Thanksgiving will be different for me this year. For several years running it has not been my favorite holiday. It was stressful for many reasons…not that I haven’t had my reasons to be thankful, but somehow they seemed shabby in comparison to what I had expected. This year I have determined to just be thankful,…
Category Archives: Holidays
Hold My Hand
I’m sure I’m not the only one who takes Thanksgiving week as a chance to reflect on all the things I’m grateful for in my life. This year, the first year since my son’s official autism spectrum diagnosis, has not been an easy one. There have been more lows than highs. I’m well versed in…
4 Keys to More Time This Holiday Season
Holidays can be hectic. But nowhere more so than in families with special needs kids. I mean, seriously, how do we mix Burl Ives, Christmas cookies, and caroling with incontinence PT, psychiatric appointments, meds adjustments and therapeutic parenting?! Come take a peek and find out!
Life as we know it
(reposted from the HennHouse) We’ve traded late night, happy hour dates for early morning mini conferences on raising spiritually healthy special needs kids. And we wouldn’t change a thing… We’ve traded Big Ten athletic events for seventh grade basketball tryouts. And we wouldn’t change a thing… We’ve traded philosophical discussions about politics and superpowers for…
‘Tis the Season!
Here it is again! It’s November! Time to pack up all the summer clothes, the picnic blankets, and turn the clocks back. I don’t know about you, but I often lament this time of year for one other BIG reason: hibernation. My little dude has junky lungs. His immune system is just not up to…
Where do you go on summer vacation?
Before I had kids, I loved planning trips almost as much as liked going on them. Researching places, hotels and things to do were all part of the thrill. Now that we have kids, summer vacations are a whole other kind of fun, and there’s a lot less planning. That’s because Max is most comfortable…
The Real Reason
The following is from one of my favorite writers, and reminds me what Christmas is really about. I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful holiday season! A Christmas Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the…
Speaking Their Mind
My children love teeshirts, especially teeshirts that make a statement, even more especially teeshirts that make a statement about disability issues. So, in searching for some Christmas gifts, I found some shirts I especially liked at CafePress. So if you have ‘mouthy’ children like mine and are in need of some Christmas ideas, here are…
Going on vacation with a kid who has special needs
As you read this, we’re en route back from our Disney cruise on The Magic. Last year, we took the kids to Disney World, and they were so enchanted we decided to do something Disney again. Taking Max on vacation is sometimes a little unnerving, as we don’t know how he’s going to react to…
Can’t Beat the Leprechauns, Join Them
Since my sons were preschool-age leprechauns have made a yearly romp through our home. Every St. Patrick’s Day morning the boys awaken to overturned furniture, strewn toys, hidden mint candies, shamrock confetti tossed about and green pee in the toilets…complete with wee green footprints on the toilet seats…evidence of the leprechaun’s play time. Until last…