I have spent way too much time over the past 5 years trying to figure out how to not have chaos in our home. It is an ongoing cycle that usually ends with me feeling defeated and the kids feeling frustrated. It doesn’t make sense to have 7 people, 5 of whom are...
It took me years of aggravation and frustration to figure out that our family has a noise. Of course, this sounds crazy, but it’s true. Your family has a noise too. Years ago, we attended a private Christian school that had a program of inclusivity. Our family was...
When Shelby was about 3 years old, I took the girls to an indoor play place. It was new, and we were excited to explore. We checked in, put our shoes in a cubby and off we went. Within minutes, the cutest blonde hair, blue eyed 5 year old ran up to us. After...
You were born on a Monday. You came a wee bit early, but that has never surprised me. You were so ready to see this world, and to share your love. The doc told me to push, and push I did. Joy consumed my being as I grunted through my last huge breath. Then. My. World....
It was a surprisingly sunny day in March 2011 when our sweet redhead Shelby entered our lives. As I look back now, the beautiful day doesn’t surprise me. Beauty tends to follow Shelby. It was nine days before my due date and sometime after midnight I started to feel...
I remember the moment like it was just a week ago. However, It was 11 years ago. I was on my way to the store. As I left our neighborhood, resentment filled both my heart and my thoughts. Within seconds, it consumed my whole being. ”I am going to lose it, I thought. I...
Adoption has been on my heart for as long as I can remember, so having it as one of our topics to discuss as a couple before marriage just made sense. Luckily, Dan was as interested in adoption as I was. This is not the norm, as most couples rarely align on this topic...
A Meeting of Mentors As Dan and I set things in motion for Shiloh’s adoption, we felt the pull to gather a few mentors together to seek some wisdom and prayer. Adoption is a huge step, and although it felt natural to move forward, it did not come without moments of...
Warning: longer post My aha moment, and the seed behind this blog, came about 5 years into our special needs journey. I sat crying in our walk-in closet, (a common occurrence at that time), doubting myself in every way. I began praying, “God I am not cut out for this....
Okay, I have to be honest with you, when I titled this post, a little bitterness popped up. My immediate thought was to title it “Date night…NOT!” I have struggled with the date night phrase for years. It has presented itself in many forms and has always left a bit of...
Hi there! We are the crazy cool parents to 5 amazing and crazy cool kiddos. But, first, we are Dan and Elizabeth Thorndike – married 15 years and living this life one moment at a time. We have a full and blessed life, but we are clumsily tackling a journey we never foresaw ourselves living.
Only helpful tips, words of advice and stories to inspire.
