In life, we expect to have certain defining moments, but we think we know what they will be: a graduation, a first job, a wedding day, a new baby. But what happens when a new “milestone” pops up and changes the trajectory you thought you had?
In the months after Joey’s Down...
The day Joey was diagnosed with Down syndrome, we left the geneticist’s office with a book called Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents’ Guide. In the introduction, the editor encourages the parent carrying the weight of the heavy burden to take lots of pictures of their...
“I have to admit, Lord, I don’t really understand what You are doing here.”
I walked around my neighborhood, praying as I took in some fresh air. Praying for my husband, my children, some dear friends… and I realized I had been praying some of these same prayers over and...
As my head hit the pillow, my brain sprang into action. Worries I had kept in the back of my mind all day suddenly vied for my attention: What if my dad catches COVID-19 while he’s in the hospital for his cancer surgery? How am I going to homeschool three kids? When will I ever find...
I couldn’t sleep, I wasn’t eating. A knot twisted my stomach. I couldn’t focus on tasks that required more brain power than folding laundry. I was utterly consumed.
What was wrong? you ask. What hardship were you suffering that so consumed you?
Absolutely nothing.
My...
Almost a decade ago, I sat at dinner with a friend and wept. Postpartum depression wouldn’t relent, my husband’s business was keeping him busy far beyond the “normal” 40-hour work week, and my infant son had just been diagnosed with Down syndrome. I was struggling but...
We had a wonderfully low-key Thanksgiving this year. Lots of food, lots of fun, and lots of downtime–the perfect combination for this introverted mama. And a recipe for success for Joey, who can get a little overstimulated and a lot grouchy when life is turned on its ear, even for fun...
“Well, you just need to…”
I stopped mid-sentence.
Matt had been telling me about a project at school that was frustrating him—or to be more specific, a team member for the project who was frustrating him. Matt has big feelings and a crystal clear (in his own mind) sense...
Sometimes I forget.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually forget my son has Down syndrome. It is with us every day when we slog through reading basic books, every time I struggle to understand what he is trying to say, and every time I wonder if he doesn’t understand...
You guys, I am gearing up for a new season of ministry. A new website is coming. (Yay!) A new newsletter is in the works. (Woohoo!) And maybe one or two other new things that you’ll just have to wait to hear about……….
And as I prepare for the new, I’m reflecting...
