Annabelle Unbroken

Summer was so fun because my Jack came, and we went on our family trip to Gulf Shores. Going to the beach is somewhat fun for me because I am with my people, and I can be in the pool all day and eat all the good food. But the ocean is scary for people like me who have no movement in the lower part of my body, so I have to trust my parents and brother to keep me up against the waves, which I do; it’s still scary because I have no control over my body in the ocean like people who can walk do. I love sitting in a chair, feeling the breeze hit my body and listening to the waves crash together; it’s a very pleasant sound to my brain and ears. I loved watching Jesus’ masterpiece sparkle over the ocean in the early mornings while eating my breakfast and planning with my parents and brother what we were going to do, whether it was roll down to the ocean, pool, explore, shop, or sit in the condo and chill for the day. My experience of the ocean is very different; it brings stress in the waves because I have no control over my body there like a walking person does; most people use their legs to hold their body up while people who are handicapped can’t, which does not bother me at all. I love my testimony and would not trade it for the world. My testimony comes with challenges that I choose to face daily because it’s kept me alive and shaped me into the woman of God I am called to be, which is to be strong even with differences, and I love it. Getting into the ocean requires planning about who will carry me out to the waves and who will carry the float, along with my family’s eyes to catch my body if a big wave comes fast. Being disabled does not mean my life has to be small; it does not mean I have to stand on the sidelines. The waves don’t ask me to explain my disability, and they do not ask me to prove what I can and can’t do, and I love feeling the sun hit my face and hearing the sound of the waves. I love getting into my beach wheelchair and rolling down with my family walking beside me; it might take extra time, but it’s the memories that will last forever. Being at the pool while being disabled requires planning because I need help from my parents and brother. My disability does not take away my right to enjoy the water and laugh with my loved ones, enjoy the water, and sit by the pool, taking in the Lord’s masterpiece around me. There is something so beautiful about rolling on the beach with my family, finding our own pathway through the sand; sometimes it takes a little longer. I love looking around at my loved ones enjoying the same moment I am. Rolling around the beach with my family reminds me that I do not have to experience life alone. I have people who will walk beside me; they push me when I need help, and they make sure I don’t miss a moment. I am thankful for my family, who does not see my disability as a reason to keep me from experiencing the world around me. Staying at a beach condo while being disabled can come with some beautiful moments and challenging ones at the same time, but we make do with what we’ve got and still enjoy every moment of the beach trip. Being disabled does not mean you should miss out on the joy of the trip; it means finding ways that work best for me and my special needs. But I am incredibly blessed to have a family who never makes me feel like a burden. For me, being on the streets at the beach, rolling from shops to restaurants, is an adventure altogether with my family, but I know how to embrace the journey of my life, and my wheelchair is not something that keeps me from exploring; it’s one of the reasons I get to do all the cool things in my life. Yes, sometimes accessibility can totally be an issue. I may experience the world around me from a wheelchair view, but I still experience it with a happy heart and smile. My family doesn’t just come with me on the trip; they make the trip possible for me. Sometimes I look at my parents and brother and say, “Wow, they get to be my caregivers,” and how lucky I am to have my parents and brother caregiving for me daily. Thank you, Jesus. They don’t complain that I am taking extra time; they are just there, and they simply step in. When we go from destination to destination, they make sure I can be a part of it all. I will forever remind my mom, dad, and Jack of how much the simple act of running with me across a parking lot while it pours rain so I don’t get wet, or all the carrying in the pool so I can enjoy it with my family, means to me and ensures I never miss a single moment of the family trip. Or the waiting two hours for me to just lay in bed and nap before we head to our night outing. One day, I won’t remember the condo, but I will always remember what we did on the beach trip and that I got to be a part of EVERY moment, no matter the accessibility.