In a perfect world, I would be patiently doing many hours of therapy each day with my son and in a perfect world, he would be meeting milestone after milestone. Then there's reality. Calvin is one of five kids who need me, he is not "catching up" developmentally, and some days it's all I can do to manage his medical needs while meeting the needs of my family. For too long, I've added up the … [Read more...]
We Are More Alike Than We Are Different
We are thankful to have Courtney Westlake sharing about her new book A Different Beautiful. It releases today and I know you'll love it as much as we do! We had been at our local library for most of the morning, spending time in the popular children’s section that is well stocked with toys, books and puzzles. My son, Connor, was busy putting on a puppet show when a baby crawled up to my … [Read more...]
Mother’s Day — It’s Complicated
I sat in the folding chair at my kid's school today, grinning at my son and daughter up on the stage. It was the annual Mother's Day program and my heart overflowed watching them—my son staring at me unwaveringly and my daughter sneaking shy glances my way. Next to me my other son, Calvin, sat in his wheelchair, listening to the kid's voices fill the gym. He grinned his signature side-smile at … [Read more...]
Seeds of Hope
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5 What is hope? What gives me hope in the midst of despair? I hope for spring in the midst of winter, unable to see the mysterious workings of nature deep underground. I’m powerless in the face of my need for spring. I can’t control the seasons. And yet I have faith, borne in hope, that the breeze will … [Read more...]
Picture This
When something heartbreaking happens in our life we may start to experience some shame. Especially if we thought we could have done something to prevent it from happening. Whether you are a new special needs parent or you’ve been on the journey a while shame always loves to come knocking. The enemy loves to build a wall of shame and put our pictures on it. Every time we see that wall, he wants to … [Read more...]
There Is Grace in Disability
The world of disability is rampant with opinions. Some friends of mine get angry if you suggest a disability is a negative thing, instead they suggest we should celebrate it. I suppose it must vary depending on how the child is affected—for us disability has meant tremendous loss. Our son Calvin, a young boy of 6, struggles with chronic lung disease, spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and a … [Read more...]