Dress Shopping

Dress Shopping on Tuesday, June 11, 2013

On Tuesday after my doctor's appointment, Michelle (my sister), Tommy, Carter (my two nephews), and I went dress shopping.  Let me tell you, the boys were so EXCITED to go dress shopping with me.  NOT!!!  I do have to say that they were really good sports and waited quietly and patiently.

After consulting with everyone on Facebook,  I decided that I should check out Fancy Fanny's in Red Bank.  I didn't even realize it was out there but came highly recommended from several of my friends.

Fancy Fanny's did not disappoint!!  There were dresses, dresses, and more dresses to choose from.  I found a couple that I fell in love with but sadly they weren't my size.  I have waited a bit too long to get a special order dress and I just don't see me losing 10 or 15 pounds before next month.

Michelle was such a sweetie as she helped me in and out of dress after dress.  I was a little bothered by the size of the dresses I was having to try on.  In my mind I am still that skinny girl I was back in high school but in the mirror there is a different girl looking back.  Don't get me wrong, I am totally in love with the girl I am now just wish I could get some good exercise in to lose some weight.  Michelle was able to say just the right thing to make me feel pretty.

I think I have found BOTH of the dresses I need.  I only bought one, the cocktail dress for Friday night's platform speeches.  But I put the other one (the evening gown) on hold.  I just want to check a couple more places to be sure it's THE ONE.

Now it's time to look for shoes and jewelry.  I can't wait!!  If shopping is always a part of prepping for a pageant, count me in!!

Sorry, no sneak pictures.  You will have to check back on July 19 and 20 for pictures.  

Perfect

I have another confession.  I am not perfect.  I am probably the furthest thing from perfect.  (Please don't tell my husband.)

I have not been doing my social media sharing as Ms Wheelchair Tennessee justice.  I feel like all my post, pictures, and blogs must be perfect before I can share them.   So I find myself just not sharing them.   

Today that stops.  I will post (probably more than you would like) all my activities.  Because that is what I said I would do.  Just realize that they won't all be perfect.  Some may be longer than others.  Some may come with pictures and some may not.  The point is to share.  And I will share....and it will be real.....not perfect.   

So from now on, look for my posts to be more like me....imperfect but enjoyable.  

Thanks for hanging with me.  :-)

Picnic Table

I saw this picture on Facebook and fell in love with the ideal of sitting with my family this summer at a picnic table.  

I posted the picture on Facebook on June 2.  I had a lot of people comment on it.  Mike Clementson (he helped build/frame our house) posted that he thought he could make one for me.  I told him I would like my 'hole' to be on the other side of the table because my joystick is on the right side of my chair and that would better for me.  

On June 8, after a full day of adaptive water skiing, I come home to this in my driveway. 

I was so excited!!  In less that a week, Mike built and delivered a picnic table to my house!!  He is such a sweetheart of a guy!!  

Thanks, Mike!!  I look forward to many picnics with my family this summer.  And I will feel like a part of the family on the correct side of the picnic table and not having to hang off the end.  (It's the little things in life that make all the difference.)

Adaptive Water Skiing-June 8,2013

SPorts, Arts, & Recreation of Chattanooga has several adaptive sports programs.  One of there big events every year is adaptive water skiing.  Debbie is in charge of running the SPARC adaptive water skiing event.  We spoke a few weeks back.  I was very excited to team up with her and participate in some activities with SPARC.

I really wanted to attend the water skiing event.  Back when I was more mobile, I loved to go out on the lake.  We would go tubing and kneeboarding every summer.  Even back in high school (when I was most active) I never could get up on skis.  Once those lake activities became too much I still enjoyed getting out on a Wave Runner.  It was good physical therapy for me and it wasn't like I was out there trying to jump waves and act crazy.

During my conversation with Debbie I realized just how much I missed going out on the lake.  I haven't been out on the lake in over two years.  We didn't think riding a Wave Runner would be a good ideal the year I was pregnant with Annabelle and last year we were too busy with Annabelle to think about the lake.  Even though I work at Island Cove Marina and see the lake and boats everyday, I put out of my mind going out on the lake.  My physical abilities have declined to the point that it would be pretty hard to drag me on or off a boat or Wave Runner.  The last thing I want is someone to hurt themselves helping me do something that I don't really have to do.

When Debbie said the water skiing clinic is always the third Saturday in July, I knew I wouldn't be making it out on the lake this year either.  July 20 is the third Saturday this year and that is the Ms Wheelchair America pageant.  I will be in Houston!!

I told Debbie I would be unable to make it because of the pageant.  Her response was that I could come to the training session.  Score!!  I was going to the lake after all.

Yesterday was the training session and let me tell you, I had a BLAST!!!  I was the first one to go out.  I kept hearing the term guinea pig being said aloud.  It was just a joke.  Everyone knew what they were doing.  (Well, I hoped they did!!)  All joking aside, this is a very safe activity.  I had so many different hands on me yesterday my husband should be jealous.  (Again, just kidding.)

I was wheeled down a ramp in a manual wheelchair.  With assistance, I floated out of the chair and over to the ski.  Before I could be placed in the ski, I had to roll completely over in the water.  The volunteers needed to see that I could get my face out of the water.  Once I passed that test, I was placed in a basket that was attached to a ski.  The ski was also attached to a out rigger.  This would help to keep the ski steady in the water.  There were probably 4-6 volunteers in the water helping place me in the ski.   (See, Mom, I told you they would take care of me!)

All I had to do was sit still (and try not to freeze).  There was a skier on either side of me.  In the boat there were at least four more volunteers: a boat driver, a watcher, a line releaser, and a photographer.  Behind us on either side there were the chasers: two wave runners with two volunteers on each.  Everyone had a job.  The watcher made sure I was doing ok.  The two side skiers talked to me and were right there incase we went down.  The line releaser would release the ski ropes if we went down.  The chasers were there for extra support incase we went down and had to do a deep water start.      

My first time out was AWESOME!!  I forgot about being cold and just enjoyed the ride and the water in my face.  What an unexplainable feeling to be out of my wheelchair and gliding across the water.  During my time on the lake, LGMD 2B or a wheelchair never once entered my mind.  I was just a girl skiing on the lake.  I don't think you fully realize the impact of a day like yesterday until after the fact when you can sit back a say I did that!  I really did that!!  Something I thought was left behind in a different life, I was able to do again!!

That wonderful indescribable feeling was all thanks to strangers, people I have never met before.  Volunteers, people who gave up their Saturday to give to others.  I think that means just as much or more to me than being able to do something I thought I would never do again.  Yesterday will play on repeat in my mind forever.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  To Debbie and all the volunteers at SPARC who help make dreams come true.

SPARC is a non-profit organization funded by donations and grants.  Please like their Facebook page and keep up with the wonderful things they do in Chattanooga.

Here are a few pictures from my iPhone.  Once I get the photographers pictures I will post more.