HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you and your families had a very safe and wonderful New Year! My family and I sure did! My Dad "John" and I went too visit my Mom "Vicky's" grave on Christmas Eve! Then on Christmas Day we went too my Aunt Marcia and her new husband Gordy's house too celebrate Christmas Day with family and friends! We had Lasagna, Garlic Bread, and Cookies! Then we all sat in the living room around the Christmas Tree and opened gifts! Christmas was EXTRA special this year because we had the pleasure of my Dad's new wife "Bobbie Jo" who sang Christmas duets as my cousin's and I played them on the piano! Bobbie Jo has a "BEAUTIFUL" Soprano voice!

A few family friends came over later that night!

I'm very lucky too have the close relationship I have with my family, plus they accept me for who I am and NOT my disability! Most people with Cerebral Palsy are left OUT of things because their families and other people DON'T understand how too help them or when they try too help them they DON'T know what too do! So in return you just have too sit there! But I'm VERY lucky that my family and friends accept for who I am and WANT too help me the BEST they can!

I'm planning too be in my OWN place in a couple of years! I know I'll be just fine because of ALL the years of my Mom teaching me how too be independent and how too TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I owe my Dad a LOT of credit as well! He tries his hardest to help me continue too be independent and on the path, where my Mom left off!

My Dad and I have looked into apartments for young disabled adults! We have a application in, we are going too take a tour of the apartments when the mangers call us! I'm already on the list in a few apartment complexes! It's very scary but very exciting! I finally get too live in my OWN place! I think that's pretty remarkable!

When you have C.P. or any other disability, you tend to be afraid of the unknown! You're NOT sure if you'll be able to handle everything yourself, living alone is scary, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry ext! But you know what? Living alone is scary for EVERYONE at first, but is a WONDERFUL experience! Sometimes I even think to myself, how am I going too handle this or I need help! But the more things you TRY BY YOURSELF, the safer you'll feel about being independent and living on your own!

My "late" Mom Vicky was a WONDERFUL woman! She taught me everything I need to know about living on my own and being as "INDEPENDENT" as possible! She used too tell me, "NO one is going to be there too do everything for you, YOU have to learn how too TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! Sure I was furious when she made do things that I couldn't do very well by myself, but I thank her in long run because I CAN do MOST things myself because of she made me do them even when I didn't want too! That's a very precious memory that I will hold very dear in my heart!

Please everyone take my advice we didn't deserve to have Cerebral Palsy but the more we try things BY OURSELVES the more independent and braver we'll become!