About me…hmmm…well, my name is Terry and I'm originally from Midland, Texas. It's one of those places where you almost have to be born there to love it...and I love it. When I was 16 years old, I was a passenger in a car accident in Midland and broke my neck, which damaged my spinal cord and left me to live life as a quadriplegic...that was 39 years ago. I met my husband, Lonnie, when I was 22 and he was 23 and we married a year and a half later. He was an electrician in Houston where I moved from Midland to try and finish some more college hours. We had a good run together, together for 33 years and married for 31, but I lost my sweet Lonnie only last year and I’m still missing him so much, but I’m dealing with it. So, I’m a widow now (I hate that word…always have). We have 2 kids, Nathan who is 28, and Lindsey, who is 26. Both of them are married so I have a honey of a daughter-in-law, Danna, and a jewel of a son-in-law, Jared and they have blessed me with 3 beautiful grandchildren, Kyla, 4, Nathan Jr. just shy of 2, and Jordan, 1 ½ .
My life in a nutshellIt’s weird being a widow…surreal, yanno? At the young age of twenty-three, Lonnie knowingly and willingly stepped into my life. He helped me heal old wounds and then he expected me to carry my weight. He became my beacon to help me find my way through the dark fog of the very difficult times. I find myself amazed by the fact that he would commit his heart and soul to a life that was only going to limit him in many ways. It is only now that I am beginning to understand how deep-rooted his commitment truly was. He blew the clouds of grief and sadness away and brought with him hope and happiness when our lives became one. I could, once again, take great pleasure in this journey. I looked forward to whatever was in store for us because he was there with me…steadfast…committed…but what now? Some days I am overwhelmed by those two words…what now? I could easily say “and we lived happily ever after,†but that wouldn’t be entirely true. With life challenges come struggles. As a family, we have had our struggles, but I try to take away something positive from each endeavor. My motto became: Accept it—leave the bad—take the good—incorporate it—move on. Oftentimes…most times, it is impossible to understand why some things happen. I could pick things apart until there was nothing left—but then, I would be left with nothing. So, I accept things I can’t understand; I believe in things I can’t see; I strive to make impossible dreams possible, and I always leave my heart open for business…but, what now? What is to be learned from losing my lifetime friend, my lover…my husband...while he was so young? To be honest with you, the wound is still too fresh…the hurt is still too tender. But, God is persistent. He constantly sends angels disguised as people…like Lonnie, and my kids and their spouses…to give me strength, reminding me that I still have a family and friends who still care and who pray without ceasing…and of miracles…in which I truly believe. Because, after all…against all odds, Lonnie and I had two beautiful babies, when we were being told we couldn't…a fact that would prove to other women with spinal cord injuries that having children is possible and not everything the doctors tell you is one hundred percent accurate. I know that no matter what challenges I face in this life, as long as I have God working with me, I will be equipped to deal with whatever comes my way. Some people wonder if there are angels right here on earth…I don’t.*~~Below are my BEAUTIFUL grandbabies!!~~*
~~*~~I Love My Family~~*~~
