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Author Archives: Karin

The club

Written on May 23, 2009 by Karin

Note: Originally posted over at the HennHouse. I had no intention of re-posting this piece here. But chaos in the 12-year-old’s life, a non-reported plugged up toilet in the kids bathroom, and tomato plants that are angry that I’ve kept them in too-small pots for far too long have all beckoned me away from the…

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For my kids

Written on May 9, 2009 by Karin

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Sometimes I miss you while you are sleeping And I wonder if I looked at your eyes enough today Or hugged and kissed you enough Or made you laugh enough Sometimes I miss you while you’re at school And I wonder if I made the right choice to keep working Or if I should have…

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Ability redefined

Written on April 25, 2009 by Karin

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Note: this post was originally published over at the HennHouse in January of 2008. But it is as true today as it was then. Even if some of it has changed. —– Last Thursday, Esther-Faith told her teacher that she wanted to use the potty like the other kids. To that point, Esther-Faith…

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We stand

Written on April 11, 2009 by Karin

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Tonight, I sat on the sideline of soccer practice and watched as my eight-year-old son and my 34-year-old Tim ran around with another dad and a bunch of other soccer kids learning and playing. I had no reason to be there. It wasn’t a game. Barely a practice as they raced the weather to learn…

in Family Life

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First day of preschool

Written on March 28, 2009 by Karin

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A couple of weeks ago, Esther-Faith started preschool. At a special needs preschool we selected during the IEP process. As with just about everything here at the HennHouse, we photographed it. (She really just thinks the cameras are part of our hands, anyway.) It would be strange NOT to take pictures. On the way…

in Individual Educational Plans

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Heartprints

Written on March 14, 2009 by Karin

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We stood at the kitchen island. She was in the learning tower, “mixing.” I was next to her. I think I was making a pie. We worked silently for a while, with breaks for instruction or laughter. I’m pretty sure we both had our hair pulled back. It was Saturday. I looked over at my…

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New and routine

Written on February 28, 2009 by Karin

3 Comments

It feels surreal I watch her bravery slip as her lips quiver and her eyes fill with tears while Nick twists and turns measures and adjusts Am I dreaming? Watching her stiffly walk as her hair moves in the breeze she creates assessing her mechanized steps for the smallest abnormality or trouble or quirk Isn’t…

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Never

Written on February 14, 2009 by Karin

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I crouched right next to her in the bright, colorful hallway. A physiatrist and a physical therapist followed closely. Making notes on their charts. Nodding at each other. Carefully assessing what I was doing with my daughter. Betty, the physical therapist crouched down with us and put her hands on Esther-Faith’s waist. She quietly and…

in Family Life

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Through her eyes

Written on January 24, 2009 by Karin

9 Comments

My brother bent his knees, jumped as high as he could, and spun around in the air. He landed and fell to the floor laughing. It made me laugh, too. He said he was dancing. My other brother bounced his head, wiggled his arms, and shrugged his shoulders with the music. He stood up and…

in Family Life

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Caterpillar birthday

Written on January 11, 2009 by Karin

4 Comments

As the wrappings and ribbons settle from her fabulous caterpillar birthday, I look at my daughter, sleeping on the couch, with WALL-E in one hand and EVA in the other, snuggled under her new caterpillar quilt. She is a beautiful sight. Just hours ago, she was excited to be wearing her “birthday dress” and eating…

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