Joy In The Midst of Struggles

I think a lot of people look at how I walk and think I am in pain or they look at how my fingers go in all sorts of directions and think they are in pain. Well here's the truth... Nope.  On a daily basis I am usually not in pain.  I feel like a normal person but here's the thing with Cerebral Palsy, it affects your muscles. So where I do get pain is in the tightness of my muscles. That is why it is no joke to me when I say I need to be consistent with yoga or I need to stretch every night. I know when I have not stretched lately because the back of my muscles feel like they are pulling in opposite directions when I bend down to touch my toes. That is why it is a constant goal of mine to stretch every night because otherwise it will start affecting how I walk and will make me walk more on my toes than I already do. As for my fingers. Yeah... I never get pain or tightness. They just look wacky and bend in all sorts of directions but thats just how they roll. Also, le...

The year of 2016 I call my say YES year and let me tell you why. 1. I said YES to traveling by myself not 1 not 2 but 3 times! Started off traveling to Colorado, then to Sacramento (probably the easiest trip of the 3), and then to New Zealand (the scariest of them all). Let me tell you that when you travel by yourself you learn a whole lot. I learned the essence of trusting in yourself. I had to put faith in myself that I could do this and boy I did but with lots of praying! I also learned in not being afraid to ask for help and that people out there don't mind helping you lift your suitcase or telling you where to go. It taught me that I am a lot stronger than I thought and as long as I trust in myself that I would be successful. 2. I said YES to another year of being a kindergarten special education teacher at my amazing elementary school. Nothing gives you the confidence than being asked to come back for another year at the same school for the same grade. I am completely a...