I don't have to tell anyone here that our special kids miss milestones their age peers take for granted. It's a fact of the lives we lead. There are diapers in 6th grade (or longer), learning to read years after they "should" (which means maybe never), and tantrums until only-God-knows when (we haven't hit the endpoint yet!) My hopes for something as superfluous as a slumber party for my 11 … [Read more...]
Encouragement for the Doubting Parent
You've read the books. Countless books. You've talked with friends. You've sat in on therapy session after therapy session and have asked a thousand questions that begin with, "What do I do if...?" You've raised your child and you have a pretty good handle on what to expect from them during a meltdown or a difficult moment. But day after day, the words and actions of your special needs child … [Read more...]
3D Printers: The Future Is Now
I puffed away at my morning stretches and exercises. The radio was on, as a distraction from the pain and boredom. But I was composing a mental to do list and only half listening. Until. Until the announcer said something about 3-D printers and tracheomalacia. He went on to define the medical term my husband and I first heard in 1982. The doctor had used it to explain why our newborn baby's … [Read more...]
Just Enough Hope
This past winter was a doozy. Long. Snowy. Cold. Dark. But eventually, the daylight hours started increasing. The cardinals and wrens began singing in the morning. The robins came back. The temperatures started rising in late February, and so did my spirits. Until I caught a cold. Sore throat. Plugged ears. Red nose. Bad cough. This winter reminded me of my first winter as a new … [Read more...]
The Source of Our Joy
I always pray before I write for this blog to see if there is something God wants me to specifically write about. I really feel impressed that there are many who are reading this, who are struggling under the weight of heavier than usual burdens right now. The winter months can be difficult. There has been so much extreme weather in many parts of the world, and it's been a severe season with … [Read more...]
Autism Answered
The park. Thanksgiving dinner. Church. Dinner with friends. The waiting room at the therapist's office. The waiting room in the doctor's office. These are just a few of the places and events where I have had the exact same conversation with countless people. I don't fault them for striking up this conversation and, in fact, I am glad they are asking questions instead of silently … [Read more...]