Can't Steal Second Base With Your Foot On First...

Things are happening...Big things! Wow things! I know I haven't posted in quite a while, and that's because there hadn't been much to post. So, for those of you who have read my previous posts, you know that I have now suffered from agoraphobia for about two years now. What you probably didn't know is that I haven't even taken a ride in a car in a year. A year! Nobody knows how wild that is for me! I used to love to drive and would take any opportunity to do so until all this happened and, for a year, I lost that. Well, it was a year...until now. For the past few months I've been really trying to work up the courage to go out, get in the car, and go somewhere, and days and days have passed to no avail. This has been extremely dissapointing, but has built me up to this day. About three weeks ago, the weather here in Illinois took an extremely spring-like turn, with temperatures reaching the upper 70's. Between this warm weather and the sunshine, my mood was uplifted and, more than ever, I wanted to be able to get in the car and go for a drive. My dad was getting ready to leave and needed a different car moved so he could, so I figured I could do that. However, when I backed the car out of the driveway to move it, I realized that I wanted to do more. So, I drove the car a little way down the street to a neighbor's driveway, turned around and came back. This might sound insanely small and insignificant, but it was well celebrated in my home. I drove a car again...by myself...and I left the driveway! This was what we thought to be a huge victory. Now, the weather here this time of year is about as consistant as Charlie Sheen's work schedule, the very next day it was gloomy, rainy, cold, and extremely windy, so I didn't try to drive anywhere else. I was dissapointed and fearful that my big accomplishment would be just that, ONE big accomplishment. If anybody knows anything about desensitization with agoraphobia, then you know that it's something that you have to keep up with everyday to really have an effect. But I kept my head up and hoped for another day. Yesterday was that other day. I was talking to my mom about how I would like to at least drive down the street and back, and she matter of factly said "Let's go." So, we did! A smidge reluctantly, I drove (she rode passenger) and when I made it down the street, my mom said, "I think you can go further." Mom knows best! I ended up going around the block! It sounds so small, but it made me cry tears of joy. Especially when my mom pointed out something about a house and I said, "Yeah, that's my friend Brian's house. I haven't seen that house in a year." I cried like a little girl...because I was out, driving, and best of all...I wasn't scared. It felt incredible. The day after, my main goal was to at least drive around that block again, maybe go around two blocks (kind of confusing, I live in a subdivision so they are awkward blocks). Instead, I drove around the entire subdivision! I saw houses that I hadn't seen in a year. I even went out on the highway next to our subdivision, which was a huge feat for me! Suddenly, on the highway, I noticed something was different. "This is a different road!" I yelled, "It's completely repaved!" THAT was how long it had been since I had been within a mile radius of my home. Again, I was not scared...just pure excitement. I thank God for every moment of this. It is the miracle and and answer to prayer that I and my family have been waiting for. A pure miracle. I have more to post to get you updated to today, but I will post the rest tomorrow. BIGGER accomplishments to come!