March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness month and I still catch myself thrown back four years ago to that jolt, that hammering of the gavel that carried into our existence Charlie’s “official” diagnosis. In so many ways it was a good thing. In so many way I dreaded its arrival. Sharing that moment when we “went public” on Her View From Home and with Meg for a little five-year review. What power has naming something given …

Sunday Thoughts Link Up #14 1 JOHN 3:16-18 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or …

I’ve traveled a lot in my life. I’ve been lucky to do so. And every time I take a trip or make a move, it feels like a fresh start, like capping a dried out pen and cracking open a new one. But there have been times when the magic just didn’t happen. I couldn’t shake my old self enough to embrace the new. When I became a mother, I thought my new shiny pen …

I am the worst at taking a break. Ask my husband. When something needs to be done or falls under the tagline “Jamie’s job” I can’t let it go. Somehow, over the years, mothering has fallen under this. It’s not like I look at my kids like a job, but there’s so much heart/time/prayer/life invested in them that I find it hard to step away. But I’m thinking I need it. To be a better …

Dear Charlie, I did not think we would get here. By “we,” I mean your dad and me and by “here,” I mean a place where we get to call ourselves your mom and dad. We didn’t think we’d get to be parents at all. It took us a long time to get you. But in case you’re wondering, you are SO worth it. You make every minute of life livelier even though you scared …

You guys, I’m tired. I’m so tired of all the things we should not do as parents. I’m tired of the judgey stares for letting the twins eat Sonic instead of homemade snacks at the playground. I’m tired of the maximum minutes of acceptable screen time shrinking. I just want to play fast and loose a little bit with the mom rules. So, in honor of gentle rebellion, here are my 5 parenting rules I’m …

I watched Dumbo with the twins recently and it wrecked me. I had just dropped Charlie off at his special needs preschool while the twins stayed with my mom. I walked in as the credits ended and the action began. We pan in on the stork on his cloud, holding the bundle of Dumbo by a thread. That sight, the bag slowly sinking into and then under the cloud while the stork reads his directions (no …

ACTS 9:5-9 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into …

Travel is fun! Just ask Jack Kerouac. The call of the open road. The wind in your hair. Destination unknown or unexplored. And then you become a parent. And destinations are meticulously planned and packing takes twelve days. It can be exhausting before you even start. But if you’re a parent of a special needs child, it takes a super dose of strength and bravery to get out the door. So in honor of your …

When I read the article “What Happens When Parents Are Rude in the Hospital” in The New York Times, I had to say something because the mom guilt came crashing in and almost swallowed me whole. I do not believe that my attitude took away from my son’s care and I want to tell all the other moms to let go of that burden right now.   Thanks for letting my Think Out Loud Save …