Little Bit Better: a 2 post kind of day

Post #1 about last week Friday:

Last week Friday was a very big day for me. Here I am at work during my prep. Smilin. Cheesin.

Listening to --- NOTHING --- just a bit of silence.

I know... Seems silly, right?!

I needed a bit of a brain break with no distractions. I have to tell you something super cool about what kind of day it was for me...

cuz it is a VERY BIG DEAL KIND OF DAY for me.

[Friday] is the very first day that I worked my classes ALL ON MY OWN. No co-teacher. And you know what? I couldn't stop smiling. Literally all I could think about is that I freakin did it. Major inside happy dance happenin right now.

This has been 3 years coming.

3 years of rest, rehab, and pushing myself.

I absolutely never thought I would get to this place. This place where my body and brain can handle a job where multitasking is key and to do that for 8 hours straight. Teaching up to 34 kids at one time is not exactly easy and then to mention that its teaching high school mathematics. WOWZA. Go on ahead. Cheese smile with me.

Post #2 -- 5/1/2018 -- 4 days later:

Today marks the 3 year anniversary after the car accident. My doctor at Courage Kenny Rehab. Inst. told me that roughly by year 2, I could have a pretty good idea what my body and brain were capable of. I am amazed to see improvements one year later - in year 3.

Today I talked to all of my classes about curses and blessings. A long time ago, I felt that this accident was a curse. A small part of me today can see parts of it as a blessing. The curse comes in with the pain, the trauma, and the aftermath of a head injury. This was hard to go through. The blessings have taken much longer for me to see. Today I can see clearly that part of the blessings come from having a bit more patience than I once had; a bit more kindness in my heart for others who are going through something tough; and knowledge that I am a terrible listener and that I need to work on that the most. I see the blessings that have happened since the accident: friendships grown deeper; nieces and nephews I wouldn't have been able to see born or loved; more time with my best friend Josiah; and hard conversations about faith and what I believe. For all these things, I am thankful.

I can choose to let this accident define me, to make me bitter or angry. Or I can choose to find the joy in the every day.

I am going to choose to believe that this terrible thing led me to the place where I am now, lifted up to a better version of myself.