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I literally thought once my new diamond art project came to my house that it would take me all of BYU football and basketball season to finish. I obviously worked on this a little too fast and didn't necessarily  take the time to enjoy making the painting itself come to life. I know it was such a great escape for me to learn something new and have a project that could keep me busy for awhile, if you know what I mean? I am grateful for the way it has turned out so far and look forward to maybe doing another one of these at some point in the distant future. 

I am not particularly certain what is going to happen after this painting of mine is completed, but I want to take my time over the next two days to finish up what I have left. I am definitely not going to begin a new one of these at any given moment but know it will give me something else to focus on if I ever want to do this again. I am grateful for the way it has come together and look forward to maybe seeing more of these paintings have other BYU sports that we love watching so much. I am not sure if that will ever be the case at any given moment in time but I am excited for BYU sports to begin their seasons!!! I cannot wait to see what our players have worked so hard on throughout the summer months and want to bring to the court or field this upcoming year. 

I really hope we can make it some of the home basketball games this season and cheer on the cougars if we ever have a chance. I loved being able to watch our women's team fight to the end in their touranment that I enjoyed getting to watch them compete in. I was obviously sad with them being runners up in their final game but so pleased with their willingness to step up together as a team to make that an experience no one will soon forget. I am keeping my fingers crossed and faith in my heart our players can maintain good health throughout the season without any problems as well as just soaking in every moment before things come to an end leading into the NCAA tournament if we get into that. I know our team could play so incredibly well and make it further into it as we possibly can which I am positive we can do if we stick to the game plans. I am also confident that our heavenly father will be with our coaches and players who do so much behind the scenes into making BYU sports what they are. I really wish I could take a minute to thank all of them for their contributions and dedication to what make BYU sports so much fun to see either in person or just from the comfort of my home. I truly love being able to cheer them on with each score we make and competing at the highest level they can to win games throughout the season that are ahead for them. 

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So Random

Chair Person Role (Temporary)

One of my colleagues emailed me earlier today and indicated that our chair person has taken ill--- which leaves them unable to lead our council meeting tomorrow. I am grateful to have the support of UDDC in this new adventure and really hoping to make a good impression for our council members. I know things will work out for the best and with a script in my hand---there will not be any problems in regards to our routine. I have only ever done a chair position when serving on my favorite committee that showed me what it meant to be a leader within the disability community and never giving up on what I am perfectly capable of. 

I obviously have faith in my heart as well as in the Savior to make through this and cannot be more than grateful to be helping out a colleague who needs it more than ever. I am truly blessed to volunteer all of my time with the best of the best in our state on a regular basis, which might sound a little biased in one way or another... but it is so true!!! I cannot wait to move forward with my efforts inside of a community that I dearly love so much and hopefully make a bigger impact on the lives of people with disabilities in our state.

BYUWBB - NCAA Tourney Hopes

It was truly amazing to watch these ladies compete hard against teams as they were in KC throughout their time in the Big 12 basketball tournament. I obviously loved seeing them win against two opponents that at times I was a little concerned with not knowing what the end results would be and yet I am proud of every single of our players for giving it every they had to represent BYU to the best of their abilities. I hope that they get seeded in a decent spot and maybe have a chance to go further into the tournament--which I will keep praying hard for them every night for them to reach. 

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Disneyland & California Adventure Highlights

Spending one entire day in the happiest place on earth was nothing short of incredible and at times not quite what I had imagined---but you get the idea here?? I enjoyed getting to see the characters that we genuinely love so much and interacting with them for short periods of time, was truly amazing in every sense of the word. Obviously, the entire park was jam packed with a lot of people who amazed me with how many various styles and colors of "Minnie Mouse" ears that I saw them wearing--which if you ask me would have bugged me the second I would have had them on my head. #ItsTheTruth.

Some of my favorite rides included:

- Space Mountain

- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

- Jungle Cruise

- Indiana Jones

- Buzz Lighter Astro Blasters

- Snow White's Enchanted Wish

- Incredi-Coaster

- Toy Story Midway Mania

- Ariel's Undersea Adventure

- Cars Land Ride

- Pirates of The Caribbean 

Too many of these to choose from and yet I am grateful to have had the time away without any kind of commitments back home to worry about. I really liked getting to unwind from the craziness in life and embrace the magic that both theme parks had to offer, which if you ask me is not even close to being an understatement. I also really enjoyed both of the parades we had the opportunity to watch and of course, dance along with the performers that were dancing in the streets!!! I will admit that overall this trip was one for the books and hopefully we can make it there again some time in the distant future, but just so ya know only time will tell. #ICYMI. 

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Ninja Trailer

After I was voted in to be the new chair person for my youth leadership committee, I decided that we had to create a movie trailer instead of a poster to get the word out for next year's NINJA Conference to be on the Utah State University campus!!! It had been on my mind for awhile and never felt like it was a decent or good idea to share with my group of friends, but I really wanted to make sure if it was something we all felt like we could agree on-- I didn't want to pass up the opportunity. 

COMING SOON--- June 2022!!! (Still a work in progress if you must know)

This disability leadership conference left an imprint on my heart from the moment I arrived on the college campus of USU almost ten years ago!!! It has been such a delight for me to learn from all of the many other youth delegates and being inspired by their stories that they convey with everyone in our group. I am so grateful for the unforgettable moments and endless amounts of laughs that kept me smiling until my heart was tired from being my favorite people so much. I have such a special place in my heart for this conference and everything that it has done for me to become the kind of leader I want to be down this road. 

My answers to the following questions in regards to this NINJA movie trailer are:

Why do I love the NINJA Conference??

I love this conference because all of the many new friendships I make with the delegates from all over the state of Utah. They are truly like family to me in more ways than one and I am so grateful for their perseverance in letting people know what they can do instead of the other way around. I love them all so much and their determination to keep going forward in life without guile!!! They have motivated me to always look for the potential in myself to do hard things and not care what others think I cannot do in this world to make a difference. #NINJAPrideForever. 

I genuinely love participating in a variety of classes that are held throughout the conference and helping everyone learn different ways to set goals for themselves, learn about ways to improve their social skills among so many other things in between. I also love getting the opportunity of staying on an actual if ya ask me legitimate college campus in the dorms with my friends-- You are genuinely missing out on the greatest things ever in my personal opinion :) 

I also love how inclusive the NINJA Conference is for people with all kinds of disabilities & trying to prove to this world that they are just as much part of society as the rest of them are. I am grateful for a conference like this one that continues to keep me pushing through the hard times and knowing that I'm not alone in the goals I set out for myself. 

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. 

Ninja Surprise

I was elected as the new secretary of my Youth Leadership Committee, I create the meeting agendas for our meetings every other month. I have picked out adorable images to use in making the stuff we discuss look a little bit more fun and less boring if you know what I mean?! I'd kept this legitimate secret from a friend of mine for some time and indicated I would not send them off the agenda until ten minutes before our meeting started. I was nervous about whether or not it would come off a little strange or awkward in some way...but I knew in my heart it was going to bring the warmest smile to their face!!! Leading up to the meeting earlier today, I didn't know if it was right of me to keep this a secret for as long as I did--but somehow it was the only chance for me to get the opportunity of surprising them.


I immediately sent off the agenda for our YLC Meeting and mentioned to this individual--they were not allowed to open up the email until I had shown up on the Zoom Call itself. Within about five minutes-- I was on the Zoom Call and instantly heard them say this: "I love it!!!" I had not even seen their face quite yet until seconds the both of us were able to share that moment together--which if you ask me was more than a dream come true!! It was such a heartwarming moment for me to spend a little extra virtual time with them and once more people joined the meeting itself-(I'll get back to that in a second.) My colleague mentioned to me a very specific kind of bunny that they have in their home and I believe it was called a Holland Lop.

They mentioned how they are pretty chill bunnies and will I guess occasionally chew on things, if I can even recall their exact words--but I will make certain to double check with them soon. (Back to what I'd tried getting across before earlier in this blog post--- It was such a heartfelt moment for me and my colleague, whose name I will not mention right now out of respect for them--but I just genuinely loved the expression that I saw come across their face with almost tearing up!! I didn't necessarily expect to see that from them with an absolute unexpected surprise like this one, but I felt like it was the perfect moment for me to give them some extra unconditional love. More about this later... (Stay tuned for the final part of this post coming your way tomorrow at some point!!!) 

Weekend Vibes

 LAST FRIDAY--- My twin sister and I watched a livestream Easter special with our favorite singer David Archuleta on a website called Stage It. I definitely loved being able to take a break from the craziness and noise in the world, to just feel uplifted about what the message of Easter really is. I loved every minute of being able to watch him sing from the heart and share his experiences about how he wants to be closer to God in his life everyday. I am grateful for the power that music can have in our lives and especially when the focus is on being closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know he has guided and directed my life in those directions it needs to be headed towards, whether it is what I need at the time or not. I am truly blessed for having the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life everyday and reminding me of what I can do to improve with areas of my life that I can strive in focusing more on Him. 

General Conference (Short Version)

This was very much needed escape for me to feel the spirit of my Heavenly Father and learning about how to increase my faith in ways I never considered before. I always love being able to learn from our church leaders every six months about putting the Savior in my life before anything else and knowing that I can always put in an extra effort to do better. It is definitely heartwarming to be reminded about what's truly important once in awhile and recognizing where we can make improvements...because we all have our own shortcomings in life, but through the help of our Savior we can persevere through anything. 

Other Highlights:

- I was very much inspired by the messages we heard this weekend and knowing there is always a better way to solving personal life struggles than just easily assuming we can handle it by ourselves. I was just blown away with the announcement of twenty new temples to be built throughout the world and seeing the lord hastening his work is remarkable!!!

Elevated

"Counting blessings is far better than recounting our problems."

I am so grateful for the profound message that our prophet shared with us earlier today and simply just being reminded about how much gratitude we can have in our everyday circumstances. I know my life would not be what it is right now if I didn't have the gospel to help me through everything and realize I can look at the bright side a little more often.

279th Post

My favorite television sitcom aired over this many episodes in a decade's worth of time and could not help but feel like this challenge was perfect for me. It is hard for me to even think about how much my life has changed over the course of time and not realizing the impact it would have for me. I am grateful for all of the many blessings that life has thrown at me this year and not because of my new leadership roles, but to know that I can overcome anything that comes in my way. I knew it was going to take a lot of patience on my part in trying to make every post I wrote up--not continuously repetitive about how unfathomably hard this year has continued to be!!!

New YLC Updates: 

My best friend Randi and I have video chatted with each other in the last few weeks, but also having a friend check up on me has been such a treat. I have enjoyed getting to spend time with each other from quite a long distance away and knowing what I need extra advice or help with-- has given me so much comfort in realizing I am never alone. Several nights back-- I took out this Gratitude Jar with a variety of questions inside that were about things we were (Grateful, Thankful, Blessed for in our lives and if you ask me-- I could not let this thought of mine pass itself up.) I simply decided it would be sort of a fun activity to do an icebreaker for everyone to get to know each other, just a little bit better and also give them a chance to reflect on things that they have gotten them through this year. 

I emailed one of the USILC Staff about this creative idea and I am so grateful they agreed with having me put it together. I know it has definitely given me a chance to put things in a much better perspective and trying to refocus on what the rest of this year will be like. I cannot wait to hear the responses of all my friends will have in relations to these questions and hopefully we can lift each others spirits in some way or another. 

Journal Entry

I had originally gotten done with writing up this blog post and then all of the stuff I wrote up about-- just simply disappeared altogether. I had everything set up and ready to be published on here, but then it has to be a continuous problem with blogger to have on a regular basis??! That was a miniature rant there!!! 

YLC Updates:

One of my friends is about to become a new committee member and I cannot wait for them to have a new opportunity with being able to use their leadership skills. I am grateful for them to be a part of this with so many new friends and getting a chance to share their input on stuff that will be discussed along throughout this coming year. I also have an idea about putting together a workshop with my friends who assist me on my disability committee and informing people about what we do as group-- but also educating them on all of the many things we can do going forward. 

Things I Am Grateful For: (Part One)

- Friends who have stuck with me through the thick and thin of this entire year. I could not have made it through any of the struggles I had without them to give me advice, but also let me know that I am never alone. I am so grateful for those who have given me advice about what to do and in how to handle any kind of situation that comes in my path. I know my life would not be the same without them if I did not have such an incredible support system of people to lead me in the direction that I need to headed into or let alone towards in the distant future!!!

- Nature and the beauty that surrounds us in this world everyday. I love that we can feel the love of our Heavenly Father by looking around at his creations that he made for us to enjoy. I am so grateful for the peace of mind that I have whenever I am able to get away from the noise of this world-because it gives me a reason to know I will be okay, regardless of any situation I am faced up against.

- Good Health and knowing that I can take care of myself-- even when I am not sure when things after 2020 are over will be back into their normal place. I am grateful for the chance to know that I can just heal from anything that over takes me and with the right precautions-- I know it will never be anything that I cannot handle. 

Free Write

What is one challenge that you are most grateful for?

Despite how unfathomable and hard this past year alone has been for me, I know it is going to continue to help me learn and grow into the person I need to become. I may not appreciate the struggles that have just come along with 2020 by any means whatsoever and it has given me a lot of extra time to know who I am just a little bit more than usual. I am hopeful that everything can settle down with not only my emotions-- but realizing that it is just simply a part of my life and something I know will be handled over time. It has not been the most ideal of experiences for any of us this year, but we have made it this far into it and I am not planning on giving up any time soon!!! 

What are some things that make you happy in life??

My NINJA friends who make me not only laugh until it hurts---but are such amazing people who I know are going to accomplish so many incredible things in their future. I am so grateful for the legit happiness that we share with each other 

Music has definitely been such an escape for me this year and listening to the messages behind it-- has really helped me to see the clarity that I need in my life. I am grateful for the peace it brings to my heart and knowing that I am not alone, especially during a health epidemic in 2020.

Being a part of two disability councils this year is something I am truly grateful to participate on and it will be a learning experience nonetheless, but I know it will help me to become the person I need to be down the road. I am grateful for the wonderful people who support and guide me along this journey & hoping that I can leave an impact on the world in some way. 

I am truly grateful for my position as the YLC Secretary and getting to keep track of things that need to be taken care of. I know there are only so many more lessons to learn and experiences to teach me what I can do not only just better but also more efficiently. It has only lasted for a short period of time, but it is great that I can volunteer my time to make things run smoothly and be an example to those all of my friends who are involved. 

New Horizons

Waiting in the Stars - David Archuleta 

My best friend Randi Mecham introduced this song to me earlier today and I am completely obsessed with it more than I can even admit. It has given me a chance to rejuvenate myself with a more positive energy-- let alone a message of hope to be reminded about everyday. I am grateful for the music this Utah artist has shared with the world and especially since all of our lives have been turned upside down-- I know there is a new chapter waiting to be opened up. 

She is truly one of the most genuine and self less people I know in this world. She never fails to amaze me with her unconditional love and caring support, during this year in 2020--especially has been such a difficult experience for me. But she has reminded me about the simplicity of life and not ever trying to lose sight of what is most important in this world--(Keeping a positive attitude and smiling through any of the trials that life throws at you.) I am grateful for her willingness to share quotes of inspiration and letting me know that I will get through this experience with a smile on my face. I am truly blessed with an amazing group of friends who even when times get hard--We are there for each other no matter what the situation may be. I am grateful for the incredible support my NINJA friends have given me through out this year alone and reminding me of what I can do!!! 

Member Orientation (Tomorrow Afternoon)

TOMORROW--- I will be participating on a call with some of the newest members who made it onto the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council. I am excited to be asking many important questions about my leadership role in this new capacity and realizing what my duties are gonna be leading up to events- or let alone to disability conferences that will hopefully take place in the distant future!!! It is definitely gonna be a new experience for me to learn some new skills about becoming a good self advocate along with being a citizen member on this council. 

Official Member

#CouncilNewbie20

Earlier today I received my official appointed letter and certificate with being appointed as one of the newest members of the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council. It is definitely quite surreal for me to even think about those upcoming adventures with such incredible people who I know are going to assist me along this new journey. This is certainly something that I had really wanted to see happen as the next chapter of my life and now it has come true!!! 

My official duties have not been anything too much as of late---but I do know there will be lots of growth in myself to take away from this experience and cannot wait to share them with my new friends. I'm truly honored with the opportunity of being able to expand my platform on self advocacy and giving insight on what I personally think needs to be done for the state of Utah. 

Youth Member (USILC Membership)

This is not necessarily been made official yet and cannot wait for it to be a new part of my life!! I know it will be a completely new experience for me as one of the many members--but I am grateful for a chance to let people know what it is I am capable of doing. I know my life has gone through endless coasters of highs and lows along the way--but it will not stop me from getting a point across to people about every obstacle that has gotten me to where I am today. I am excited for the opportunity of being surrounded with some of the best people ever and learning from them about what I can do better is just gonna be nothing short of an absolute wonderful experience for me!! I cannot wait to get acquainted w/ all of the amazing people who have been working tirelessly to make young adults with disabilities lives a reality. 

Extra Stories

Earlier this week, I had posted about getting to apply for this adaptive going away to college program for young adults with disabilities at a local university and due to the age limit being at twenty five, I will not have the chance to do it. I am definitely saddened with not getting to be a part of something like that and being able to learn new skills along the way about becoming not only more independent--but also really coming to a realization that I can do anything I set my mind on. With all of the new leadership roles that I've taken on this year in 2020-- I would easily think maybe there is enough on my plate and I can simply hope for new opportunities to show up later. 

Road Trip (Next Month)

My mom, twin sister and I are going to be heading down to St. George to watch the BYU Ballroom Dance Company perform!!! It's obviously been a while from the last time I remember seeing this group of young talent perform in front of people since everything has been turned upside down--but I cannot wait for the chance of watching their new numbers as well. I am excited for another little get away trip and spending quality time with family which is always such a good thing--(especially during times when I just want to be around other people.) 

NINJA Committee (Early Stages)

I am thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of this incredible group and giving my input on what needs to get taken care of in order for this wonderful disability conference to happen. I know it is quite a year out from actually being in place and everything--but I am grateful for the chance of doing this along w/ some of my most favorite people!!! I have probably blogged about this one too many times, but I can't wait to see what else is gonna unfold from being a new member of this committee. 

Party Day (Best Night Ever!!)

Earlier today-- My best friend Camille invited me, my twin sister and our two best friends to hang out for almost close to eight and a half hours!! We loved every single minute of laughing together, eating delicious meals, watching Sonic-The Hedgehog Movie, Making Necklaces, Photoshoot, Watching our best friend Camille open her presents (which she loved so much by the way) among so many other fun activities!!! All of us have been friends for about eight years now and cannot get enough of just being with each other for countless hours on end--which if you ask me, is never a quiet moment whatsoever and there are almost too many laughs to share!!! 

Recognition

 

One of my colleagues sent me an email last week about responding to some questions related with my new membership with the developmental disabilities council. I also really had to think a little bit hard about what kinds of skills I could bring to the table with being a new citizen of this governor appointed committee. 

LONG STORY SHORT--- I answered each of the questions that were listed off in my email message and then quickly submitted it off earlier this afternoon. Until I completely forgot to send a legitimate headshot of myself for the website that it is gonna be shared with everybody else in this world. Luckily, I will get an opportunity to give my personal input on what the entire spotlight will look like and then have a colleague of mine share it on their website!!! 

I know this isn't necessarily the kind of blog post you wanted to read through--- but due to the endless and many disability conferences that I attended over these past few years, I am grateful for each new door that opened itself up to me and allowed so many chances of learning new skills about being a strong advocate in my neighborhood/community. I am so grateful for the many amazing people who are gonna help me all throughout this journey and remembering how lucky I am to have their support. I could never in a million years perform all of these tasks by myself and not have anybody else to share my experiences with. 

I know there will be countless mistakes to face up against and not knowing what else lies in my path-- I can only hope for the best in whatever happens along this new journey. With little to no idea about how much I will either mess up throughout my years of service or whatever it may be... I am determined to make an effort with doing the best I can possible in every aspect of this chapter in my life!!!

Random Wish: (USILC Mascot)

One of the non profit organizations that I'm ecstatic about working alongside with this year, I reached out to ask about whether or not they have had a mascot before by any chance?!!! Obviously, I did not receive a legitimate and honest answer from them whatsoever-- but I do know of this one bunny who I've had yet of any chance to meet in person but he would be so perfect for the job!! It would give me the absolute biggest smile on my face and knowing if his mom will approve of him doing the job (if I must admit he would be the most legit mascot ever!!!) More about this later!!! 

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. 

Fundraiser

I'm excited for my next appearance as the 2019 Utah Miss Amazing queen and getting to attend my first time ever (not true if you ask me... it's been several years) Utah Jazz Game!!! I'm nervous about being up many rows above concourse, but obviously none of us have an option to not make that any more or less important than how terrified I am of heights!!! I definitely cannot understand why it is that when I do the flying squirrel during my NINJA Youth Leadership Conference without much of any problem and then getting to an NBA game with anxiety that will most likely kick into gear is an absolute different story for some other time. I am looking forward to the unforgettable moments that I'll get to have with my sister queens as we watch the players shoot baskets and then getting pictures taken with them is definitely going to be a dream come true!!! I will try to make an effort to share as many stories and unforgettable moments as I can until after the evening is over--- but I am confident it will leave me with a big smile on my face and realizing that it may not be so bad as I'd imagined it to be like in my head. 

Other News in 2020:

I have reapplied to be a member of the 2020 Utah Developmental Disabilities Council and despite not having had the opportunity when I signed up last year, this will definitely give me a chance to stretch myself in a way that I never done until now. I am curious to know if it will actually happen for me & trying to get my voice out there in the community more than usual--- but only time can tell what this could end up being like for me. Stay tuned for accurate updates and if anything else happens and ya know maybe something could be excitedly conveyed to all of you at some point in time!!!! #Amazing

#MissinMyPeeps

I have certainly missed my peeps in more ways than one throughout this new year and even though we have had opportunities to see each other at various events--- I legitimately miss not being able to catch up with them as much as I would prefer to!!! I am definitely looking forward to more amazing and fun conversations with them (not to mention all of the many laughs we will get to share & since they know me so well--- I am not gonna be too surprised if that does not happen some time down the road.) #FunTimesToComeLater

Best Day Ever

YESTERDAY---- I spent the entire day being up at the Capitol building and getting trained about how best to talk with our state legislators related to the issues that we as young people who have disabilities want to have addressed & hopefully taken care of in the near future. I am grateful for everything that I have been able to participate in and see myself getting involved with, has really been nothing short of a dream come true!!!

Later in the afternoon----We all headed down into the Capitol Rotunda and spend the rest of our day listening to people with disabilities share their messages about standing up for what they believe in-- etc. It was really hard to listen to all of the speakers, due to the fact sound echoed almost everywhere and I'll admit it made me proud to know self advocates were letting people know what was important to them. I legitimately had the absolute best time of my life spending time with the best people ever-- and getting to advocate for people with disabilities is something that I am truly passionate about more than anything in this world.

Favorite Highlight:

I always love getting to spend time with some of the most amazing people who work at the other independent living centers throughout our state!!! They are definitely more just my friends, but also like a second family to me who are always there to motivate and give me encouragement to help me follow my dreams, no matter what they are!!! I am incredibly grateful for their examples to me of what it truly means to speak up for yourself and just be as professional as I can to have my voice heard--(which to me is a little bit tough in one way or another because a lot of what is being talked about is stuff I don't know too much information on.)



I would easily love to admit that I continuously share an overwhelming sense of love to these legit people who don't fail to bring a smile to my face whenever we run into each other!!! I am so grateful for their dedication into making sure that we are doing whatever it takes to live an independent lifestyle and even though it is a little bit harder for me than most people who know would ever think it to be, I am hopeful to step up my game and make it become somewhat a reality, if you know what I'm saying?!?! #StayTunedForNewUpdates

Flashbacks

Memories of 2019:

It's hard for me to believe that another year has come and gone so quickly... But I am grateful for the many unforgettable moments I was able to share among the most incredible people ever!!! Here are some of my highlights that I'd love to if not briefly share with you all right now (if you don't mind at all?!?!)

#iLegitMissBigBangSoMuch

It is at times emotionally difficult for me to imagine this legitimate sitcom will never come back on my television screen with new episodes--- but it forever has a special spot in my heart. I definitely miss all of those characters so much and their relationships with each other-- which to someone like me meant everything than most people would ever think. It has literally given me a reason to feel so much better with the fact I am slightly different than others around me, but I know this legit sitcom gave me reasons to smile and laugh whenever I needed to feel happy again. #MoreAboutThisLater

#UtahMissAmazing19 

It has truly become an absolute dream come true and getting to have a year of service, has given me chances to make new friendships with so many people, learning to stretch myself in ways that I did not ever think were possible and giving back to others in the community has made me realize how much of an impact I can make in this world. I have definitely grown into a better person in ways I never would have expected myself to which I can only hope what the rest of my reign as the Miss Queen will look like from this point on?!! #ThreeAndAHalfMonthsLeft

#CupofCuoco2020

Alright--- I legitimately watch one of the cast members from the sitcom I mentioned earlier had an amazing idea to create themselves a talk morning show titled what my hashtag is in this blog post :) It has been so much fun for me to get a little better acquainted with someone that I may never get to meet in my lifetime, but getting to know them better not only BC they have such unconditional love for animals--which I will admit is just nothing short of incredible!!! I also have loved watching episodes of their show when they are surrounded by their furry friends and being a dog lover myself--- I cannot help but feel so much respect for them as an individual. This person who played one of my many favorite characters on the Big Bang Theory for twelve amazing seasons--- (Yes, The one and only Kaley Cuoco!!!) I'd love to meet her in person one day if I could and sincerely express my gratitude for all that she continues to do--- I may not have ever rescued any animals myself whatsoever, but knowing that there is someone in the world who would do anything to give them a better life really touches my heart. If you haven't watched or checked out her amazing talk show titled #CupofCuoco, I would recommend this to anyone that needs a little boost of positive feelings in their life!!!