Last Tuesday my son let me know that he was asked to speak on a panel that was kicking off his high school’s participation in Autism Awareness month. “Mom, they want me to speak about being a friend to kids on the spectrum as well as a brother to a sister with autism.” Part of me was proud and thrilled for him. Tom’s best friend is not only an amazing, brilliant young man … [Read more...]
When a Pregnancy Surprises You – The Joy of the Third Baby
I held the familiar white stick in my hand and watched in disbelief as two lines appeared in the result window. Positive. By this point in my life, I had lost count of how many times I had taken a pregnancy test. There were four miscarriages before our first child and a year of infertility before we had our second. Now that I decided two children was all I could handle, … [Read more...]
My Wishes for My Son as He Gets Ready to Graduate High School
This week our firstborn child got measured for the cap and gown for his high school graduation. It was only yesterday when I would put him on my lap after bathing him. He would smell of lavender baby wash as he snuggled into me. I would rock him to sleep and just stare at how gorgeous he was. Those days felt as if they would last forever. Now he is 18 and thinking about the … [Read more...]
Morning Miracle: Mom Gets Kids Up and Out of the House in Less Than 30 Minutes
Tuesday morning was like most: I woke up around 5:00 am, had a cup of coffee, and glanced at the paper my husband left on the kitchen table. Yes it’s early, but I relish this time when all my chickens are present, accounted for, and sleeping soundly. I do my daily check of the backpacks, write notes for the kids’ teachers, and pack snacks for my second grader and … [Read more...]
The Harder Days of Being a Special Needs Mom
The other day I found myself getting angry, frustrated, and even sad at a parenting article I read in a magazine. The funny thing is, it wasn’t a piece on the pros and cons of feeding your kid sugar, whether I’m a good or bad mother because I stay home, or whether my youngest child is forever damaged because I bottle fed him but nursed his older brother and sister. No, it … [Read more...]
