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Elf Obsessed: A Window into Autism

Our elf on the shelf experience encapsulates a lot about our journey with autism. When Jesse was around four, my sister bought him a boy Elf on the Shelf. She’d gotten one for my nephew and wanted to spread the magic to our family too. I wasn’t a big fan. I’ve always been of theContinue reading “Elf Obsessed: A Window into Autism”

Hope, Health, and Belonging: Why Vulnerable Children Need Our Support

Raising a child with autism and another with a blood disease has changed how I see the world. It’s put me in categories I never imagined. It’s shown me, over and over, who the world caters to and who continually gets left behind. Our lives revolve around costly medications, doctor visits, therapies, school meetings, andContinue reading “Hope, Health, and Belonging: Why Vulnerable Children Need Our Support”

Anxiety Is Like a Little Monster

Let’s talk about anxiety for a minute. Not just anxiety, but anxiety and motherhood. I’ve had anxiety my whole life. I just didn’t realize what it really was until I had my children. It’s tangled up in so many other emotions like, guilt, grief, sorrow, anger, etc. It wraps around and is the reason forContinue reading “Anxiety Is Like a Little Monster”

Saying Goodbye to Five

I make it a point to spend time lying with my kids at bedtime on the eve of their birthdays. It’s a special moment for me to cherish the final moments of them at that age, to cuddle them and hold onto a fleeting moment in time. Tonight, I lay with my little sweet girl.Continue reading “Saying Goodbye to Five”

I Can’t Say “I Hate Autism”

I can’t say “I hate autism” anymore. I haven’t said it much, but I have. There are moments when I desperately want to be angry at autism—during a colossal public meltdown, the relentless screaming in the car, when things get broken at home, or worse, when my son can’t cope and it seems like somethingContinue reading “I Can’t Say “I Hate Autism””

Autism: The Burden He Bears

When I think about that little newborn baby—the first one I birthed, the first true obsession of my life—I recall the haze of sleepless nights and the excitement of new life. Babies are so raw and new; they wholly need you. You carry them and everything they will one day become. The fears, the worries,Continue reading “Autism: The Burden He Bears”

How to Help a Friend Who’s Child is Diagnosed with Autism

I am often asked what to do or say to a friend who’d child is going through a diagnosis or just in general for a friend grappling with the reality of autism and everything it brings to the table. It’s understandable to feel uncertain, and even fearful of saying the wrong words. I wish IContinue reading “How to Help a Friend Who’s Child is Diagnosed with Autism”

When You Feel Like You Just Don’t Belong Anywhere

Saturday Miracle League started back up, which is a program made for individuals with mental and/or physical challenges to have an opportunity to play baseball. We have been attending for a few years now. Our team and league is made up of a variety of abilities and disabilities, which I’ve always found beautiful. However, notContinue reading “When You Feel Like You Just Don’t Belong Anywhere”

She’s Everything I’m Not

Sometimes, I find myself thinking about her. Her. The one who probably rises at 5 am to do something wild like go for a run or attend hot yoga. Her time management skills are impeccable. A Caesar salad is a treat for her, and she’s diligent about drinking water every day. She excels at workContinue reading “She’s Everything I’m Not”

Bleeding Disorders Awareness

Last summer our youngest was diagnosed with Von Willebrand Disease Type 2, a bleeding disorder. Since March is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, I felt compelled to shed some light on it. I understand that not everyone may read this entire post, so let me start by emphasizing that if you or your child bruises easily,Continue reading “Bleeding Disorders Awareness”