beyond cinderella

My entire blog is dedicated to you, Shantel,  my beautiful daughter, as a way to document our lives, memories, and the absolute unconditional love Papa, and I share as a family with you. I strive to document for you not only the good and fun times we’ve had and continue to have as a family, but also the bad, and even the ugly times we’ve been through. I want you to be able to look back on this blog and recall the advice I’ve given you over the years, the things I’ve taught you, and the things I’ve learned from you. I want you to know how I, as a woman, mother, and person, have succeeded and where I failed. I want you to know what I’ve been through in my life that shaped my life and helped me become the woman, mother, and person I am today and who I am still becoming. I want you to know what I believe in, what I stand for,  and what I will never tolerate in my life. Even though you know me well, and know we have a healthy, happy, home life full of love and acceptance…because you are blind, I can’t leave you photo albums to look back on and remember the day-to-day lives we shared…so I try create pictures with my words so you can “see” how our lives played out over the course of time.

Shantel, tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and I want to take this opportunity to tell you how very proud I am to be your mother. I don’t know if I can find the words to express how blessed I feel to have been given the opportunity to be your mother. From the very moment I saw you being born into this world, and every moment that came after, I knew you were destined for greatness. As my little girl you held my hand, now, as a young woman, you hold my heart.

Growing up blind, I watched you struggle in daily life, school, and with friendships, but I never saw you fail. You are the strongest person I’ve ever known. You are my hero. Now that you are grown, and in college, you’ve set your goals high and work hard to achieve each and every one of them. You never take the easy way out and I admire you tenacity and determination. You have a heart of pure gold and a very forgiving spirit. I’ve always known you were a very old soul and that has and will continue to serve you well.

Shantel, I believe we are all works in process always continuing to grow and evolve into who we will finally have been…that said, if I evolve into half the woman you already are, my beautiful daughter…,I will have left this world a better place.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mom

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