Yesterday at Costco Wesley walked along pushing the cart. We began to pass a man who had what appeared to be a child, perhaps 6 or 7, sleeping in the cart when he suddenly stopped to engage Wesley. With a gigantic smile, he held out his fist to give him knuckles."Hi buddy!" he said as... Continue Reading →
Every morning I dress my 20 year old son. Wesley was born with significant special needs and is incapable of assisting with dressing himself. My morning starts with coaxing a sometimes cooperative but more often than not uncooperative man to the bed to change. I clean the wound for his g-tube and apply dressing. Next,... Continue Reading →
Today is World Autism Day. Every day for us is autism day. Autism is just one of the many ICD-9s that accompany my son's medical chart. At last count he had 15. Wesley was born in October of 2001. Despite multiple ultrasounds by several physicians, I had no idea he would be born any way... Continue Reading →
When I was a child I could not, for the life of me, fall asleep on my own. I felt particularly fearful at night. It was the time when the distractions were gone and my mind had room to roam to all sorts of horrific scenarios like monsters under the bed or alien invasions or... Continue Reading →
I was rearranging my seven year old's room for what felt like the millionth time. He has a bunk bed that has a ladder on one side and a slide on the other. While he was sitting on the top bunk I took the slide down for a few moments. As I was trying to... Continue Reading →
I recently had the honor of sharing my testimony with the Ministry for Women at my church. The audio is below. I'm sharing mostly because friends had asked to hear but, honestly, I can't figure out how to share it with anyone who does not have gmail. At any rate, this is part of my... Continue Reading →
My life often feels like this picture. I travel the rough road on the right while almost everyone I know travels the left. My road is bumpy and at times treacherous. There are places where there are no lines and days I don't even know if I am on the correct side. Potholes appear suddenly... Continue Reading →
I never once imagined what types of challenges a family with a child with special needs faces until I had one. I never even considered their lives as perhaps different from my own until October 26, 2001 when my middle son, Wesley, was handed to me in the delivery room. Since his birth his diagnosis... Continue Reading →
As Easter approaches I have been thinking about the Cross. To the Romans, at that time, it was a means to inflict the most shame and send a resounding message of defeat. They had several methods of capital punishment but reserved crucifixion to leave a lingering message to their enemies. It was the most painful... Continue Reading →
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 →
Patience to Endure 