TODAY MY APARMENT COMPLEX HAD THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON FOR TENATS ONLY!

Hi Everyone! Today my apartment complex had their annual Christmas luncheon for tenats ONLY! The had vegetable lasagna, baked chicken, potato salad, lemon bars, cookus and fudge for dessert! The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated! The have a Thanksgiving and Christmas lucheon every year! People put a Christmas design on their apartment door for a door design contest, four names will be picked and whose name gets picked will win a pize for the best design! I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Christmas with their friends and families!

TODAT MY AUNT MARCIA I WENT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING!

Hi Everyone! Today my Aunt Marcia and I went Christmas shopping at the mall! I bought some very nice things for family and friends, then we went too have lunch in the food court! We also went too Khoals! I think my friends and family will like all their Christmas gifts this year! I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at my Dad's house also my best friend Sarah and I will be watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade together! Even though holidays are still hard for me I still keep a open mind and try and remember that my WONDERFUL Mom Vicky would want me too be happy! When you have C.P. or any other disablity, it's very hard when the person who is main care taker, and basically your entire life is taken away by brain cancer so quickly, it's very DIFFICULT for you too move on and you're NOT sure how too react, but if you DON'T move on you'll have a very sad life because that is NOT what my Mom wanted to do! Besides I choose to move on and become as independent as possiable! "All of you, please take my advice"! So I'm pulling my boot straps and keep on truckin'! It's very scary for me too let other people help me because it's NOT the same way my Mom helped me! I explain to people better ways of helping me to the best of my abilty, but it's NEVER going be same, but that's ok because everyone is different! Some people a very simaliar too my Mom, but no one will ever take her place or could measure too the MARVELOUS woman that she was! I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving with their families!

TODAY MY APARTMENT COMPLEX HAD A THANKSGIVING DINNER IN THE COMMUNITTY ROOM FOR THE RESIDENTS!

Hi Everyone!

Today my apartment complex had a Thanksgiving dinner for the residents, in the community room!  They had turkey rolled around stuffing, mixed vegetables, rolls, butter and punkin pie slices, you had too supply your own drink!  It was nice too visit with everyone!

I'm lucky I have family too celebrate the holidays with!  This may be the only Thanksgiving that some of these people have!  So I'm grateful that I have a close knit family!

They also have a Christmas lunch'en as well!  That's people have too make sure that they pay their rent on time so the organization can afford speciaties like the Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch'in's every year!  I hope they'll continue too have them for years to come!

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY UNCLE JOHN'S 65TH BIRTHDAY!

Hi Everyone!

Today would have been my Uncle John's 65th birthday!  He was a very generous man!  He would help anyone in need of a home, job, or most anything that anyone would ask of him!  He loved his wife, children, grandchildren, nieces and newphews with all of his heart!  He was a hard worker, he never liked too take breaks or a vacation until all of his resposiblities were taken care of!

My Uncle John was the type of man who woukl get on the floor and wrestle with the kids, or hand out gifts at Chirstmas time!  There are so many things that I would too tell all of you about the incredible man we lost, but there are too many too say in one story!  I know he would very proud of me living in my own apartment!  That is what he always wanted for is for me too became as independent as possiable! 

I will always love you Uncle John , "sleep with angles"!  "You were the :"GREATEST"!

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY MOM VICKY'S 57TH BIRTHDAY!

Hi Everyone!

I would like all of you too know that today would have been my Mom Vicky's 57th birthday!  She passed away in 2005 from a terrible brain tumor called Glioblastomia Metaforma!  She was only 49 years old, that's too young too die besides that's too young for anyone too lose their Mom, I was only 24 years old!

My Mom was a remarkable woman, she was a very intelligent and liked too have fun!  She would sit by the inground pool have a margegrita and get a sun tan!  She also loved too go fishing!  My Mom was a very integral part of my life!  If there was anything that I wanted too try, she would make that happen, if I couldn't do it one way she would find another so I accomplish it!

Since I have C.P. and couldn't have a regular childhod like most children, my Mom would find a way for me too have fun but still be as safe as possiable!  She would take me ice skating, we would play at the park, in the sand box, go swimming, do thereapy, independent walking, and she would help me with my homework.  Plus rewrite a whole school ciriculum so I would be able too understand the schoolwork! At school I would go through the motions, but at home I would learn the lessons! 

My Mom and I went trick-or-treating every year for Halloween!  For some of you, I'm sure you wonder someone with C.P can ice skate, it's very simple!  You put on the ice skates on your feet, use a walker without wheels and push the walker while you are on the ice to balance yourself so you don't fall!  Mom would stand behind me and hold my waist!  Then I would be free, it was a wonderful feeling!

We also went horseback riding in the summertime, which was part of my Phyiscal Thereapy!  I went too a horseback riding camp for children with Cerebal Palsy!  Plus Whiz Kidz at Rock Valley College!

At weddings my Mom would help me dance to the D.J. then I also felt FREE\!  There are so many things that I would like be able too tell you about my Mom who was a REMARKABLE woman!  Many people don't hold a candle to what and who my Mom really was!  People that never knew her missed out on a WONDERFUIL woman, daughter, sister, wife, and mother!  I miss you Mom, thanks for everything!  Be with the angels, because you deserve it!

SEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY MY MOM "VICKY" PASSED AWAY FROM GLEOBLASTOMIA AND " THE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER COMPANY CAME AND MEASERED MY APARMENT DOOR FOR THE OPENER!

Hi Everyone!

Today is bittersweet!  This is seven years ago today that my Mom "Vicky" passed away from Gleoblastomia, a terrible brain tumor!  Also the man from Automatic Door Opener bussiness came to my apartent too make measurements of where the door opener will be placed, his name was Greg Rowley!

Having the door opener from me will be so much easier on my knees so I don't have to get up and down!  I just have too push the button and the door will open!  It will stay open for about ten seconds and shut by itself, I still have too use my key to lock and unlock the door!

I will never forget what happen seven years ago today!  My Mom paased away at ten after two in the morning, my Dad went to check on her about 2:00 am. her feet were cold, then he went back too bed, he again went too check her at 2:10 am her whole body was cold then we knew she had passed!  He called all three of her brothers too let them know!  My Grandma Bena came up from sleeping downstaris and I came out of my bedroom then all of us just started too cry!  But we knew that my Mom was in a happier place and out of pain!

Her funeral was about a week later just make all family and friends from out of town could make it!  We all lost a remarkable woman but we know that she's in a better place and out of pain!  I LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER MOM!

TODAY WAS THE SEVENTH YEAR OF MY MOM VICKY'S BRAIN SURGREY!

Hi Everyone!

Today is the seventh Annviersay of my Mom "Vicky's" brain surgrey!  She was smart as a whip and she was a fighter like me!  My Dad "John" and I had dinner with that night!  Then I went home with my Aunt Marcia and Uncle John so my Dad could spend all the time he needed with my Mom!  My Aunt Marcia and Uncle John kept me for a week!

Before my Mom passed away my Dad hired Hospis too come in and take care of her! My relatives offered too take me as long as they needed too so my Dad could take care of my Mom!

A lot of my Aunt's and my best friend are like other Mom's too me!  They have stepped up too the plate in other words!  Which is very nice of them to do that!

My Mom was a remarkable woman and was smart as a whip, she also was on the honorole and was Valavictorian of her class!   She could do anything she set her mind too!  I helped my Mom too do Phyiscal Thereapy in her rehab!  Please dear reader's spend as MUCH time with your Mom as possiable and let her know how much she means too you!  You NEVER know when your precious time is up!

SEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY WAS MY MOM "VICKY'S BRAIN SURGREY!

Hi Everyone!

Seven years ago today was my Mom "Vicky's" brain surgrey!  She was a fighter up until the very end!  She also was a WONDERFUL woman, she could do anything she set her mind too and she was smart as a whip!  I had to help her with some  physical thereapy after the surgrey!  Her surgrey was a all day process!  I remember that my Dad "John" and I had dinner with her, the later that night my Aunt Marcia and Uncle John took me home with them for a week so my Dad could give my Mom all the attention she needed!

When she cane home the week after, my Dad had Hospis come in and take of her until she paased away! I think that's where I got all of my strength and gumption from!  We taught eachother both too be strong!  My Mom was my best friend, I could go too her with anything!

My cousin's and I are best friends as well, I also made a best friend at my apartment complex who is like another Mom too me as well! A lot of my Aunt's are like other Mom's too me as well!  I guess everything is working out the way it is suppose to!  Keep your family and friends very close to you because you never when their last day might come sooner than expected!  Make sure you tell them everything you want to so they know how important they are to you in your life also make sure you tell them how you love them each and everyday!

TOMRROW WILL BE THE THIRD YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON MOVING INTO MY OWN APARTMENT!

Hi Everyone!

Tomorrow will be the third year of me living on my own in my own apartment! I am very pleased with the progress that I have made! I finally have my own life and a new community of friends that I never would have made if I was still living at home! My Dad "John" and his new wife "Bobbie Jo" are very pleased with my independence!

I have a Personal Assistant or P.A. that helps me do the normal daily living tasks that I can't do, which is nice! I also do my own grocery shopping!

My Dad still comes too visit me and takes me home on weekends once in awhile! He also picks me up every Christmas too spend the holiday with family!

I will continue to do my best and keep on becoming more independent everyday!

TODAY MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 34 WONDERFUL YEARS!

Hi Everyone!

Today my parents Vicky and John would have been their 34th Anniversary! They had a WONDERFUL marriage! It was a fairy tale marriage come true, I hope someday I find the right person to share the rest of my life with! A perfect marriage is hard to find and you really have work at it, it's a team effort but it can happen when you least expect it!

My Mom and Dad didn't have one argument their whole marriage! They always talked things over until they both agreed on the same decision!

They were married three years until I was born! Then their lives changed! They had me, but what they didn't expect was to have a child with C.P.! No matter what difficulties came in their path they always worked as a team! I'm sure I wasn't the easiest child to raise, but whose is! My Mom and Dad gave up their jobs so we, as we a family could move to Chicago IL. and I could receive Physical, Occupational, and Speech therapy from some of the best therapist's in the world so I could walk! I went to therapy six days a week!

We lived in Chicago IL. for three years at the Ronald McDonald House! After all the surgeries were over, we could start our lives back again in Rockford IL.!

Then when I was little I had Physical Therapy three nights a week! A therapist would come too my house and give me an hour of therapy!

At my grade school I also had speech therapy for four years! Then my parents found a local therapist for me too see, I would go there three times a week! Then we would go into Chicago IL. every month to update on my progress!

Today I'm in my own apartment, living independently as a young adult! I can't thank my parents enough for what they've done me, I just wanted to thank them! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!

TODAY I WENT TOO VISIT ON THE FARM!

Hi Everyone!

Today I went too visit my Aunt Marcia and her husband Gordy on the farm! My Aunt Marcia and I made cookies for a cookie exchange that we are having at my apartment complex! Then Gordy made a nice steak dinner with potatoes, for dessert we had a few cookies! I also played duets on the piano with my Aunt Marcia and my cousin Jackie!

Then after dinner my Aunt Marcia and Gordy brought me back to my apartment! So I had a WONDERFUL day and I looking forward to be doing again real soon!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year! This Christmas was awfully quiet but still very special my family and I went too my Aunt Marcia's house too have Christmas dinner, opened presents, then came home! It was a short family get together because my cousin's have young children and I was having a lot knee pain, so we came home early! It still was enjoyable! All of us received nice gifts!

My new year's resolution came true I now have my Personal Assistant "PA" and Massage Therapist so that was a blessing! She helps me with house cleaning, laundry, cooking, plus everything I can't do! Plus I get a massage three days week and that's helping my body become loser so it's easier for me too walk! My P.A. and I also go too the mall, which is nice because then I can get out a little bit! I will need another P.A. for the weekends though!

I'm planning too fly too Texas next year for Christmas and the New Year to spend time with family! I hope all of you had a nice holiday with your family and friends!