I checked my computer each hour for several days. First it was to see my daughter’s medical test results as she is sick with a diagnosis in progress. Next it was to receive a message from her doctor about the findings. After waiting a week, we finally received news that a clear diagnosis and solution is yet to emerge. She has been ill for six years. I’m disappointed, frustrated, and … [Read more...]
Do You Know Who You Are?
One of the most important things we have to do on this journey as a special needs parent is to be able to hear the voice of God when there are so many voices distracting us from His. Before we can recognize God’s voice we have to know who we are in Christ. A blockade from hearing the voice of God is not knowing your identity. It’s so easy as a special needs parent to lose our identity when our … [Read more...]
We’ve Moved to KeyMinistry.org
We are now part of the Key Ministry family and all our new content will be featured there. We'll leave this site up as a resource and hope you'll join our team of writers at our new home. … [Read more...]
Unexpected Traditions and the True Meaning of Christmas
A year ago, my left hand was in a cast to recover from surgery to reconnect the thumb tendon I'd severed in a kitchen accident. A back injury had incapacitated my man-of-steel husband. As a result, we wisely decided to forego decorating the house for Christmas. "It's only for one year," we told each other. "We'll do things up right next year." Those were, dear readers, our most Famous. Last. … [Read more...]
When Your Holidays Don’t Turn Out As Expected
You followed all of the advice. With tenderness and care, you purchased all of the tagless clothes and made the sensory-friendly accommodations. You examined all of the lists for the best Christmas toys for children with special needs. And you made dietary choices that would best suit your child's restrictions. STILL your holidays aren't as you expected. Relatives Anyone who has taken even a … [Read more...]
Evolution and Hard Decisions
Parenting is synonymous with change. Our children grow and learn; they achieve and alter. And when they are special needs children, their bodies and abilities are in constant evolution. Change is rarely comfortable. Jesse’s original diagnoses include PDD-NOS, ODD, OCD, and ADHD. Some of those acronyms will change as he grows. Some – if God sees fit – might disappear. New ones could be added. … [Read more...]