“Making It Happen” Series – My Accessible Kitchen

Cooking has never been my specialty or love, but with a large family it was a definite necessity. We never had the finances to eat out very much and that was okay because I like home cooked food. It was never my love, but feeding my family made me happy…until I became paralyzed and became extremely short. I think my chin came to my counters and stove top.

I hated my kitchen. Every time I went in there to try and prepare something for my family, I left upset. It was constant reminder of what I could not do or reach or touch. I tried to avoid that room as much as possible. It helped that my precious Briley loved for me to turn her loose in there as she loves to cook. I was more than glad to let her. Although I appreciated her work, it was soon obvious that the kitchen was not her responsibility. I didn’t want to be her helper. That was too much for her. I wanted to run my kitchen and I wanted her to have all the freedom she wanted in there, but not the responsibility.

Last year, we remodeled the kitchen. I just wanted to rip everything out and make it shorter! Since we lived in the church parsonage, I designed my accessible kitchen knowing that another pastor’s wife could live in this house and cook in this kitchen someday. I have absolutely loved being able to reach the top of my stove, actually see into the pots spot watch my food, not fall in my ovens and burn myself, and load my own dishwasher and do the dishes. There are still a few spots in my kitchen that I can’t reach but overall, it is 90% useable to me. I have grieved over leaving this kitchen! I know….I’m being a baby! 🙂

Today’s video talks about how I designed an important area in the kitchen for me, and how it will transition for the next cook….who won’t be on wheels! And also….what the deacon wanted me to know about this kitchen and for my future comfort.

Thanks for watching!!

Accessible Kitchen Move