (Online Event)

After the struggles I had with this virtual event last year, I could not be more thrilled to have the format changed to be a little more interactive and engaging. I can only hope it will give me much more insight and details into the legislative process in a more simplistic and approachable way... which if you ask me, is pretty much how I roll in this world. I am most likely going to support and participate in at least TWO sessions that my favorite colleagues will be doing in regards to their field with self advocacy and how we can better communicate or talk with our legislators. It's hard for me to not feel the least bit outside with all of this stuff because I don't necessarily know who my legislators are well enough, to sit down and have a conversation with them about issues inside the disability community. #ItsTheTruth #ImJustSaying #Legit

LCPD Reception (Capitol Rotunda)

Minus the endless list of restrictions and protocols that we have to follow, I am excited to finally get back in person with seeing my friends who I have greatly missed so much. I am not particularly certain just if all of them will be in attendance at this event and can only hope for a more relaxed experience this time-- as opposed to the other times when it has felt a little bit overwhelming. I am truly hoping that we can all enjoy our time together and catch up after what has been an emotional rollercoaster of uncertainty due to the circumstances that we are being dealt with. #NINJA4Life 

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 New USILC Sidekick (Mini Version)

I could not be more than excited about getting to work alongside one of the best people I've ever known within the disability community on my governor appointed council. It is exciting to have a fresh brand new face to join us while we continue making an impact on the lives of people with disabilities. This is where my self advocacy began a little over ten years ago and can only imagine all of the unforgettable memories that we will make together as a group. It is such a delight getting to learn and be inspired by some of the most incredible people that I've ever met in my life, as well as trying to be that good role model for others. 

Volunteering my time on this governor appointed council has been a dream come true for me, in more ways than one!!! I am grateful for the many incredible people who have helped me to believe in myself when it almost felt next to impossible, motivating me to always give it my best in everything that I do, among so many other things. Some of the most meaningful council initiatives that I have loved being a part of are: NINJA Conference, Youth Leadership Committee, (which if you ask is just the beginning of what is to come into the future and both of these have impacted me in an endless amount of ways.) I am grateful for the ways these have stretched me to become the most legitimate version of myself over these past several years. 

(To Be Continued)

Free Write

People First Conference (May 2022)

Me and one of my NINJA friends are going to participate on this planning committee, to give ideas on how to promote self advocacy within the disability community, helping to make decisions on activities and presenters, etc. I cannot wait for this to get rolling as we enter into a brand new year and hopefully this can be an in person event. When I was last participating on a committee like this one, it was this summer and we had the most legit as well as informative virtual conference ever!! I truly loved being able to give my time and energy into something that I knew would change my life forever. It was such an amazing experience for me to really showcase all of my leadership skills that I have continued to work so hard on throughout these past few years!!!

Ninja Story

 

Dear USILC,

Back in 2013, I received a piece of paper with a schedule typed up about a Youth Leadership Retreat that was going to be held on the campus of Utah State University in Logan. I didn't know what I was walking myself into having had no experience with leadership in the disability community & did not expect it to be as much as fun it was until after I got there.

I've held various leadership positions before this conference ever happened and immediately was hooked!! I have truly grown and learned so much about becoming the kind of disability leader, self advocate, mentor and friend that I need to be for others. I cannot thank this non profit organization nearly enough for changing my life a little over ten years ago and I've never had any regrets since then.

I am truly grateful for the unconditional love, support, friendships that I have made with this group of people who I have considered to be like a second family. I love every single one of you so much and the impact you have made on my life will always stick with me wherever I go in this world and in the future.

Favorite NINJA Conference Memories:

- Laughing so hard until it hurts and learning lots about how to become a good self advocate, disability leader, and mentor for others in the disability community with my friends!!!

- Being a youth mentor four years in a row and always getting a heartfelt moment to share with everyone who participates with us!! - Staying up late into the evening hours and making the absolute best of every situation that this conference has ever handed to me over the past ten years.

#ItsANinjaThing #NINJALeadership #NinjaForeverAndAlways

Conclusion

USILC,

I genuinely owe it all to you for helping me along on my self advocacy journey throughout these past ten years. I am so grateful to be a part of a council that pushes to make the lives of people with disabilities a reality and reminding us that it's just a different way of living. You will forever have a very special place in my heart and I hope to stick with you guys another ten more years!!! I am grateful for all the many memories that I have been able to make with you and being a youth participant, mentor for the NINJA Conference was nothing short of a dream come true!!! It is where my self advocacy journey ALL started was getting a piece of paper handed to me about a youth leadership retreat that was going to take place on the Utah State University campus and not knowing how much fun it would be, until after I got there. It was the start of a journey that would keep me going in the direction that I need to be in and no matter how much I never wanted to see my time with this retreat end, I knew my life was changed for good. 

It opened up so many doors for me to walk through and make some of the most amazing friendships with people who can relate to what it is like being different. I was able to learn so many things about being in the world of independent living and learning to get myself out there, when I clearly didn't know if I could even make it happen. I absolutely loved spending time away from home for a short period and having that student experience--which if you ask me was more than an incredible opportunity to do things on my own, without my family near. 

I am grateful for the endless support, unconditional love, motivation, encouragement that not only you have given me while serving in this organization-- but allowing me to do my best in anything I'm ever asked to tackle. I have truly given you everything in my heart to this organization throughout my time being a youth member and hope to see another ten more years down the road. I'm grateful for all of the lessons that I have had to learn throughout my time and even though it continues to be a struggle, I am genuinely blessed to have such an amazing group of people behind me to cheer me on and make sure I am never doubting myself. 

Thank you so much USILC for coming into my life a decade ago and pushing me through the hardest of times to reach my leadership goals. I love you so much and cannot wait to see what else the future holds in store for you over the next ten years that lie ahead!!! Thank you so much for being a part of my life-- in a way that I know is going to stick with me forever. 

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Free Write

 "What life lesson have you learned that you think could help others?"

This question continues to weigh itself on my mind & there is probably not much of anything I could share that would be helpful for someone else, if I am being honest. I have certainly done a fair share of reflection about what I need to do better with handling any situation or just not trying to beat myself up over something that was never intended to hurt me, etc. I am a very highly sensitive person and with all that I have on my plate, it does at times get a little hard to remember how I need to keep my own mental health in check everyday. I've learned to try evaluating what is really going on in any given moment and make sure I am being as careful as I can be, at all costs. 

I'd easily admit that doing much needed self care is what will get you through almost every situation and keeping yourself in control. It does get a little hard with trying to find the balance with how I need to be not only as a person, but someone who knows they make improvements. It will probably not be easy for me at times and yet I am more than willing to put my best self out there, no matter the obstacles that are going to be in my path. 

I've also had to learn in more ways than one, about trying to keep my boundaries with people that I am working with on my governor appointed councils. It has been tough not getting together in person and believe me, I have missed not being able to have a change of scenery and traveling to other places when I'd feel like that is exactly what I need to refocus on myself a little bit more. I have always struggled w/ all of this and not trying to make a complete fool of who I am, when life has had to teach me things I'd never imagine myself having to process (let alone having to understand on a professional level as well as the level of being a self advocate. 

(End Of Part One) 

Free Write

October 1, 2020 (One Year Milestone)

I cannot even believe one year ago next month-- I will have reached my one year mark with being a part of the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council. I have definitely learned and grown so much more as a self advocate within the disability community than I ever imagined possible. I have enjoyed getting to do so many more things with people who are so dedicated and passionate about what they do everyday. It's given me a lot more stuff to focus on in my life and trying my hardest to be a good board member with every single virtual meeting that we have several times throughout the year. 

December 18, 2020 (Back Up Plan)

USILC was originally going to end up being my back up plan if things didn't work out with this other council that I mentioned above. It has been an emotional rollercoaster for me as I've had to learn about maintaining boundaries and trying to keep my anxiety in check as things continue being online. I have certainly had my fair share with tears rolling down my face and trying not to make a complete fool of myself with people I see every three months. I have really struggled with trying to find my place on a council where everybody around me knows way more than I do. There have been so many laughs and smiles given away to not only me, but other people who work tirelessly to make things become a legit reality for people with disabilities. I am grateful for their patience and teaching me the hardest lessons ever which if you ask me I didn't want to necessarily experience in the first place... But it has given me reasons to keep pushing forward with each day that passes on. 

USILC Interim ED Care Package 2021 

I genuinely wish there was not a rule to dismiss from giving you a little extra tender, love and care as you tackle on this new position within the independent living community. You are such an amazingly talented in every way possible and continuously amaze me with your ability to see the good in every situation life hands to you. 

This care package would include:

Tissues (whenever you need a good cry at any given moment)

Snacks (Variety of the things you love to munch on and bring a smile to your face)

Ice Cold Drinks (Diet Dr. Pepper, Water, Lemonade, etc.)

Cozy Warm Blanket (Something to snuggle up in when those chilly fall days arrive)

Ear Buds (Listening to your favorite songs or something to calm you down)

Homemade Banana Bread (I'd love to make this for you some day!!!) 

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NINJA Alumni Call (Highlights)

Getting a chance to spend virtual time with my ninja friends is always a treat for me :) I love getting to catch up with each other and see their faces after some time was much needed, which if you ask me is never anything I take for granted. I have greatly missed not getting to be with my friends in person and getting to tell stories, laugh until it hurts, stay up late into the evening hours, etc. We also participated in doing a virtual scavenger hunt and it was really fun to search around for items that had to be a particular texture, shape, color, etc. I definitely may have had a little too much fun trying to not waste my time with looking for items that we were asked to find around inside our homes, but loved every minute of it :) I am grateful to have had a chance to participate on this call and hopefully more of them will take place into the future!!!

Anniversary Of 911

It's been twenty years since the events of this anniversary when our lives were changed forever and I am grateful despite the heartache that was left behind-- We need to be prepared for when our lives get turned upside down in any situation. I am grateful for the many lives we get to remember this month and think about how much of an impact they left on our hearts from this experience. I was scared to imagine how people from another far away country, would specifically target us as Americans to help us realize what we have on a regular basis is something they were upset about. I remember walking around the museum and memorial of this event back in New York in 2012 to see the rusted objects that were saved for people to see and look at every year. I am certain a lot of those things were important to someone who had either lived through that tragedy or did not know what was going to come of them later on. I may not have been able to visibly read what was said on those objects or know how they got found---but I am grateful for the chance I had to reflect on how lucky I am to be a citizen of this nation. #NeverForget

Enthusiasm

I'm grateful for the opportunity to attend a patriotic fireside at Lavell Edwards Stadium on BYU Campus and feel inspired by the messages we'll hear about what this holiday means. It's been such a long time for me since I ever posted about any kind of an outdoor event that didn't require safety protocols. I am truly grateful for all of the many men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country and working really hard to keep it a safe place to live in everyday. I am grateful for their contributions to our nation more often than ever before and not just because of the unfortunate situation we found ourselves in less than a year ago--but knowing we can overcome anything and come back stronger is incredible!!! 

Other News: (Coming Soon)

I've obviously blogged about this too much on here and yet it cannot arrive soon enough!!! I am excited for the unforgettable opportunity to participate and help make my independent living center's miniature leadership conference later on this week. I can only hope things will turn out smoothly and everyone has an incredible time learning about what they can do to improve on their skills as disability advocates. It is definitely not something that I am certain will happen again any time soon--but I want to take it close to heart and soak in every moment I can. 

Imprints (New Blog Post)

Please stay tuned for a brand new post on this at some point down the road. I still haven't necessarily figured out the way I'd like to make this happen and can only hope for the best in however this turns out for me!!! I have genuinely wanted to express how each person in my life has left an imprint on me and I am grateful for their examples to me of what it means to be a good role model. Stay tuned for more updates on this when it actually comes together and I can make it sound very eloquent :) 

Untitled Post

The week of my favorite disability leadership conference is here!!! I'm excited for the opportunity to learn and be inspired from everyone who will be participating on with us--(which if you ask me is nothing short of an understatement.) I am thrilled to share what is in my heart about being a good disability leader and if you must know--I cannot wait to be a part of something that means so much to my life!!! I cannot wait for an opportunity to reconnect with my NINJA friends and feel empowered to see things change inside of the disability community. 

I am excited for the chance to share my insight on why leadership is important and even though I cannot make any promises about not getting teary eyed over what I have prepared. It is definitely going to end up being a heartfelt moment for all of the mentors, who have benefited so much from their experiences in the conference itself and I know there will be a lot of unforgettable moments to share!!! NINJA has been such an incredible part of my life for the past six years and going into my seventh year will not be any different than not getting to be around my friends in person--but I know next year cannot come soon enough. 

Mini Shout Out: (Ninja Peeps)

I'm grateful for the hard work, energy, time, commitment, dedication, passion, especially the heart that has gone into making this virtual conference happen. I've admitted one too many times about how lucky I am- getting to work alongside the best of the best on a regular basis, which if you ask me is nothing short of a dream come true!!! I am grateful for their patience into listening to whatever it is I have to say and lending a hand to anything when I can at any given moment :) Thank you all so much for being who you are in the world and continuing to do good--no matter what obstacles you have to overcome to get there. I know my experiences as a self advocate would not be what they are, if it had not been for all their encouraging words of advice and everything in between. I love you all so much and cannot wait to spend this week with all of you through my computer screen--Stay tuned for updates next week!!! 

Self Talk

Who is a leader that you look up to and why? (Post 359)

I am truly grateful for the many individuals who have given me reasons to keep going forward in life and not worrying about the small things. I know they have left an imprint on my heart through their goodness and how they live in this world is second to none, which if you ask me is more accurate than most people would ever think twice about. I continue to mention how lucky I am to work alongside some of the best in our state on a regular basis, as well as learning from them is such a remarkable experience!!! I am grateful for their patience with me as I have endured through so much this past year and recognizing what my true abilities in life are (regardless of whatever obstacles lie in my path). I am forever indebted to them for just encouraging me to keep my head up high and a smile on my face, whether I want it on me or not. I cannot imagine my life without their ongoing support and motivating me to see the good in what life has to offer every single day.

Mini Answer:

I'd easily admit that my good friend Randi (among many other people in my NINJA family) are some of the greatest leaders I look up to in this world. I know their support towards me in my new leadership & advocacy roles are not at times the easiest things for me, but it is comforting to know I am not alone in anything I set my heart on. I am grateful for her patience, heartfelt advice that she has given me over an absolute difficult time in my life, video chatting with me when I need someone to talk to, playing any of my favorite songs when I need something to cheer me up, etc. I am grateful for their friendship so much and helping me to see the brighter side of any situation that life hands over to me, whether it is anything I needed to clearly understand in a more genuine way has brought me comfort endless times. 

Mini Shout Out:

I'd like to give a little shout out for my two favorite queens who are vying for the title of Miss Utah this week!!! I am grateful for their kindness towards to me and just being good role models for not only me, but so many other people in this world. I know they will give this experience all that they have worked so incredibly hard towards and cannot wait to see what their futures hold down the road. Sending all of my hugs and best wishes to them!!!