Amy Roloff - A Little Me

Amy continues to take us on a journey of her life with its ups and the downs. I have known Amy on a personal level for the past 35 years and have enjoyed the passion that she has for life and the love of family. I think that almost everyone can say that life doesnt always go your way but it is how you handle the situation that will set you apart. Amy has a unique way of showing us how to rise aboveI would encourage you to pick up this bookas we can all use a little more enrichment on living your best life.

Darlene Nowak-Baker

In A Little Me, youll gain some raw insight into the life experiences, family, and faith that shaped the Amy Roloff we have all grown to love. Amy weaves her personal story around differences and commonality, and challenges us along the way to be confident in our own unique purpose. Read this book, and find a little more encouragement to be a lot more you!

Chester Goad

Author, speaker & host of The Leaderbyte podcast

Amy fearlessly shares her private stories with us from her challenging childhood to leaving home to marry, to her hit family tv series and marriage struggles and from her divorce journey leading into her unexpected blossoming second act. This is a truly inspirational memoir.

Lisa Dixon

Health insurance broker and business entrepreneur

Amy Roloffs A Little Me is an inspirational book that was hard to put down. Whether you or someone you know has a challenge to overcome, you will find Amys story one that gives you the hope and faith to face anything! As a mom of a quadriplegic, I love Amys statement that different makes people uncomfortable. Most people are not sure how to act, react, or feel around others who are physically different. This hit home for me! We need to realize that people that are different are just like us in so many ways! Youll be surprised when you leave YOUR comfort zone and befriend someone that is physically different!

LeAnn Sullivan

Thrive Ministries Director, Southern Idaho Ministry Network

This is the tale of courageous Amy Roloff - as told in her own words. Amy has in life been a Michigander, a daughter and sister, a wife, a mother, a reality television star, a fundraiser and now a writer. Across these pages Amy shares her personal memories and thoughts, written as she boldly faces the future with a resilient, open heart. This is a powerful story about a faithful spirit.

Jack Morrissey

Producer, Disneys Beauty and the Beast

C opyright 2019 by Amy Roloff

A ll rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

E ditors: Hamishe Randall, Jackson Haynes and Regina Cornell

C over Design: 3SIXTY Marketing Studio - 3sixtyprinting.com

I nterior Design: 3SIXTY Marketing Studio - 3sixtyprinting.com

I ndigo River Publishing

West Garden Street, Ste. 352

P ensacola, FL 32502

w ww.indigoriverpublishing.com

O rdering Information:

Q uantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address above.

O rders by US trade bookstores and wholesalers: Please contact the publisher at the address above.

P rinted in the United States of America

L ibrary of Congress Control Number: 2019941374

I SBN: 978-1-948080-98-9

F irst Edition

W ith Indigo River Publishing, you can always expect great books, strong voices,
and meaningful messages.
Most importantly, youll always find... words worth reading.

To my dad and mom, Gordon and Patricia,

for all your love, encouragement, and support when I needed it most, and every day of my life.
Im so thankful for you both.

Youve always made me feel I could shine in all I do.

To my four kids, Jeremy, Zachary, Molly, and Jacob:

You each inspire me to be the best I can be as a mom and as a person every day. You are my greatest gifts in life. Love you forever and always.

Prologue

A month before Christmas Eve, the church I attended with my family growing up was planning to recreate a live manger scene in front of the church before each of the three services that evening. They reached out to the youth and others in the church to see who wanted to be a part of it.

When I heard about it, I hesitated to let my parents know. Although I wanted to take part, I was really uncertain and nervous to even think I might have a chance. The live nativity scene wouldnt have any speaking parts; it would simply be a wonderful live visual presentation depicting the story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. It wasnt typical for me to get excited about putting myself out there, but this was a perfect opportunity for me to go for something I really wanted. Even back then, it was hard just to take baby steps outside of my boxthat box about being different and hoping no one would notice. I was going to give it a try regardless of what I thought others would think or how scared I was.

I was about eleven years old, and already I knew when you look different on the outside, beauty takes on a whole different meaning, which speaks volumes in others perception of you. Worrying no one would think of me as worthy or beautiful made me hesitate about so many things; my difference in being a little person got in the way.

This time I decided to get outside of that not-good-enough box and take the risk. I told my parents about the live nativity event and said I wanted to put my name on the list to try out for a part.

Why this time? I had tried out for several parts in plays and solo parts in choir at school and church, but never got them. Instead, I always seemed to be cast in the choir or as part of the crowd scenes. In the back of my mind, I often thought I didnt get the part because I was different. I didnt think that maybe others had more talent or were just better for the parts. Even then, I subconsciously let being different become a possible reason for not getting what I went after. I didnt use being different as an excuse, but it more or less gave me a reason why some things didnt go the way I wanted them to.

My parents always encouraged and supported me to go after whatever I wanted to do and often told me not to ever think or let others tell me I cant. I remember my father telling me I have to always keep trying and not give up. As long as you keep trying, you just never know when the moment will be that it all comes together. Dont create a reason to complain about or say you cant do something. The only person I have to point at when I decide to give up or not to try is myself. The only person who can come up with an excuse for why I may not succeed at something is myself. As my father often told me, I just have to go out there and do my best; its all I can ask of myself. Even if I dont always get what I want, that doesnt mean I shouldnt keep trying. Youll never know if you dont try.