Taking two children to a store doesn't seem like a big deal. However, Nathan is five ears old and Wesley is sixteen but cognitively closer to a three-year old. He has autism. Genetics are strong, though, and like his mother he loves to go shopping. We pulled in to the lot of Target and I... Continue Reading →
There are three major events that have shaped me in the last 16 years. Interestingly, all three of these events carry diagnosis that are often whispered about but rarely understood by those not in that world. I write openly about my son's special needs and my husband's suicide. My intention for the transparency is to,... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow marks the seven year anniversary of my husband's death. Between 12:30 and 12:41 on February 10, 2011 he committed suicide. I struggle with words to accurately convey the shock of suicide. Words like excruciating and traumatic fail to give justice to the violent collision of all you knew with death by choice. There was... Continue Reading →
"Expectation is the root of all heartache." Have you ever asked a pregnant woman if she was hoping to have a boy or girl? More often than not her response is, "I don't care as long as it is healthy." But what happens when your baby is born and it is not healthy? What happens... Continue Reading →
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 Hope is born from and in despair. That is my truth. Sometimes hope shows up like fireworks against the dark night sky, gloriously and brilliantly. It's presence is awe inspiring and unmistakable. But other times I feel as if I... Continue Reading →
Hope is birthed in and from despair. My middle son, Wesley, has significant special needs. He was born with deletions on his first chromosome and is on the autistic spectrum. Although his chromosome set is incomplete, he is more complete than anyone I know. He loves abundantly and fearlessly. He knows no stranger. I often... Continue Reading →
The truth of my life is that hope and despair are never far from one another. I can not metaphorically stand at a crossroad and follow one while leaving the other behind. They both accompany me
I drove to Norfolk, Virginia on Saturday to take my oldest son, Emerson, to see Les Miserable. It was the first Broadway production I ever saw almost thirty years ago in New York City and it was his first time of seeing it live. I was his age when I first laid eyes on an... Continue Reading →
He may not walk in his shoes, but he pushes his chair. I have been in bed for days with the flu and pneumonia. For the last few mornings my oldest son, Emerson, has had to push Wesley down to the street and help him get on the bus. This picture both warms and breaks... Continue Reading →
Before October 26, 2001 I can honestly say I never wondered what it would be like to have child with special needs. Growing up in the 70's and 80's there was no such thing as inclusion. The kids with special needs had their own classroom at the end of the hall. We never interacted with... Continue Reading →
Patience to Endure 