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Legislative Training 2023 (Final Decision)

After much contemplation & debate in my head--- I decided to give this event another chance in the hopes that my anxiety will not be easily triggered as it was before. I had a lot of anxiety inside my heart during a miniature session that I remember being left with emotional frustrations about. I ended up reaching out to one of my colleagues and simply asking them to pass me on the unseen agenda once the event is closer. I am obviously nervous with how things will leave me once I step out of that room & walk away with a big smile on my face. I am not certain if that will end up being the case or not this next year, but I will be very grateful to not have anymore frustrations on my plate. 

Missing Out (Mini Version)

I have to end up missing a very important visit with my colleagues this next week--due to the fact I will be waiting outside for my bus to show up and take me back home. I am disappointed with not getting to visit or see them once again which is gonna feel like an eternity. I was really looking forward to this time with them and now I will never get to share more of my input on stuff. Sometimes I need to make sacrifices in my leadership roles that I may not want to do in those moments and yet I have no choice but to miss it all completely so I can get back to volunteering at the elementary school. 

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Headlines

NACDD Conference (Washington)

It's obvious that my chances of being selected for this are not likely and whatever does happen is all in the hands of who makes the final decision. I would love to visit another state in our country that I have never seen before and can only hope to one day see that dream come true. It would be an amazing experience to learn more about what other developmental disability councils are working on to make our lives have a lot more purpose instead of just being excluded from this world. I am not certain my presence will be needed at this national event due to the fact-- I am not as experienced in a lot of things as you would easily think but you get the idea here??? Unless I hear of anything more in regards to this, I will keep you all updated on whatever happens next in my life!!!

People First Conference (Two Weeks)

This unforgettable event cannot arrive soon enough!!! I am excited for a chance to educate and inspire so many individuals with disabilities about the importance of self determination, while including a very fun filled activity that I hope everybody likes. It has been such a long time from when I was able to have any interactions with my friends since the health epidemic arrived & luckily it is completely died itself out of here. I am ready for a chance to make up for lost conversations and laughs that will be shared with every one who will be in attendance with us. Please stay tuned for updates and stories to come!!!

Ninja Conference (Repetitive)

It's been a part of my life for almost ten years and that to me has come and gone a little too fast. I am so grateful for the opportunity to head up to an event I love so much and not being as involved as I used to be has felt really weird. I am definitely going to be the most sentimental person in the room as I make a way through something that I've never looked back with regrets. It has been extremely painful for me-- with not being as involved as I have been in years past and it feels weird all the way around. I am truly saddened that my tender time with this conference has to come to a bittersweet end and not knowing if there will be anything for me in the future is another story. (More about this later!!!)

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 Legislative Training (Virtual Event)

I have legitimately tried to avoid writing up about this event and because it is once again something that has become a virtual thing is another story. I am grateful for the chance to listen and observe on what the legislative process is like and trying to keep my mouth quiet on just about everything I have no idea with what to explain. I usually look forward to being around my friends and getting an opportunity to catch up on life with each other and thanks to the exhausting restrictions of the epidemic, I am not sure when it can ever happen in person after this next year. I will be more than relieved to step away from this event if I do feel inclined to take a little bit of a break with how treacherously long it can be to stare at a computer for the next four hours!!! I am hopeful that it will allow me to have a chance with refocusing on myself just some more without any reason to believe I am not gonna be able to handle it.

NINJA Alumni Calls (Zoom)

These have been one of the hardest and most unforgettable things ever throughout this past year in 2020 as well into right now. I definitely struggled with my anxiety and emotions in trying to keep it together when all of my friends know how unfathomably hard 2020 was for me since the epidemic started. I know it isn't necessarily what I had in mind to keep in touch with them at first-- but I do know it has given me such an absolute escape to laugh whenever I need to and not worry about things for a period of time. I am grateful for the chance I have gotten to see my all time favorite people and bunny Curtis who I still have not gotten any opportunity of meeting in person yet--but only time can tell when that is ever gonna happen. I truly do hope that I can figure out some way to keep myself together whenever I am on any of these calls-- but this will take some a little bit of extra time. 

Active Re-Entry (Zoom Activities)

These have definitely been such a highlight for me as I enter into the new year and look forward to just being friends with so many other self advocates in our state. I have really liked getting to learn as well as be inspired by them whenever we have zoom classes or activities together. I really liked watching a few legitimate movies throughout the year in 2020 and getting to feel like I was on cloud nine is such an absolute dream come true!!! I am so looking forward to the new activities and things I'll learn from each of them as we continue to see the light at the end of this tunnel. 

(End Of Part Two)

Ground Zero

(Old Story - Summer 2012)

EIGHT YEARS AGO----I visited the big apple with my mom, older sister and her husband which I will admit ended up being a very unforgettable trip for me. (Minus the fact we tagged along with them because they were going to be dancing in a ballroom competition at the hotel we were staying at which was so legitimately nice if you ask me!!!) I really liked getting to walk around the sites that people have either seen on television before or has gotten toured millions of times. I truly liked walking around the 911 Memorial and Museum-- looking into the clear glass cases with pieces of rubble that was salvaged up from that unfathomable/tragic day. I remember looking at all of those endless names of victims who put their lives on the line, so that I could still be here today. I couldn't even believe this happened to a country that does not see violence or let alone any form of terrorism to pull us apart. I know this is the nineteenth anniversary of a day that nobody wanted to see happen or let alone watch unfold on their television screens, but life has been able to continue forward even during the hardest of times. None of these individuals knew what was gonna happen the next day and then only come to find 

This unthinkable act of terrorism on our country was like anything I'd ever seen before. It was such a horrific time for me as a young person to think--"Why would this ever happen? How did so many thousands of peoples lives have to be taken away for no reason whatsoever?! Why did those airplanes have to be hijacked by terrorists only to find out people's lives would be gone in an instant and all because they do not live in a free country?!!?!! Was this a complete accident or just something that would give us a reminder about how to treat other people?! Maybe it didn't click inside of my head like it does right now, but I am grateful for those who made it possible for us to enjoy our freedoms today. Let us never forget this September day of the lives who were lost in circumstances that nobody should have ever experienced and yet here we are--- remembering each and every person who did whatever they could to save themselves as well as those they did not know were going to not make it back to their families. Never take life for granted and while we are living in this unprecedented time in 2020, let us not ever loose sight of the fact we need to hold our loved ones a little tighter & snuggle them a little more often than we usually ever would. Life is gonna continue throwing endless struggles in and no matter the circumstances we ever find ourselves up against--Plz keep in mind that as long as we remember what is most important everyday, We can make it just through about whatever gets put into our path. 

Spectacular

There is clearly no words for me to even describe what an incredible treat it was getting to attend this year's Spectacular at the BYU Marriott Center and getting to experience it with ten thousand other people was truly indescribable. The headline performer in the show was truly a delight in every way & getting the chance of seeing them perform LIVE in person was such a treat for me, if you can even imagine just how amazing that is!!! It was definitely phenomenal to watch an Emmy and Tony award winning actress Kristin Chenoweth who played the original role of Glinda, (Good Witch of the North) from the hit popular Broadway musical, WICKED many years back!!! 

She interacted with the audience not only just very professional in her demeanor and class, but she delivered a show that I know a lot of you who attended this event will truly remember for years to come!!! I absolutely enjoyed getting the chance to watch someone who I've seen on television for various periods of time, completely became like a dream come true as soon as I saw her perform right on that stage in front of thousands of people!!!! I felt like it was such a surreal and thrilling moment for me to finally see face to face somebody who constantly travels all over the world, doing what they love most certainly turned into just ONE unforgettable night that I will be talking about for many generations to come!!! 

My Favorite Highlights:


- WICKED Medley with BYU Vocal Point and Kristin Chenoweth

-  Gentri Performing was such an awesome experience and they were amazingly talented group of singers

-  Watching the BYU Ballroom Dance Company performing their medley and luckily, I had seen it multiple times!!! #JustSaying

- Wished I had gotten a picture with the star of this fantastic show and you know, maybe one day it will  happen but who knows???? 

- Listening to Kristin Chenoweth tell Cosmo, the cougar that there is only room for one cougar on that stage-- but hey... come on, He is practically legit in every way and he is a pretty cool dude to say the least!!! Believe me, it's absolutely true!!!! :)