Are you spinning out of control? The bills are piling up. The IEP meetings are so stressful. My child’s behaviors are getting more severe. You haven’t gone out to dinner in forever. You worry about the future of your child. Your marriage is struggling. We have to go to so many different doctor appointments. You are struggling with your job or you are … [Read more...]
when the waves are too strong
Humbling. If I had to choose a word to define parenting - especially parenting children with special needs - humbling would be it. None of us likes to be humbled. Humility is not the top faith trait I usually aim for. Wisdom, faithfulness, love, integrity, compassion, contentment... all of those are preferred over humility, if I'm honest about what I want. But as a woman sorting through … [Read more...]
Faith of Our Fathers
It was inevitable. With two career Air Force grandfathers, at least one of our children was bound to inherit the military gene. Our first clue should have been David’s penchant for drab green and all-things-camouflage. Hands down, his happiest Halloween he dressed as an army soldier. Over the years, as his collection of little green men grew into battalions and his interests graduated to books … [Read more...]
Privy to Joy
Guilt. It's what I felt every waking moment for the first two years of my son's life. I'd convinced myself it was my fault our son had suffered brain damage while I was pregnant. The truth is, a virus I had at a crucial time of development, changed Calvin's entire life. I remember walking through the grocery store with Calvin in my arms. He was six months old and looked like a newborn. He … [Read more...]
Family Life with Autism: Welcome to the Cincinnati Zoo
I’m jolted from sleep when the heat-seeking-body-missile of my 24-year-old son lands next to me on the bed. I pry open sleep-encrusted eyes to encounter Joel’s face, two inches from my own. He grins, giving me an up-close view of his smile crinkles, just like his dad’s; little fans on either side of his baby blues. “Zoo today!” he crows. “Zoo, zoo, zoo, Cincinnati zoo, zoo, zoo!” Like many … [Read more...]
Before and After
Photo Source For almost 32 years, my life has been divided into before and after. Before our first child was born, And after he came into our lives. Before the doctor came in to say something was wrong, And after we agreed to send our son to a bigger hospital by ambulance. Before another doctor called with a diagnosis, And after our newborn was life flighted 750 miles away for … [Read more...]