2013 Was A Very Good Year.

It seems that regardless of where I may be, I keep hearing people echo the same sentiment. They can't wait for 2013 to be over stating that it has been a horrible year and vowing that 2014 will be better. I've come to believe that I'm in the minority because 2013 has been fabulous!

This has been a year of great professional and personal growth. I have settled into jobs which I adore, and I am fortunate because everyday is different and leaves me with a great sense of personal satisfaction. I struggled for many years, especially after Robby was born, with a career path. Finally, after a lot of hard work and some luck, I feel like I am on the right track. The contentment I reap from my work has been liberating. 

2013 has allowed me to add more experiences to my work resume. I am honored to be a featured blogger for UNlimiters.com, a start up company which has great potential to help the entire disabled community. Every Friday I publish a blog post on their site discussing my life as an amputee and products which I have found helpful.This is a different style of writing which is both challenging and rewarding.

In August I was asked to become the official Mommy Ambassador for Hotspotshield.com, a VPN service. Hotspotshield was a natural fit for me because I spend an inordinate amount of time on the internet and my cyber security is paramount. I have thoroughly enjoyed both new roles and look forward to growing these relationships in the coming year. 

In the past twelve months I have been involved in some wonderful adventures. I have consulted for two major television shows, an opportunity which always leaves me awe struck due to my celebrity infatuations. I was part of a panel discussion for the Huffington Post Live and was interviewed on the Diane Rehm Show.  My "Strut Your Stuff" movement gained national attention and considerable momentum when it was adopted by the Amputee Coalition. I was featured in a CNN article which garnered the coveted spot on their home page.  I was interviewed by NBC News (yet to be aired) and was honored to speak at the Amputee Coalition National Conference. Pushing me completely out of my element, I was invited to travel to New York City where I participated in a music video (set to be released in February or March).

Although 2013 was a stellar year for me professionally, my personal life has certainly yielded the most profound change. This fall we were delighted (and admittedly terrified) to learn that I am expecting our second child. After trying and hoping for five years, the reality of the pregnancy certainly took awhile to sink in. With the baby now kicking up a storm, I find myself counting down the time until I meet our second little miracle in May. I am both anxious and excited about beginning what should be a wildly exciting and entertaining journey as a mother of two in 2014.

I am approaching the New Year with excitement and optimism about the future. I hope that next year I can reflect on 2014 with as much satisfaction and happiness as I felt when writing this blog.  Happy New Year, and I wish nothing but happiness, love, laughter and lots of cupcakes in the coming year!