Highlights

 YLC Meeting Updates 2021:

I ended up being one of the first people who legitimately almost cried their eyes out while explaining what their favorite movie was (as it was one of the icebreaker questions that I asked everyone today!) Whenever I come across a thought to share an experience that most people who know me, have never heard me talk about before until today. 

About five years ago--- One of my classmates that I went to school ended up being diagnosed with stage three cancer and they ended up creating a blog about their experience with something that I would never understand going through. As part of this, I simply decided to take this opportunity and reach out to them through sharing uplifting quotes or inspirational thoughts. LONG STORY SHORT--- This classmate who attended school with me through the years (parents attended this church related event and ran up towards my parents indicating how much they appreciated how kind I was towards their daughter.) It reminded me about how much a random act of kindness goes a long way in life and I'm grateful to have been one of the many people who I am sure impacted that persons life so much more than their own. 

Hidden Surprise (April 2021)

Once my next YLC Meeting happens-- I have decided to combine both of my favorite things in this world and will be using it as the next cute image on our YLC meeting agenda!!! I am going to keep what I have chosen to be a total surprise for a friend of mine and in hopes they will either be in just absolute shock or not sure what to say expect laugh out loud. Shhh... I am not gonna spill anymore about this!!! Stay tuned for an update to never be forgotten!! 

Best Committee Ever!!!

This leadership committee is truly such an absolute delight in more ways than one!!! It has definitely improved significantly from the first time I stepped onto the committee, with not knowing three years ago if this was something I wanted to stick out. I have really enjoyed getting to contribute in one way with trying to make an effort in having everything run smoothly. It is truly such an amazing privilege for me to work alongside the best people ever and learning from them every other month is nothing I would have ever imagined!!! I really love being able to laugh out loud with them on our meetings and doing my absolute best in doing my job right-- (No matter the circumstances that I have put myself in for what it is to come next.) 

Virtual Session

This event is one that I've always looked forward to doing every year up in Salt Lake City, Utah and just simply getting to hang out at the Capitol Rotunda which if you ask me is absolutely such a beautiful and well maintained historic building. After the emotional treacherous virtual training that happened this last week-- I am definitely hoping it will be a much more enjoyable night of talking with legislators that will be participating on it with us. 

If I can be legitimately honest with you right now... I am beginning to get tired of virtual events all the time and not knowing when things are gonna be settled down as well as back to normal. I am ready for unforgettable times with my friends and those I have greatly missed so much from when our lives were completely turned upside down!!! (Not gonna mention anything more about this!!)

(Other News)

Virtual Self Advocacy Conference (Planning Committee)

I have assisted with helping to plan disability conferences before and never quite like what it is gonna be happening in the next week or so. I am excited for this new opportunity of being able to learn new things and improve on my leadership skills in ways that I never have done before!!! Please stay tuned for more updates and stories to come down the road. It is gonna be such an incredible experience and hopefully if not one that I will hold close to my heart forever!!!

Surprises To Come

There are so many unforgettable surprises that I am very excited about sharing with you all and hoping I will be able to convey at some point in time!!! It is truly gonna be one of the most happiest and if not worth mentioning an experience that I know will legitimately bring happy tears to a person's eyes once they realize what is clearly happening. Please stay tuned for more of these to come and hopefully when tomorrow afternoon gets itself here--I will be able to unleash what things are!!! :)

Goal Marker

Virtual Legislative Training (Hardest Day Ever)

I legitimately hope this event will never take place online again in the distant future and knowing the very consistent struggles that I've had with not being able to spend time with friends is just another story!!! I'm definitely grateful for the technology that we have to connect with people in our lives, but for me is really beginning to get old fairly quick and I am ready to be around my friends that I have missed so much thru out this past year!!! I certainly learned lots of important things about the process of knowing what I need information on with being a member of the disability community and knowing that I can make an impact with just simply getting my voice heard. 

Three Hundredth Post (Milestone)

I am legitimately not sure what to think about this goal marker of mine, but it has been such an absolute dream come true for me!!! I started writing on my blog about five years ago and never thought it would reach something like me blogging my three hundredth post. I am grateful for the stories that I have just simply gotten to share with all of you throughout these past several years and knowing that I'll be able somehow make an impact on the lives of those whoever come across my blog. 

YLC Updates:

I cannot even imagine what my life would turn out to become once my time is up with this committee. I'm certain my life has never been the same with the many friendships and leaders who have inspired me to be an even more informed, motivated disability leader that I need to be in this world. I feel just amazingly blessed to know and work alongside the greatest people ever... (Not just saying that in my blog post here, but it is more true than I could easily admit.) 

Essentials

EARLIER TODAY--- I heard one of the most inspiring messages about self advocacy and didn't ever think it was gonna strike such a chord with me. I truly loved how confident and poised the speaker was-- during their entire presentation (especially since it was being recorded online to two hundred self advocates with disabilities-- just literally amazed me in more ways than I can explain.) It was definitely something that I needed to really hear not only because I have done self advocacy work for three years, but realizing I can easily do so much more to get my voice out there. It legitimately brought tears to my eyes as I focused on what the presenter was sharing with all of us and feeling such an unconditional love for who every single one of those self advocates are!!! 

LONG STORY SHORT--- This legislative training was definitely one of the hardest at times for me, only because I missed being around my friends so much. I genuinely wanted so much to see their smiling faces and feeling of their contagious energy felt a hole in my heart--but knowing they were all quietly listening to the messages being shared was definitely a reminder to me, that I want to continue being an even more better self advocate than I am right now!!! 

Future Self Advocate:

I definitely want to continue making an impact on this world in some way... but I also want to leave a very deep imprint on the hearts of people with disabilities. I also want to do the same for every single staff person that I have worked with and have gotten me to where I am today. I may not be an expert with a lot of things in my life (let alone in regards with the legislative process) but I do appreciate the chances that I can get to learn things when those opportunities come up. 

Mini Events

 Night To Shine 2021

Due to the ongoing health epidemic, this event will be taking place at my best friend Danielle's home and looking forward to spending the night with my friends!!! I am not necessarily certain what they will have in store for us-- but I am confident it will be a night to remember if not one to be talked about non stop for the rest of this year!!! This is still very much in the works and cannot wait to see all unfold within the next week or so... but I am excited to celebrate an event where God's love assures me of who I am. 

Presentation (Tomorrow Afternoon)

I am definitely nervous and thrilled to be presenting on developmental disabilities to a group of people who continuously keep us safe on a regular basis. I am grateful to be doing this alongside two friends-- that I know are gonna do an incredible job making sure our message is clearly shared across to everyone who will be on our Zoom call. It is truly such an absolute privilege getting to do stuff like this and make one of the most amazing impacts ever, but who knows??! Stay tuned for updates to come... if I ever think of anything that I want to share with people. 

Special Announcement (Unofficial News)

I'm not necessarily gonna mention what this is exactly for the time being and hope to get a clarification for it tomorrow!!! I am certain there will be more to share down this road and cannot wait to convey all of my excitement about this once I have the green light to spread the word. I am grateful for the chance this will give me to stretch myself in ways that I never imagined could have been possible and just can only hope for the best to come!!! 

Personal Goals

Here are some of the main goals that I'd like to focus on throughout this new year in 2021, Plz check them out here below!!! I can only hope for the best in whatever happens and see if there is anything out there in this world for me to accomplish down the road. I apologize for not just being a little bit slow when it came to blogging about all of this...but I hope to do better in the distant future.

Self Care/Awareness:

Unless I can easily get this off my mind in the last several hours--- I am not gonna have any much luck with trying to pretend like this is not anything important. I also need to work on keeping my emotional sides in a decent place without getting out of control and making an effort to do a self check with own legitimate self everyday. I am hopeful trying to rekindle this goal of mine in the distant future will be a very successful one for me and not assuming it sounds like a good idea, without following through any thing to feel like I accomplished something. 

Dance It Out

This has always been one of the most reliving things for me as I dance my little heart out, with no one there to watch in the audience. I have always loved being able to express how my feelings are through movement without having to use any kind of words whatsoever, but if you must know--- I have danced when people have noticed me and I never speak a word to them about it. I'm always curious to know if they can even fathom that a person like me can dance like they do when nobody is paying attention. It's such an absolute escape for me to be somewhere else for awhile and not worry about the struggles that continuously lie themselves in front of me!!! 

Untitled Post

 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)