It seems like the blink of an eye since I was wrapping up 2024, yet here I am trying to remember all that I did in 2025. Reflecting on the year, I thought, did I do much this year? Funny how our minds have trouble grasping all that went into an entire year.
The year started out strong with my annual snow walk. It is always a goal to get one walk in the snow. This year was with my husband and youngest son by my side. They even helped me do a snow angel. What a special memory!
Shortly after that, I was asked to represent the Muscular Dystrophy Association on the news to promote their summer camp. It was nerve-wracking being on live television, but I fumbled through and somehow did ok.
Next up was our final spring break trip with our youngest for his senior year. We returned to a house in the Colorado mountains we had once stayed in and loved. While in Colorado, I got to meet Amy Purdy. Amy is a double amputee and a three-time Paralympic medalist, who I have admired for a long time. Amy has been a source of inspiration while on my quest to embrace my disability.
I topped off the trip with my second adaptive snow skiing experience, this time in Breckenridge. It was glorious! My older son had joined us by that time, and seeing my three heroes cheering me on as I got to the bottom, is forever burned into my memory.
There was no shortage of tears as I watched my youngest son run his last track and cross country races this year. At first, I tried to push the tears down and just felt numb. At some point, I realized that was about as easy as keeping a cricket from chirping. Once the tears started, they did not stop and would hit me at the most random times.
Graduation parties were planned, college acceptance letters came in, and I wondered how I would keep it all going. How, on my minimal strength, could I do it all?
Throughout the year, I had two stem cell treatments. Sadly, neither were done by my beloved Dr. J. He passed away this year, and that was tough too. God brought us together several years ago, and we both knew it.
My exercise routine thrived this year. Luckily, my husband loves a good graph. I must admit, it is encouraging to see my steady progress since starting the stem cell treatments five years ago. When living with a progressive muscle disease, the smallest bits of progress matter. Tiny glimmers of hope to keep me going.
I continued my freelance work with Hamilton County Tourism and reviewed several places around the county for accessibility. There were some fun assignments, and I am excited to continue with them in 2026 for our third year together.
We dropped our youngest off at college. The fact that his older brother was also there helped to soften the blow. We started our chapter as empty nesters and slowly accepted our new normal. There are still many moments of missing the days when they were little.
We decided to take an empty-nester trip and headed to one of our bucket list places. Maine did not disappoint. The highlight of the trip was visiting Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. Much to our amazement, it was a very accessible mountain top experience. That was a top spiritual moment for me.
The most meaningful moment of 2025 was crossing the finish line of the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon as a family of four, with a team of close to 50 runners, running for Team Humbly Courageous. We are still reminiscing about that day, and the meaning behind it all.
Life often throws things in our paths that we feel we cannot live through, yet somehow, we do. The impossible becomes possible. I am eternally grateful for this time in my life. As my mom said the other day, “our cups runneth over.” Yes, Mom, they sure do, hardships and all.
After writing this column, I received The Reporter’s Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. That was certainly the cherry on top of 2025! The most beautiful surprise.
May we all ring in 2026 with the humble courage to forge ahead.
Until next time …
Amy Shinneman is a former National Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, disability blogger, freelance writer, wife, and mom of two boys. She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. You can find her blog at humblycourageous.com and reach her on Instagram @ashinneman.