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Monday, August 25, 2008

Buses, Rugs and Texting

I am finally able to write to you all! First of all, I miss you. I already have some stories! I'll begin with the bus ride.

- We're driving to a team building place and the bus stops working. Just stops working. Were on a two lane express way. Yup, you guessed it, we literally stopped traffic! I was the first person to drive a wheelchair on a highway!

- I have actually made friends. And, yes there my age! I know, it's a miracle! There the greatest! Why? Well...we were going on a service trip and I thought it was going to be a short trip. To my surprise, the trip was all day. They didn't let me go because of liability. BUT, 6 girls asked if they could stay back with me. I was all choked up. I mean, who does that? We have been friends ever since.

- So, I have a rug in my room. My friends call me saying that there at the front entrance of my dorm. I got stuck on the rug. I take the rug with me out into the hall. I let the girls in and greet them with "I literally dragged my rug in the hall". Just imagine their faces!

- During orientation, the student leaders work so incredibly hard! So, I decide to do a little speech. I got a standing ovation. Enough said!

- My peers have this attitude, let's make the best of things. I have a new energy now. I'm refreshed and even more outgoing!

- I have made mistakes already but I'm OK because I learn from them.

People have been extraordinary in helping me! I have assistants who are incredible. I finally am in a place where I am embraced by my peers. Most greet me with hugs or hi fives. I have been deprived of being with people my own age for so long and I am absolutely thriving in this community. The one thing Mom and Dad may not like is the phone bill...I've started texting! Just know that I'm really happy for once and being embraced for who I am.

Love you all,
Hannah!

P.S.. I did post another story about my vacation, it's Cinderella: 10 feet under

Friday, August 15, 2008

Side Story: Cinderella 10 Feet Under

I am petrified of going underwater in the ocean. My heart started to race when I went to see Finding Nemo in the theater. It's quite pathetic, I know! However, I got a chance to conquer that fear in St. Thomas.

It's called Ocean Trekking. You wear a 75 pound helmet that does not let any water in due to suction. Don't ask me how this works! I was willing to do it and thankfully the staff was more than willing to help. I was about to enter a whole new world and I didn't even realize it.

Mom and Dad carried me down to the ladder to climb down to the ocean. Dad is standing with me as Mom and David, my brother emerge themselves by climbing down into the ocean. It is my turn. I trusted this staff to get me down to the ocean floor. Getting down was the difficult part but once I had my feet on the ocean floor with fish swimming past me. My father's arms were around me as I floated/walked with the gorgeous fish.

During the trek led by a guide, we got to touch many exotic creatures foreign to our world. I loved their world. It was peaceful and serene. Just swimming and eating, the fish didn't care that I couldn't walk by myself or that I had movement disorders, they just saw me as another human being. It was so cool to be in such a peaceful place for 25 glorious minutes.

Now, most of you know that my left foot is less than cooperative because of the movement disorders and it was no different ten feet underwater. My shoe falls off! Yup, my left foot misbehaves again! However, this time I didn't mind the result. I talked to my mom with my eyes to say hey, my shoe is falling off! I don't know how we can communicate with our eyes but we just do. She motions to the guys that my shoe is falling off. Three handsome men gather around my left foot and it takes about two minutes for the shoe to be put on. I was Cinderella with three Prince Charmings! I liked that!

These guys were so much more than cute Prince Charmings. They were everyday heroes. I did tell them that they were my heroes. The thing is, they could of said no because of multiple reasons but they didn't which makes them extraordinary much like the Camp Courage counselors! I am indebted to them for an experience of a lifetime! I hope fate leads these incredible men to read this blog

To learn more about Ocean Trekking visit: http://www.coralworldvi.com/activities/sea-trek.html

Why is this story in here?

I have decided that while college will bring an extraordinary amount of adventures, I will still have amazing adventures with my family. I won't send an e-mail out with these stories, however, I will notify you in my next posting if I write a side story.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Still in Rehearsals

I have decided to create a blog to connect with you all while I'm at Elmhurst. I figure instead of repeating stories to everyone when I got home, I would do this. You can ask me, what happened to so and so or did you ace that test? To start off...

Thank you to my parents! Mom has been working non-stop to find aides or PCA's (personal care attendants)! Her hard work is certainly paying off! We have found six amazing young ladies that are ready to take on the job! Dad will be busy building me a desk and putting grab bars in my room. They are trying their best to make the transition smooth and I am very grateful. As for my brother and sister, their having a hard time. They don't really understand that I'm coming back but once they see their big sister safe and happy, things will get better.

Elmhurst has been wonderful so far! At registration, I met a senior who stuck with me the whole day (not her job) but I needed help with a lot of things that day. My family and I also met a woman in student activities that knew about me from my flyers and offered to help as much as she can! I was overwhelmed by people's kindness that day and did not want to leave!

A lot of you are asking am I nervous? I have to say for the majority, I'm not nervous. I know I can handle anything! God wouldn't of wanted me to go if he didn't give me the ability. I'm excited to meet other people and learn about the world outside of Glenview. I'm really nervous about missing my family but that's inevitable.

I go three days early to Elmhurst because I chose to take a seminar. It's basically analyzing the world around us. We talk about the book, A Hope in the Unseen, go on field trips and do team building activities.

I think I filled you in on everything. Big Questions starts the 16th, move in day is the 21st, orientation goes until the day classes start which is the 24th.

It's weird to think that next time I'll be in my dorm writing to you all!

Love,
Hannah!