Monday, February 5, 2018
It's been a while.
It's been a while since I last posted. I seriously considered quitting college, but after much prayer, I've decided to stay in.
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Colorado Christian University
My college is amazing. If you are thinking about going to an online or on-campus school, please look into them. I am really excited about my future thanks to them.
Monday, September 18, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Back to school!
Well, yesterday was the first day back to school after summer vacation. It was a long day. I started school too. Colorado Christian University. Daniel started 4th grade.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Lol! When you're just not feeling it.
Yep, today is one of those days. Woke up early, but have no energy. On my second cup of coffee. Time to get motivated. Make it a great day!
Thursday, August 24, 2017
My Life.
Daniel and I, wrapped up like burritos, because that's how we roll.
Pit Bull attack!!! LOL! She attacks with lovin's.
Max and Annabelle.
My mom's dog, Emma.
Mom!
Brandon.
First Post, My Story.
I grew up in Hackensack, NJ. At the age of 16, my mother moved me to a little town in Pennsylvania called Honesdale. Moving from a big city where I grew up with all races to a small town with only one colored family was hard. People around here were so racist. I quit school because of it. (I'm white, but I couldn't tolerate the ignorance.) I got pregnant at 16, probably because Honesdale has absolutely NOTHING for teenagers to do. By the time I hit 24 I had three children out of wedlock, all by different fathers. I married my youngest daughters father so he wouldn't have to pay child support. At the end of that marriage I met a man who I thought was the love of my life. In November of 1995, I contracted a severe case of pneumonia.
That's when my life changed forever. I remember going into our local hospital, no more. I woke up a month later in Hershey Medical Center. They had me in a medically induced coma for a month. When I awoke I could see and hear, but couldn't move or speak. It was like being trapped in my own body. My family was there, talking to me, not knowing if I could hear them. The doctor didn't even know if I could. But I did. I heard every loving word my family said to me. And every word that doctor said. "You're not going to live. If you do live, you'll be a vegetable. You'll never be able to walk again. Do you really want that hardship on your family?" Meanwhile, my favorite nurse told her church about me and started praying. Back at home, my boyfriend, who never gave up on me, had his family's church start praying. At the time I went into the hospital, I was Wiccan. I didn't know much about God or Jesus, just what I learned from the brief time I was in Catholic school. I slowly recovered, but my blood supply to my left leg and right foot had stopped. They were unsavable. I had my leg and half of my right foot amputated. I was breathing through a machine. I had many chest tubes. My family wouldn't let me give up though. Which I will forever be grateful for. I was told I died four times. My boyfriend at the time, (we would go on to get married) wouldn't let me give up either. He has a friend named Shawn. He'd come in to see me too. One day, he brought me in a pink Bible. He probably has no idea what an impact that gift had on my life. (And yes, I still have it.)
Fast forward a few months, I was moved to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. There I had my first lung surgery to remove air pockets that had collapsed my lungs. There, I learned to walk a little with the help of a prosthetic and was weaned off the ventilator. I went home April of 1996. 5 months in the hospital. But I was alive, thank God! Over the course of a few years, I was told about all the prayers that were said for me. But, I was stubborn...
Again, fast forward to 2001. Another fight with pneumonia. They had to operate on my other lung, which was collapsed do to the air pockets again. For some reason, this time was my wake-up call. I started going to church on February 18th, 2001. Sadly, it was the same day Dale Earnhardt died in Daytona. (Yes, I'm a Nascar and football fan. GO EAGLES!) I loved learning about the Lord and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I truly believe God saved me, for some reason.
In October, 2002, my boyfriend and I got married. One of the happiest days of my life. We had been together for 7 years, we just made it official. It was then that God put on my heart to start praying for a child. Now, my doctors told me that because of all the medication they had me on during my illness and my weakened lung state, I'd never be able to have anymore children. God told me...KEEP PRAYING!
In 2006, my daughters went to go live with their father. My oldest, who was living with my mother, went into foster care. My life seemed to be falling apart. My husband was not there, physically, but not mentally. I felt like God was distant from me too. I attempted suicide. Thankfully, it didn't work. My husband and I separated for a few months and I went to live with another man. I knew it was wrong. But at the time, honestly, I didn't care.
In September 2006, my husband and I reconciled. We got along pretty well. Things were ok again. Again, the Lord put it on my heart to pray about having a baby. But this time it was more specific. He told me to pray for a son. So I did. On December 25th, I told my husband that all I wanted for Christmas was a baby. He said it can't happen. But I didn't let that discourage me. On February 14, Valentine's Day of 2007 I wasn't feeling too good. I was stuffy and had a cough. That was it. I told my neighbor at the time that I was sick. She looked at me and said, "You are soooo pregnant." I didn't think anything of it until she brought by two pregnancy tests she had at her house. Sure enough, there were two little pink lines.
On September 25th, nine months to the day that I told my husband about wanting a child, Daniel Joshua was born. Yes, a son, the one the Lord told me to pray for. He's now going on 10 years old. He's my miracle. His father, my husband, left us in April of 2014. We were divorced in 2016. But with all the blessings in my life, I'm not going to let one bad thing get me down. I'm focusing on raising our son to the best of my ability, I'm starting online college courses for Criminal Justice at a Christian University, my relationship with my children is rocky at best, but I believe in restoration. I have four grand children. I don't get to see them, but they'll know me, someday.I have a great relationship with my mom, she lives around the corner from me. I'm caring for her bird, Brandon. And we have two puppy dogs, Max, a black lab/border collie mix, and Annabelle, a yellow lab/pitt mix.
Life is hectic, but it's worth it. Oh, and about the name. I enjoy paper crafts. I took it up because there's not much for a disabled person to do in this town. Handmade greeting cards, scrapbooking, paper quilling...
Anyway, on Youtube I found this wonderful woman named Maymay. She is a loving woman of God. Her and her husband, Vinnie, crack me up. She gives awesome, easy to understand, instructions on how to do different crafts. She calls her followers the Made It's. So yes, I am Toni, the happy Made It.
God bless you all! And if my story has even just inspired one person to never give up, then it's all worth it.
You are worth it, you are loved!
That's when my life changed forever. I remember going into our local hospital, no more. I woke up a month later in Hershey Medical Center. They had me in a medically induced coma for a month. When I awoke I could see and hear, but couldn't move or speak. It was like being trapped in my own body. My family was there, talking to me, not knowing if I could hear them. The doctor didn't even know if I could. But I did. I heard every loving word my family said to me. And every word that doctor said. "You're not going to live. If you do live, you'll be a vegetable. You'll never be able to walk again. Do you really want that hardship on your family?" Meanwhile, my favorite nurse told her church about me and started praying. Back at home, my boyfriend, who never gave up on me, had his family's church start praying. At the time I went into the hospital, I was Wiccan. I didn't know much about God or Jesus, just what I learned from the brief time I was in Catholic school. I slowly recovered, but my blood supply to my left leg and right foot had stopped. They were unsavable. I had my leg and half of my right foot amputated. I was breathing through a machine. I had many chest tubes. My family wouldn't let me give up though. Which I will forever be grateful for. I was told I died four times. My boyfriend at the time, (we would go on to get married) wouldn't let me give up either. He has a friend named Shawn. He'd come in to see me too. One day, he brought me in a pink Bible. He probably has no idea what an impact that gift had on my life. (And yes, I still have it.)
Fast forward a few months, I was moved to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. There I had my first lung surgery to remove air pockets that had collapsed my lungs. There, I learned to walk a little with the help of a prosthetic and was weaned off the ventilator. I went home April of 1996. 5 months in the hospital. But I was alive, thank God! Over the course of a few years, I was told about all the prayers that were said for me. But, I was stubborn...
Again, fast forward to 2001. Another fight with pneumonia. They had to operate on my other lung, which was collapsed do to the air pockets again. For some reason, this time was my wake-up call. I started going to church on February 18th, 2001. Sadly, it was the same day Dale Earnhardt died in Daytona. (Yes, I'm a Nascar and football fan. GO EAGLES!) I loved learning about the Lord and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I truly believe God saved me, for some reason.
In October, 2002, my boyfriend and I got married. One of the happiest days of my life. We had been together for 7 years, we just made it official. It was then that God put on my heart to start praying for a child. Now, my doctors told me that because of all the medication they had me on during my illness and my weakened lung state, I'd never be able to have anymore children. God told me...KEEP PRAYING!
In 2006, my daughters went to go live with their father. My oldest, who was living with my mother, went into foster care. My life seemed to be falling apart. My husband was not there, physically, but not mentally. I felt like God was distant from me too. I attempted suicide. Thankfully, it didn't work. My husband and I separated for a few months and I went to live with another man. I knew it was wrong. But at the time, honestly, I didn't care.
In September 2006, my husband and I reconciled. We got along pretty well. Things were ok again. Again, the Lord put it on my heart to pray about having a baby. But this time it was more specific. He told me to pray for a son. So I did. On December 25th, I told my husband that all I wanted for Christmas was a baby. He said it can't happen. But I didn't let that discourage me. On February 14, Valentine's Day of 2007 I wasn't feeling too good. I was stuffy and had a cough. That was it. I told my neighbor at the time that I was sick. She looked at me and said, "You are soooo pregnant." I didn't think anything of it until she brought by two pregnancy tests she had at her house. Sure enough, there were two little pink lines.
On September 25th, nine months to the day that I told my husband about wanting a child, Daniel Joshua was born. Yes, a son, the one the Lord told me to pray for. He's now going on 10 years old. He's my miracle. His father, my husband, left us in April of 2014. We were divorced in 2016. But with all the blessings in my life, I'm not going to let one bad thing get me down. I'm focusing on raising our son to the best of my ability, I'm starting online college courses for Criminal Justice at a Christian University, my relationship with my children is rocky at best, but I believe in restoration. I have four grand children. I don't get to see them, but they'll know me, someday.I have a great relationship with my mom, she lives around the corner from me. I'm caring for her bird, Brandon. And we have two puppy dogs, Max, a black lab/border collie mix, and Annabelle, a yellow lab/pitt mix.
Life is hectic, but it's worth it. Oh, and about the name. I enjoy paper crafts. I took it up because there's not much for a disabled person to do in this town. Handmade greeting cards, scrapbooking, paper quilling...
Anyway, on Youtube I found this wonderful woman named Maymay. She is a loving woman of God. Her and her husband, Vinnie, crack me up. She gives awesome, easy to understand, instructions on how to do different crafts. She calls her followers the Made It's. So yes, I am Toni, the happy Made It.
God bless you all! And if my story has even just inspired one person to never give up, then it's all worth it.
You are worth it, you are loved!
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