From the moment she was born, I knew she was different, arriving much earlier than expected and scaring me to death with her little surprise. Then a few seconds later, after the doctor removed the umbilical cord from around her little pink neck, I heard her sweet, sweet cry. In that moment, I knew she would be Mom's little fighter. Here we are, 10 years later, and she still manages to amaze me every day. My daughter, Alexis, has changed my life tremendously and made me a better person by teaching me patience, showing me strength, and motivating me to improve. Never in my life have I met a more patient person than Alexis. She endures so much suffering from her daily crises, and yet she still manages to keep a loving smile on her kind little face. Even when seizures keep her stuck in the hospital for six days straight, driving her crazy with the incessant beeping of machines, bland-tasting food, boring TV shows, and the perpetual smell of bleach which burns her nostrils, she remains calm and maintains her cheerful character. . She never lets the stress of her situation get her down. The more time I spend with my daughter, the more her patience seems to rub off on me. When Alexis was younger, I was so angry at people's ignorant looks when she innocently let out her high-pitched screams of excitement while out in public. Nowadays I just tell uninformed people that she's special and answer any questions that come to me without getting the least bit angry. Without Alexis in my life, I'm not sure I could get through this so easily. To be so patient, I also had to acquire inner strength. Being physically strong is good, but being emotionally strong is much harder. I used to study in the middle of my studies in the ACE program at Rio Salado College. If I stay on track and focused, I will one day achieve my goal of becoming a college graduate. From here, I hope to find a career that I love and make enough money to provide my daughter with even greater opportunities than she is currently afforded. Together, I believe we can move mountains. Children have always made a difference in their parents' lives, but Alexis did more than just make a difference for me. She helped me see the beauty in even the ugliest situations and showed me how to fight for what I really want. She also taught me to be more tolerant of others, showed me how to be emotionally strong, and influenced me to become a better version of myself. Above all, she taught me to never give up. Who would have thought that a tiny baby born 10 years ago could have such a profound effect on my life ??