Did you know that September was National Self-care month? Ha Ha! Neither did I until a few weeks ago. The thing about the phrase “self-care” is that it hits me like the phrase “date night.” It is an emotional mix of longing and sarcasm. As a special-needs parent, I...
Our beloved daughter Shelby got baptized a few Saturdays ago. She had been asking for a while, and after some coaching through church, she was ready! She was over the moon excited and shared her news with everyone. I mean EVERYONE, at Starbucks, at the grocery store,...
I kept hearing that still small voice in my head, “Just go!” I had made every excuse in the book to just stay home. Excuses like, “No one will sleep.”, “There is so much to pack!”, and “My hubby and I will be on full go even more than usual.” Yet, that small voice...
I remember the scene well. It was a year ago in a tiny coffee shop. I finally met my friend for some much-needed girl time. We had been trying to connect for months but with the busyness of both our lives, we rarely had time. We cozied into our seats and sighed. I...
Sometimes the most powerful therapy is just a pause. ~ Amanda J. Friedman I am writing from a place of struggle this afternoon. I left my house in a huff to come here to the coffee shop to work. It was not an eloquent departure, and heaviness followed as I...
The moment her eyes met mine she enveloped my soul. I instantly had a deep love for her. As her story unfolded, and we realized she had Down Syndrome, my mama heart swirled. Her bold red hair…. a gift. Her beautiful blue, almond shaped eyes…. mesmerizing. I knew we...
Mamas, there is nothing that squeezes my heart more than thinking about you all on Mother’s Day. It brings joy to my heart and tears to my eyes thinking about all the love and constant encouragement you pour out on your diverse need’s kiddos. Not just this one day,...
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...
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.
