Two Classes Left

 NEXT WEEK----I will attend my last two classes of adaptive needs institute at UVU and hard to believe the semester has gone by so quickly. I have truly loved feeling the spirit every single week and having my testimony of this restored gospel strengthened in ways that I never knew I needed. I am blessed to have a very personal relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ throughout this last year and knowing he is always with me every step of this journey is second to none. I love him so much and the comfort he has provided me during the hardest times of my life are truly a testament of knowing he has a hand in everything that I am ever faced up against. 

I am grateful for the many incredible new friends that I was able to meet throughout this past semester and learning about the gospel through their eyes was something I will keep close to my heart. I feel so blessed to know he will make everything right when we get to our heavenly home and can give him the absolutely biggest hug ever. I know my life has never been anything close to easy during my time on this earth and I look forward to seeing my loved ones who have passed onto the other side with their arms open wide with hugs awaiting for me to embrace them. 

April Fool's Night - Dance

I literally danced my little heart out more than most of the SNAP participants did this past week and made it the best experience I possibly could in every way. Dance has always been a part of my life and I usually don't have a lot of opportunities to dance like I do at our SNAP activities... which if you ask me is nothing that I would never hesitate to think about. I am grateful for the many laughs and memories that I was able to make with my friends who were there in attendance, which is something you have to see to believe at least in my opinion. We had the best time ever and dancing out as much as we possibly could whether it was a good idea at the moment or not---but you get the idea here??? I cannot wait to see if we will have anymore dances in the future and can keep getting my groove on any chance that this provided for all of us!!!

New Updates

I obviously have no idea if I ended up wining any of the games we did in a minute, but I am grateful for the many laughs and unforgettable moments that I was able to share with my friends. We enjoyed getting to watch one another play a DIY version of air hockey, getting as many ping pong balls inside of plastic cups as we could, of course we had a very energetic conversation about plans for future SNAP activities which if you ask me was the best part of the evening!!! I happily mentioned that we need to have some kind of an activity with any one of the BYU sports teams and it would not necessarily need to be one of the b-ball teams due to the fact they would be in the middle of their seasons--but who knows??? I would love it so much and getting to learn something new would be icing on the cake!!! 

Big Time Rush Concert (Next Friday)

I am excited for this anticipated event to finally get here and have my summer break end off with a very unforgettable evening filled with excitement. I know it will be a very late night for all of us and we will hopefully be singing along to every song that is performed. All of us have our brand new concert shirts that we are going to be wearing and of course just simply having the time of our lives with each other...but you get the idea?? #ICYMI

UVU Adaptive Needs Institute

After what has been a very eventful summer, I am definitely looking forward to another uplifting semester in my adaptive needs institute class at UVU. I cannot wait to learn more about the hymns of the church & how they can be a source of guidance, direction, comfort, praise, gratitude along with everything else that you can possibly come up with. I am grateful for the opportunity to feel the spirit every week and have the chance to be inspired by our classmates who make every class period one that I will not soon forget. I feel blessed to have the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life and know that throughout this semester, my testimony will be strengthened in more ways than one!!! 

Show And Tell

SNAP Activity (May 1st)

I obviously didn't know if I wanted to share much of anything for this SNAP activity that will be taking place early next month and just this morning the idea came to me of what I wanted to do. I decided that since I had been journal writing for some time and didn't want to pass up the opportunity to let so many people who may not know what I enjoy doing once in awhile. I have thought about this for awhile and never knew when the chance would come around for me to actually stand up in front of people to show them some of my other talents. I am excited for this upcoming activity to happen and see what all of my friends will bring to tell us about--which if you ask me is going to be a treat all by itself. I really wish if there was even a possibility to bring my favorite role model that I look up to along with her husband----- but obviously that is probably not going to occur any time soon. Just FYI: I would legit love for that to be the best unexpected happiest surprise ever and I cannot wait for it to hopefully be a dream come true some time!!! #FingersCrossed. 

Birthday Wishes: (Just For Fun)

I'd love to have another green pen to write and draw in my journal with---because somehow the one that we have had for awhile has continuously gone up missing. I am not particularly sure if it has been some how misplaced in an unknown location and would honestly like another one to put to good use!! I have really missed not being able to find it anywhere and can only hope to get another one for my birthday in three months. 

I would also like another journal to write in and put to good use again and continue to do what I love so much. I am not particularly certain it will happen on my actual birthday and not feel like an unexpected surprise waiting to happen---but who knows??? I am definitely not going to stop writing any time soon and look forward to sharing more experiences in my life that will occur as the years keep passing by as quickly as they come!!! 

As for what I mentioned in this post earlier, I would sincerely love for that to be an unexpected happy if not surprise birthday present that would make me smile for the rest of eternity. I would do my best effort with not being too overly excited or let alone squealing out loud as much as possible, but you obviously get the idea here right??? I am certain this will not end up being something I actually get for my birthday whatsoever but it would definitely give me the biggest smile on my face and it would never leave me for years to down the road!!! #IYKYK

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March Dump

March 7th, 2025 - Best Friend's Birthday Celebration

This entire month has come and gone so much quicker than I would have expected, but it has been filled with so many unforgettable moments and opportunities I am eternally grateful for. First of all, My bestie Maria celebrated her 33rd birthday this month and it was truly a night to remember if you ask me!! We all enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at a local buffet restaurant and have so much fun laughing with each other & of course just having quality time. 

Shortly after we left the restaurant, all of us got into our separate cars that we came in and drove up to the beautiful campus of BYU to watch the men's volleyball team take on USC!!!! We had a lot of fun cheering on the cougars as they played their game and did I forget to mention we got shown on the jumbotron for in my mind felt like an eternity because we danced for such a long time, which for us girlies is not anything I know we'd like to not do on a regular basis. We loved getting to see our favorite mascot walk by us several times throughout the game and sometimes I didn't even know he was coming until we walked right past--- but you get the point?? I am grateful for the many laughs that never ended throughout the game and then we headed back afterwards to our best friend Maria's house for cake and presents. We loved watching her excitement as she opened one present after the next--while also just being there for each other. I am really happy that we got to have another together with our friends and I know there will be more of them in the future!!! 

SNAP - BYU Football Team

THE NIGHT BEFORE---We were at our SNAP activity and of course some players from BYU football showed up to introduce themselves, which I will admit was probably the best thing ever!! I loved getting to learn a little more about them and get excited for the next football season has in store for not only the players, but for us dedicated BYU fans!!! We loved getting to watch our friends do little drills together-- and play a little bit of football that did not require anybody getting tackled to the ground or getting hurt, but if you ask me it was an incredible experience that I hope we have again soon. Did I forget to even mention some of their football players are pretty famous and I look forward to watching them play the sport they love so much next season!! 

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Dream Come True (Part Two)

YESTERDAY----My good friend Robert Jones and I were more than anxiously excited to attend the UVU women's basketball game yesterday afternoon in the UCCU center, which if you must know was nothing short of an understatement. I genuinely had wanted to attend one of their games at home pretty much all season long and because most of their games were during the week, it's really hard for me to get away from commitments that I have going on. If I can keep this long story brief---the both of us unanimously decided to attend their last home game a couple of weeks ago and we could not wait to cheer on the amazingly talented wolverines!!! 

It was pretty amazing to see this event unfold & watch our team that I have followed closely on social media all season was surreal in more ways than one. I am grateful for the excitement and positivity that was being felt throughout the arena, which if you must know was exactly what the team needed to make this game one that nobody will soon forget. After all of the seniors had their much deserved recognition on their special night, I obviously didn't want to waste a second to meet Connor for a little bit and I mentioned that him and Paisley are just the cutest couple ever!!! We continued to visit for a little bit prior to me walking onto the court to give his wife something I had worked on several times to get right and have another chance to talk with Paisley a little more than I did the first time around. I am not going into the details of what her husband said to me during our brief conversation, but it was truly heartfelt in every way possible!!!

Earlier to my second chance of meeting Paisley once again, I mentioned to my friend Robert as the game was still going on, that if their team wins I would want to at least try to tell her hi and give her one of my nice big hugs I had genuinely promised to have waiting for her. She was so genuinely patient and sweet with me as I finally told her my name after not having done that the first time, which if you must know was something I purposely neglected to do. She kindly asked me how I was doing and of course I had to answer with: "I'm doing so good!!" with my note in hand that I didn't want to mention a word about it until it was the right time and obviously wanted her to not know it was coming. 


Shortly after giving Paisley one of my nice big hugs, I quickly showed her the note I mentioned to her that it took me a while to figure out, but was very grateful to have figured it out in time to only have her genuinely ask me this kind hearted question: "You wrote me a note?!"with a really pretty smile on her face that exuded gratitude in more ways than I can even put into words at this very moment. She had just the absolute sweetest reaction to my note and I quietly told her this: "I did!" not having realized that I probably had made her entire day with just something as genuinely nice as a little note that I was originally not planning to bring with me to the game and then last minute made the decision to take it and keep it inside of my jacket pocket.


Overall, this experience was certainly an unforgettable one that I will not ever soon forget and loved getting to cheer on another collegiate team for a change, which if you ask me is something I hope to do more once the next season of Utah Valley women's basketball starts up again!!! I especially liked getting to have my picture taken with the UVU mascot whose name is Willy and no I did not expect that to happen while I was at the game itself, but I did tell him that Cosmo is my favorite but that I do like him too!!! He is a pretty cool mascot in the sense that he could do flips and show off his stunts which I genuinely hope get more advanced as time goes on, but who knows?? I am grateful for the quality time I had with my good friend Robert and getting to make this an experience that I hope will continue some time down the road if the both of us can make it work into our busy life schedules.

Did I forget to mention that Willy asked my friend to send him a copy of my picture with him to his work email address and still to this day I am not sure if he will end up using it or not for something in regards to his purposes as a collegiate mascot but I hope it is something that can be put to good use!!! It was truly one of the greatest days of my life and I cannot wait for more of them to come in the distant future if there will be more chances to attend games at home!!! #GoUVUWBB.

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Fall Break

This fall break has given me a lot of extra time with friends and being able to relax while doing fun things is certainly not an understatement. I am grateful that is beginning to feel like the season of autumn is upon us and we can enjoy the cooler temperatures outside, which is sometimes a wonderful thing if you ask me but that is a completely different story!!! 

I have really enjoyed getting to focus on other things that need my attention, which if you must know is all work related stuff but I look forward to seeing my colleagues. We always have a legitimate time with each other and try to get as much out of what we are learning from our group discussions. I legit want to soak in every moment that I can with these people until my final council term is up, which if I must say will come and go before I know it. 

Inspiring Story (Mini Edition)

I am not necessarily going into the details here about this, but I am someone who does not like to ask for help when it comes to pretty much anything unless it gets to a point where I am lost with what to do. I am certainly not one of those who likes to bug people when it comes to anything and yet I know it makes me want to be a stronger person than I ever could have imagined. It was so inspiring to learn a little bit more about what this friend of mine has had to go through in order to get to where they are, which I am certain did take some asking for help but was able to grow into the person they needed to be. I sincerely hope that both of us run into each other again and I will be able to help her out in some way with anything she needs in the moment. 

Mini Shout Out

I would genuinely like to send a shout out to the UVUWBB team as they prepare for their upcoming season opener!!! I may not get to attend any of your basketball games at all, but I am excited for you ladies to compete against teams that I have never heard of before, (expect for maybe just one who is about a mile away from you.) I am excited for you to show everyone what you are made of & will be able to do as the season goes on... which I am sure will be more of an experience that nobody is going to forget. I would also like to send a shout out to the best role model on this planet who is one of their assistant coaches--all the best of luck as they begin an adventure that as one of their many fans could not be more thrilled about. I know they will leave an imprint on the hearts of every player, coach and fan who will ever get a chance to interact with them. #IYKYK. 

Highlights

LCPD Reception (Mini Synopsis) 

This annual event turned out much better for me than I had originally expected-- but it was great to spend time with friends and interact with legislators about disability related issues. I really liked getting to focus more on what I needed to be there for and seeing my friends step out of their comfort zone to speak with their lawmakers was incredible. I am grateful to not have spent all day at the state capitol and only being up there for two hours was such a blessing. I will legitimately admit the light refreshments up there were slightly better than they have been in previous years which if you ask me was not an understatement. I am grateful to have had an opportunity to explore the Capitol building for a good hour with my two friends & even getting a chance to walk through the senate chamber was a treat. 

BYU Women's Basketball Game (Tomorrow Night)

I could not be more excited to cheer on our lady cougars tomorrow night as they will compete against Baylor in the Marriott Center. I don't necessarily make it to a lot of the basketball games, but I sure do hope to reconnect with my new friend Kylie and get to know her a little bit more. She is truly amazing with all that she has been able to do and has inspired me to want to do better. I also hope we can have a chance to hang out with the coolest cat ever and get a photo taken if we are lucky to do that. I am not too familiar with the women in sports day at all, but I would not be too surprised if I end up seeing one of the many former BYU women's basketball players there in the audience. I may not ever get to tell them "Hi" or anything like that--but it would be a dream come true to see them in person. It would be even more memorable to just wave to them from across the way, would definitely put a great big smile on my face!!! #FingersCrossed

Worldwide Prom (Friday Night)

I have blogged about this special event one too many times over the years, but I am excited to spend a lot of quality time with my best friends. We are going to dance the night away and hopefully not end up being too crazy on the way up to our event as well as on the way home. I am definitely looking forward to celebrating thousands of individuals with disabilities all over the world, to know how special we are in this world & that we are as much a part of society as anybody else. It will certainly be an evening for all of us to remember in years to come and cannot wait to see how epic this prom night is going to be. 

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Free Entry

Self Advocacy Conference (Next Week)

I'm excited for this conference to kickstart on a positive note and can make up for lost time with all of my friends who I have sorely missed so much. It will be an amazing experience for everyone who signed up to participate with us and hopefully can learn some more things, in regards to being a self advocate within the disability community. I really hope that some of my NINJA friends will be there and can support all of us who have worked so hard into making this conference happen, which if you ask me is a completely and different story for another time. (More about this later on!!!)

NACDD Conference (Travel Process)

All I ever did was send off my issued state identification card in an email and in the hopes it didn't end up getting lost or misplaced somewhere. I am truly hoping this national conference will be an experience for me to remember and learn as much as I can about what other DD councils are working on all over the United States, which if you ask me I'm sure is pretty legitimate stuff. (Hahaha!!! Please stay tuned for more!!)

Ninja Conference Tribute (Repetitive Post)

"TEN YEARS AGO—I decided to take a chance to participate in a disability youth leadership conference & little did I know how much of an impact it would have on my life all these years later. It ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made with trying to learn as much as I could in regards to all that being a self advocate is. I am grateful for the kindness and unconditional love that everyone has shown me throughout these past ten years and just giving me an experience I’ll never forget. It is really bittersweet for me to have to say goodbye to what has shaped me into the person I am today and hope to be in the future. I LOVED all that this conference taught me as I returned back year after year, knowing my heart will forever be a part of this event I will keep close to my heart. I genuinely look forward to seeing what other things my friends will accomplish. Thank you so much for changing my life forever and giving me opportunities that I will keep close to my heart." #NINJAForLife

Little Preview

The term "bittersweet" could not be more applicable than at this time in my life. Bitter coming from the fact I have to tearfully walk away from serving on one of the best disability committees ever and sweet coming from the unforgettable memories that I've made with such an incredible group of people. It has been an amazing journey for me to learn and grow as a disability leader in this role that I did not even know would change my life as much as I imagined... #ToBeContinued 

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

Official Chair

Whoa!!! My life has definitely gotten a little more exhilarating now that I have been voted in as the brand newly elected Chair person of their Youth Leadership Committee. It is definitely bittersweet to see my role as the secretary come to an end because it turned into one of my favorite volunteer jobs ever!!! It was such a delight to create the agendas for each meeting and typing the minutes long afterwards (which if you ask me was more than a treat to do every other month.) Thank you so much to everyone who was genuinely patient with me as I continued to learn about my leadership role and have the support behind me every single step of the way. 

As I became elected into this new leadership role, I was certainly a little surprised that they were not more names listed for the next person who would become the new chair. I am grateful for the support & love of my fellow committee members who make me smile or laugh whenever I need it at any given time, especially in the circumstances that we are still in. I definitely have so much left ahead of me to learn and process inside myself about this new role, but it could not have gone any better in the sense of knowing I am not alone or just simply trying to do my best :) 

Other News:

My youth leadership committee has been a part of my life for three years and yet I'd never want to see myself doing anything more than what I can contribute to the group. I may not be perfect or someone-- who knew they could take on something like this, but I am more than grateful to do what I can. Earlier, when my meeting took place it felt strange not taking any notes on paper and not filling out what I had become so used to and now I get to start all over with this new slate. 

#MembersNeeded

This committee is in need of some new youth members with disabilities to join us and help us empower individuals like ourselves to learn as much as we can about becoming good leaders. It has been such an incredible experience for me to continue growing as a leader and making the best of whatever it is that I end up getting faced up against. Getting to this point in my life was nothing short of easy for me & feel grateful to know that through all of the obstacles--- I was able to make it to this next chapter of my life without feeling like I didn't fulfill what I needed to do. 

Summer Lovin'

 Back To Back Presentations (Advocates As Leaders - Self Advocacy Speakers Network) 

It's obvious that my life with these presentations never ends, but I absolutely love what I doing in trying to get my message across to people who need to know individuals like me can do anything that anyone else in the world can do. Yes, I may need a little bit of extra assistance at times with things and just trying my hardest to make a good impression on the people I meet. I am excited for these two presentations to kick off on a positive note and everyone who will be there with us, can get as much out of what is being said without getting themselves too tired!! It will also end up being the last mini conference for this summer, which if you ask me I am not certain if they were will be the money to do these again--but only time can tell on that one!!! 

Virtual Webinar Session (Two Weeks Notice)

I am very nervous to know if this virtual webinar ends up being worth my time for an hour and a half or if I will have made a terrible decision to participate on it in the first place?? I am very anxious to know what I can do better as a member of two governor appointed councils and trying to get some kind of a tight hold on ways I can make improvements in my leadership roles. I just honestly decided to participate on this upcoming virtual webinar session is just because I know it might help me with learning more in depth about what my role should be with being a board member and if you ask me, I am not even certain what I'm going to take away from this experience--but can only hope for the best. 

Utah Developmental Disabilities Council (50th Anniversary)

I've only been involved with this council for a short period of time and yet I cannot imagine how far they have to get to where they are now. I am grateful to be working alongside such incredible people who are truly dedicated and passionate about what they do in the disability community, which if you ask me is just a whole another story!!! This anniversary event will be held on Saturday & cannot wait for a chance to reunite with all of my friends if I see any of them later on this week. This was in reality supposed to have taken place last year and thanks to the health epidemic worldwide, that didn't happen whatsoever and now it is finally going to kick start another fifty more years!!! 

Miscellaneous

Youth Leadership Committee Training (September)

At the end of next month, I will have an opportunity along with my fellow youth leadership committee members to participate in a training held in Salt Lake. My governor appointed council USILC (which stands for Utah Statewide Independent Living Council) that has been a part of my life for about 10 yrs now and I could not be more thrilled to participate in this event. Luckily for us, the UDDC has offered their training room for us to borrow during that period of time and I'm certain it looks amazingly nice, once I get a chance to see it for myself in person. 

This will be more in depth training to learn about leadership styles, communication skills, and knowing what to expect being a committee or board member. I am not certain an event like this one would ever happen again in the future and I didn't hesitate to agree with being a part of it :) It's most definitely just gonna be an experience to remember for years to come and cannot wait to spend quality time with my friends in person. 

Virtual Scavenger Hunt (Zoom Activity)

My youth leadership committee decided to push aside learning about money management and put on this event instead. If you ask me, I would have easily preferred to do the scavenger hunt over Zoom instead of thinking I can carry a laptop computer around my house!!! I am so thrilled to once again be a part of this activity with my NINJA friends and enjoy some fun time together for an hour. Watch out for more updates to come later about this!!! 

Special Needs Ballroom Competition (Tomorrow Afternoon)

Regardless of the outcome with this event, I am grateful to have been given a chance to participate in this once again. I am grateful for all of the hard work that me and my friends have put into making our dances look good will have paid off. This event takes place tomorrow afternoon and who knows what could happen? I am so excited to once again perform the best of my ability and inspire people to know that everybody like myself can do things that others perceive us not being able to do. We are certainly going to prove them all wrong tomorrow once this event unfolds in front of them and hopefully make some memories that we will cherish forever. 

Untitled Post

YLC Updates (Mini Version)

I am definitely feeling well prepared and ready for this virtual meeting tomorrow afternoon. I am hoping we can have a very productive and insightful discussion on the items, that I have typed up on our agenda to talk about as a group. I know it has been a long time from when we last met earlier this spring and then summer months arrived, which only lead to so much going on everyday if not more often than I can tackle sometimes. I always love getting to learn from my friends on things they would like to see happen within the disability community and knowing what incredible people they are, I have no doubts in my mind at all on what they can bring to the table. 

"A Dancer's Life" (Five Years)

This blog of mine was not intended to turn itself into a journal by any means... just a chance for me to write and express my thoughts without using paper. I am grateful for the many endless posts that have gotten themselves on here with me trying to not cross the line or make a fool of myself. This has truly been an experience that I never imagined it to become and yet here I am not sure what more I can keep writing on here. I have typed up over three hundred plus entries on this journal of mine and considering the idea to create an entirely new blog altogether, which I am not sure would be a good idea or not?? It still has lingered itself in my mind for some time now and I will be sure to let you all know what does happen with this!!! 

Weekly Recap

Competition Mode 2021 (Short Preview) 

I've definitely got so much that needs to be done, leading up to this weekend's ballroom dance competition and not very much time to complete in. It is such a bittersweet experience for me not knowing if this will end up being the final time this event takes place or what could happen in a few years. I am grateful for a chance to see my friends showcase what we have worked so hard on during these past five weeks with all of our volunteers!!! It is certainly going to warm the hearts of everyone who comes and watches us dance our little hearts out on the dance floor, which I know is just an experience that none of us participants will soon forget. 

I have to get all of the ticket vouchers in envelopes with participants names printed on them, along with the flyer of information that shares everything in regards to the event itself. I cannot wait to perform the best of my abilities and just going out on the dance floor, to have fun with all of my other friends!!! It is definitely one of the most unforgettable moments during my summer and cannot wait to share all of my highlights with you guys. 

Other Stories: (Summer Time Highlights)

Virtual NINJA Conference - Truly one of the most unforgettable memories ever and touched my heart in more ways than I could even begin to say right now. It was definitely a lot more enjoyable and heartfelt for me than it was the previous year with so many emotional meltdowns, thanks to the circumstances we all had to see ourselves in. I loved being a youth mentor again for this event and getting to help my own friends get as much out of the conference as they could-- just simply warmed my heart so much. It was a treat getting to share my personal experiences with what attributes I'd want to have as a leader, but if you know me I certainly did not disappoint :) 

Mini Leadership Conference - It obviously ended up being a little more tender hearted of an experience than I wanted it to be for someone whose just visibly struggled with so much. I am grateful for the once in a lifetime chance I had to benefit from this experience and getting to educate my friends on two little things that have shaped me into the person I am now. I'll not continue anymore with this because on an emotional level it was pretty difficult for me to hide what was really going on inside my head. 

29th Birthday Highlights - I really loved spending time with my friends over a two week period and it was definitely a celebration to remember!!! Went to the Aquarium with my independent living center and saw all of the many water animals that are featured there, went out to dinner with my mom, older sister and her two kiddos (along with my twin sister) and enjoyed a scrumptious meal, opened up our presents and received so much unconditional birthday love from my friends all day, etc. 

Field Trip

YESTERDAY---I woke up early in the morning hours to get ready and glammed for a trip to the independent living center in SLC for two educational trainings.  I was so legitimately excited to have an opportunity of doing in person event this time and helping youth with disabilities learn about self determination. I was truly grateful to have been asked to do this not once, but twice and if you must know--that doesn't necessarily happen too often. 

After an hour train ride up to the Murray Station, I climbed off the frontrunner and went to look for my boss who was going to drive me and my colleague to the Independent Living Center. Once we arrived, there was certainly a lot of excitement in the air as I anticipated to present in front of such an incredible group of people. I knew in the back of my mind there would be a Mini Leadership Conference going on, with the idea that I knew both of my amazing colleagues from USILC would be there!!! As I slowly was getting started with this presentation, I was feeling extremely nervous and my heart immediately begins to start pounding really fast. I could not keep the biggest smile off my face as I stood up there and tried with all of my might to keep myself composed. 

I certainly enjoyed getting to add my own little personality into the training itself and that is something I keep close to my heart. I have been doing these trainings for three and a half years now, which is just an absolute dream come true for me!! So many of the self advocates we trained were so engaged in what we had going on--I was completely blown away with how much they knew about and wanted to learn through out their lives. 

Legitimate Highlights:

Getting to make my favorite people laugh and smile throughout yesterday, was just a delight in more ways than one!!! I love spending time with incredible people who are genuinely passionate, dedicated about what they do everyday and I'm not sure I would be the self advocate I am without them. 

Went out to lunch with my colleagues who can make me laugh like no one else can!!! We certainly just enjoy each other's company and shared a scrumptious lunch together at a place, that I had never been to in my lifetime. But it was such a wonderful experience to visit with each other and share stories that I'll genuinely keep myself quiet about--haha!! :) 

Heartfelt Moment:

During my second training--- I was asked a specific question about something related back to if it was hard for me to get up and going with my volunteering experience. I didn't necessarily think much about the fact I was going to become slightly teary eyed and not knowing how much it would strike deep with me as I shared my response with everybody. It was very much from the heart and even though I did not express it in the way I wanted to... I could truly hope that the imprint I left on their hearts stays with them forever. 

Ice Cream Toast (Random Story)

My mentor with the speakers network and I went to get an ice cream cone, which if you must know is a treat for me whenever the opportunity comes up!!! To make this a very long hilarious story brief, I kept mentioning how much I wanted one of the guest speakers who were at the mini conference, could have been with us to get a summer treat--and instead decided to make a toast to this person with our melting ice cream cones!!! Talk about passion right there my friends! I genuinely wished they had been with us and shared in that celebratory moment--but hey I'm sure it will mean something to them when they hear the legitimate news tomorrow!! 

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 :) 

Conferenced Out

Leadership Presentation (June 2021)

Earlier this week-- I was able to have the opportunity of sharing my thoughts on what I feel like are the most important attributes of being a disability leader. As one of the NINJA Youth Mentors, I really wanted to make a good impression and inspire all of my friends who are on the conference with us, to genuinely know what good attributes that could make them a disability leader. I am grateful for the privilege of being able to share what some of my favorite ones were in a three minute period. It was definitely not the first time I ever shared my experiences with my NINJA friends and inspiring them to strive as hard as they can to be an example for others to follow. (Long Story Short--Last year when I was asked as one of the youth mentors to share their insight on what leadership means to them and boy it was seriously not even within a matter of seconds my voice became shaky and tears were rolling down my cheeks!! No, It was not planned whatsoever to have what I had prepared to come across in an emotional manner, but sometimes I never can seem to explain what I want to across to a group of people in the way I want to and then having end up as a teared up leadership moment in my heart is what makes me who I am.) I hope that everyone who listened to me share my thoughts were not only motivated to do what be good leaders in the disability community, but want to continue doing whatever they can in making sure their voices are being heard. 

NINJA Conference 2021,

When I first attended you back in 2013, I didn't necessarily expect you to be as much fun as you were until after I got there on USU Campus!!! I seriously had no idea about what anything in the disability community was (let alone about how much of an impact I could make on the lives of people like me!) I am grateful for the many friendships I have been able to have with some of the most amazing people in this world. They have inspired me to see the good in everything that life has to offer and reminding me of who I really am inside not only as an individual--but as a self advocate, leader, and someone who just aspires to keep improving on their own skills as much as possible. Thank you so much for changing my life forever and giving me a platform to make a difference in the lives of so many people!!!

USILC Staff:

You guys are just the best of the best in our state!! Thank you for being patient with me as I have started on my journey with being a youth member on USILC and learning from the greatest people ever is just a dream come true!!! I may not do anything perfect at times, but I continue learning as much as I can--- which if you ask me keeps leaving an imprint on my heart almost every year. Thank you so much for all the dedication and everything in between you guys put into making the NINJA Conference into what it is now!!! I'm missing the conference so much already and cannot wait to see this conference grow into more than just a fun disability leadership program--but one that is going to change the lives of everyone who gets a chance to participate in this yearly event. Love y'all and peace out---(Until next year that is!)

Mini Stories

Virtual NINJA Conference (2021 Edition) 

Please stay tuned for updates about this coming after next week!!! I cannot wait to learn more about being a good disability leader, self advocate, mentor and someone who would do anything in this world to make sure their voice is heard. If you didn't necessarily check out my post earlier this week about the amazingly legitimate care package I received the other day, I'd highly suggest you read through it first. Since I'll be occupied with this event for three days straight and little time to share my thoughts on what I have gotten out of it--You will need to be extra patient with me!!!

Mental Status (Short Version)

I've done a lot of hard self reflections about myself these past five months and it has clearly shown me all of the many ways I can make improvements. It has been really difficult for me to reach this point in life & not feel the slightest bit of regret in how I wished things could have been handled. I am grateful to have an incredible disability leader among others who have stuck with me through the thick and thin--whether if I deserved it or not. I cannot wait to receive one of the sweetest hugs ever and know everything is going to be okay afterwards, because it has felt like as though any of the contact I used to have with my friends--- unexpectedly got taken away from me for what seemed as though it was an eternity. I know lots of my blog posts have been fairly repetitive with the many mixed emotions as well as anxious feelings that I have continued experiencing on a regular basis. More about this later!!! 

Mentor Panel

As I reflect back on my experiences with being a youth mentor for this NINJA Conference, it has truly been something I'll forever hold close to my heart. I am grateful for the opportunities that I have gotten with inspiring and encouraging self advocates with disabilities to know they are not alone. It has been a wonderful privilege for me to help and assist others in having a positive experience on the conference as well as trying to motivate them to accomplish their goals. 

In conjunction with this online event--me and my other colleagues will get to participate in a mentor panel where we are going to be asked a question about why leadership is important. I'm not very much certain about other questions are going to be asked next to the one I mentioned here, but after the teary eyed moment I had last year--I know this one will be an unforgettable experience to remember. I am so excited about getting to share my thoughts and insight on why this particular subject is very important- especially within the disability community itself. 

Other News (Unofficial Stories)

TOMORROW NIGHT---I'll be participating on my fourth mentor training in conjunction with this virtual disability conference and it is almost hard to believe!!! I am excited to share my thoughts and feelings on why leadership is important makes this event all that but more special. I cannot wait for the more updates and stories I will get to share with everyone, when I have the chance to some time later this month. 

To Be Continued