Mikelle and I feel compelled to write about life with a disability, not just the challenges but the opportunities, the friendships, the innovations, and the brilliance of our communities in action as we share our everyday life living with a disability. With a little more information, motivation, we hope to share how our life is shining beautiful and maybe help you to shine beautiful, too.
Momma Mikelle….the Circle of Support Goes Both Ways
“When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it be’ And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom ‘Let it be’.” -The Beatles When you are at your weakest, be
How Do Parents Teach Self-Determination?
As a young mom, I recall Mikelle’s sweet stretched out yawns, her gentle infant coos and the terrible fear of the dreaded baby swing that threw her into a startle so severe she thought she would fall to the ground. I remember the many attempts to help her learn to
Ninja Warrior Parenting…Can we go overboard?
As families with special needs, we develop almost ninja-like warrior skills in fighting for our kids. We are strong, even when we feel weak. We speak out, even when we are shy. We believe in our kids, even when others don’t. We are courageous, even when our hearts ache. Our
Sometimes Love is Letting Go
DisAbility sends a family racing towards a destiny no one is ever prepared to have. Our lives cross over the line of “normal” into the land of special. The terrain is beautiful, mountainous and rarely peaceful. As a result, we grow protective and try to shield our family member from
Love is Like a Box of Chocolates, Right?
“Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”- Forrest Gump Valentine’s Day and chocolates go hand and hand, like peas and carrots. Do you remember Valentine’s Day was a big deal when you were a child? Boxes of chocolate
New Year Brings Big Changes and Sweet Memories
Brilliant oranges and golds break the gray morning sky, I settle down onto the well worn beige couch. I am waiting, like most mornings, for Mikelle to call out for me. For her to signal she is awake and ready to start the day. Many days she lays awake waiting
What will this New Year Bring?
Mikelle, Taylor and I boxed up the last of the holiday decorations and sighed. Another year has passed, a somewhat challenging year at that. What will this year bring? A stutter or a stop? Shall we resolve or maybe we are just simply full of irresolution. What about you? Has
The Christmas Gift is You!
Soe Are you the gift under the tree? Imagine a small dollhouse on a post next to a big pine tree in a suburban front yard. The walls are painted with a warm, inviting color, perhaps trimmed in white. There is a small shingled roof and double doors which open
Saying ‘Bye to One of Our Own
By Taylor Mason and Katherine Carol As the weather begins to turn wintry and the days grow shorter and darker, we prepare for the changing of the seasons. We are also preparing for a changing of our team. It is always hard to say goodbye to our girls when it
Thanksgiving…a tribute to Veterans and Heros
November, the month before Christmas, is affectionately known as Movember where a guy can sport a mustachioed look and feel confident about it. November is the month where the days are short and bright and the nights are long and chilly. November is the month we honor Veterans tasked with
Wonder Wheels. Hello, Beautiful.
Wonder wheels mean accessible transportation to Mikelle. One becomes attached to an aging minivan for the vehicle equates to freedom. For the last seven years, “Silver Bullet” represented independence . We adopted the name because Mikelle loves darting all over town. Many drives drives ended in a afternoon trip to Washington Park to watch the
Mikelle, Massage and Martie
By Taylor Mason and Katherine Carol Three times a week, Taylor receives this message. “Where are we meeting today?” “Cheeseman?” “How about Starbucks on Colfax?” She replies. “Sounds good. See you at 10:30.” Is the answer. Three times a week Martie and Taylor (or Martie and one of Mikelle’s other