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.

Are We Doomed?

Part Two   Exhaustion Sets In In last month’s blog post, Mikelle and I lamented that we are still in the middle of a staffing crisis ourselves. Since then, I have met with other parents experiencing some version of this crisis in their own families. Compounding our situation are life

Staff Shortages are Scary. Part One.

It is Friday night, and I have a chance to do a bit of Salsa dancing with friends at a new brewery in town. It has been weeks since I have been with my friends, and I relish the time to relax and renew my wearied soul. The last two

Back to the Future, Part 2. Circling the Wagons.

  If you read last month’s blog post, we discussed that it is best to circle the wagons in times of uncertainty. This month we are writing about one of the wagons. Person-Centered Planning, Group Action Planning, H.O.P.E. Teams are some of the wagons. Regrouping. Looking at resources, assessing challenges,

Back to the Future?

Two years ago, Mikelle and I felt pretty comfortable living in her downtown condo. We had a solid team of support for Mikelle. Her life was fascinating. She navigated her community like a celebrity. I had the freedom to support her when needed and have projects of my own and

Rituals Matter Even When They Change.

I thought this summer, Mikelle’s long-standing birthday tradition of a large gathering of friends at the local park might insist on a return to normal after last summer’s smaller, more intimidate party highlighting a solo from a local cellist. It was a good party, but the buoyant celebration with kids

Am I Eating Right?

  I am intrigued. For all the health and fitness information on the internet, stacked in the aisle at book stores, there is very little written, spoke, or researched on the dietary needs of someone living with cerebral palsy. This condition varies from person to person, depending on the extend

Adding Voice to Advocacy

Advocacy is a Latin term made up of two words “Ad” and “Voca” which means “amplify” and “Voice” thus advocacy is the process of amplifying the voices of the voiceless. “Advocacy” is often defined by agencies and individuals as a “Systematic and serious process of amplifying the voices of the voiceless”. ~

March Madness

  “Never let the things you cannot do prevent you from doing the things you can.” -Coach John Wooden Oh my goodness, the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel grows brighter by the day.  I don’t know about you but Mikelle has visions of unlimited purse shopping at

Sunshine in Winter

  In the heart of winter lies February, the month of love. For us, it has been about romantic love for the pandemic that has encircled us with its frightening ghostly arms keeping us home away from friends and even family. Covid confine points its gnarly finger to our hearts

Once Upon Tomorrow

Once upon tomorrow, will there be rainbows?  What colors will we see? Where will the yellow brick road lead?  And, what will life be like in the Emerald City? It is difficult to know on this cloudy January day.  The news is not good. COVID AND CAPITOL BREACH streams across

The Fruits of Frustration

                             These days the fruit on the vine bears a copious crop of frustration.  December at our home in downtown Denver proved to be nearly overwhelming as lives changed, world events erupted, and my Steady Betty gold

Could this be the End of Dental Drama?

After two years and 3 decades, Mikelle and I might be at the end of our dental drama. One by one, tooth by tooth, Mikelle’s beautiful smile still shined now with gaps in her smile. First on the bottom, then on the top. Over the years, we struggled to find