Category: Parent
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Magic Words
I can’t remember when it first dawned on me – the way one phrase could change everything for my son. Remember “magic words” as a kid? “Abba Kadabra?” “Please?” “Thank you?” Those pass-words would literally turn a wall of impossibility into an open door. As a kid it might have been a fun game, but…
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A Day at the Park
It was day of “divide and conquer parenting.” The boys were given NASCAR tickets (a DREAM day for them), and the girls and I had the day to ourselves. Special needs or no, days mostly come with their own obligations and challenges, but this one was different. We didn’t even start getting ready for church until…
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On Father’s Day: Defining Special
When he was looking for his flashlight, she offered him her light-up-shoe. Surely that would do the job! My husband, her father – he chose to spend his Father’s Day taking our boy for a night of baseball and camping. We packed all the pieces, the meds, the feeding pump, the diapers, extra cochlear implant…
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A Special Decade: Square Up
I’m rounding off a decade this summer. A decade of being a mother and of being a “special” (fancy, huh?) one at that. Over the next few months I’m going to share a few thoughts on what I’ve been able to see in these past ten years. ___________ At 11-years-old, I was already 6 feet tall. …
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On Survival, Bandaids, and Broomsticks
My 6-year-old, M, cut her hand last night. No big deal. Nothing stitch worthy. Sure, it was a little deeper than most cuts my kids get, but insignificant – to me. Well…I guess she did have {gasp} actual blood and {double gasp} it even DRIPPED! I suppose you should know that for 4 and 6-year-old girls,…
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How do I deal?
I haven’t forgotten about his birthday, but I somehow forgot about the events leading up to them. Somewhere between discussing labor with a new mom last night and finding myself, very last minute, at a Hillsong concert – It came like a wave, that whole “at this time nine years ago I was in the…
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Finding Home Outside of the Puddles
I was in the kitchen thinking of how amazing, how totally amazing it is that the fam has weathered so much change so well: living in 5 places in 4 weeks (or 6 depending how you count it)…with the dog, the arse through the glass thing, no nursing help for weeks, forgetting medical formula, the…
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Kansas Style
This family I married into…they know how to have fun, Kansas Style! And do know that this comes with a “don’t try this at home” warning!
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Spicing up Vacation
So, if your vacation gets a little boring, I know of one way to spice it up – sit your rear on a glass table and see what happens. You might just get to have the most beautiful ambulance ride ever, and even get a new “Life is Good” outfit out of the ordeal, or … you…
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Your Seat
Remember the feeling? Maybe in your geeky middle school years? …glancing around for a seat, being the new one. The panic that took your breath away as you saw nothing but seats taken. Fight or Flight! It kicks in as you wonder, “Is there a place for me?!?!” “Is there a seat for me?!?!” You debate throwing…