....as the middle child, between TWO BOYS! Our home was led by 2 Christian parents that taught us to believe that nothing is impossible when we put our trust in God. Growing up, I participated in many activities including youth mission trips, choir, cheerleading, swim team, and little league. Softball, my sport of choice growing up, is what I miss playing the most. Little league, school and summer teams occupied my free time from the time I was 5 years old until I graduated from Godwin in 2001. Catching was my most loved position on the field & taught me to be a team leader.Cheering & encouraging teammates to be all they could be was a top priority on and off of the softball field. My coach, Walter Pettus, kicked our butts and our practices could be compared to marine training, but little did I know that in the future I would have the strength, and FIGHT, to overcome an injury with such paralyzing results. 
     What I learned on the athletic field helped me fight what was to come after a car accident on April 14, 2004. I broke my back at the T10 level, about belly button level, broke several ribs, punctured a lung, and sustained a minor head injury (which some say just knocked me straight, Ha. My spinal cord was smashed and there was very little chance I would walk again or regain sensation below my waist, so told by med staff. Trusting what they said about my diagnosis, I began to wonder, Was this it? Would I never use my legs again? I was in a world of unknown and had to adapt, and fast. I had never known anyone who used a wheelchair for mobility and the only thing I knew about “paralysis” was Superman couldn’t walk.
        Physical therapists taught me how to balance my body and transfer in and out of my chair. Occupational therapists educated me about life in a wheelchair and sent me home to get back to life, and my new “norm.” So many friends disappeared and others that did not know me were right by my side. I was left appreciating all the smallest things that most people take for granted, such as walking and bathing. Never did I think in the beginning that this would be a blessing in disguise. God created me with a positive attitude and sense of humor which helped me cope and keep on rolling...stay tuned for more...

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 “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.” -Buddah
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On January 20th, 614pm, we said goodbye to one of the greatest women to ever walk this earth.Thelma Baker Stephenson, Little Grandma, Mother, Sister...and friend to all! 
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Can you believe it? 2012! That sounds like a Movie...wait, it is! HA! I do not believe our world will end as the movie displays it will. So, as we start another year of existence, our next chapter in our story, I would like to extend some thoughts your way.
ENJOY LIFE! Doing what you love, spending time with friends, and enjoying what life has to offer are key parts of being healthy, happy and living long.
Learn to turn off stress. You are given the choice of getting frustrated or laughing it off. Choose laughter and you will feel so much better! Laughter truly is the best medicine. Next, are LOVE and FRIENDSHIP! Nurture your relationships! Sometimes all we have is each other! 
Have a sense of purpose. Cultivate your FAITH & spiritual life, as they both help you recover when challenges emerge. 
Live Life Laughing & Living Large! 
(That has a ring to it...maybe a good motto for Ms Wheelchair VA application)




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This is my INTRO Blog...and there's soooo much more coming soon.  I am In the process of redesigning my "Princess On Wheels" website, from scratch, so please excuse any incomplete pages or any crazy formatting that may appear. Maybe I should also mention that I am NO web-designer, as you probably could already tell, but little by little I have been educating myself with tutorials and through the process of trial & error.  In starting fresh, I will develop my blog's "Social Media Personality" and try to keep it fun, informative & of course, inspirational...in hopes to bring you back for seconds, thirds or maybe even a weekly update. My last site didn't have a personal blog, and as I'm becoming more familiar with social media while working at Sportable, I am finding that it is a MUST for someone who is spreading a message and building awareness about ANYTHING. So here we are...sitting face to screen...and you're probably wondering, "So what's her message to spread?" 

If this is the first time ever visiting my website, I'd like to first say "Welcome" and "Thank You" for your interest in checking out what this "Princess On Wheels" thing is all about. For those who know me, know that I have several passions and a continuing list of "things to do" (haha). To get "Update story on website" checked off of the LIST, I originally planned to just copy & paste my previous site's "My Story" page text into this one. However, to keep it fun (while also working on my discipline to write more often... in hopes of drafting my Auto-Bio one day) I decided to Blog "My Story" in pieces (with more photos). Who knows...maybe it will reach the point I can print off my blogs and BOOM! There's my book! :-) And, CHECK *checks list* another "To Do" Done! On to the next one...until next time...Wheels Up! (Original draft 11/20/11) 
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