Recently, Mikelle and I had the honor of interviewing Jim Warne, film producer of the documentary, 7th Generation. I met Jim at the Washington Initiative on Supported Employment annual Community Summit last June. She attended is a powerful session on disability, the importance of community and tradition and learned more about the terrible trail of […]
Jim Warne, Ogalala Lakota film producer meets Mikelle! Read More »
To Mom on your 90th Birthday. Your life made mine and mine have shaped Mikelle’s and has sewn into the hearts of many to live life well and to shine beautiful. The women who come before us help us today as special needs moms. A tribute to you. You showed us how to stitch our
Today was one of those mornings. An early and challenging workout at the Crossfit gym, followed by my appealing but frustrating writing class and then, back to Mikelle’s to help her with her blog and another few hours of a steep learning curve as we prepare to launch her podcast. The day abruptly started at
It is the little things…Love and the Hardware Store. Read More »
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 wide. Now, imagine the little
The Christmas Gift is You! Read More »
Target on Target. A guest blog for the Shining Beautiful Series by Taylor Mason. Lately, Mikelle and her girls have been spending more and more time in the wide, red-accented aisles of Target. We’ve come to appreciate those aisles for their width and the ease in which Mikelle is able to navigate herself in them.
The Freedom of Mobility There is a moment, a moment full of panic and anxiety, when Mikelle’s wheelchair pauses. This chair is well over five years old. It is worn and beaten with many technical issues. When you work with Mikelle you learn to become a sort of amateur handyman, a wheel chair repair expert
This month is jam-packed. Busy is an understatement. Amid our active life, we find comfort in a simple ritual—the Duffy Roll. Besides the general household duties, we have obligatory Starbucks visits, meeting with friends over a quick meal, and hasty grocery store visits. February Feels Cramped. Being the shortest month of the year, February tends
Duffy Roll Delight Read More »
So much is hapening in the field of special education and rehabilitiation. We have the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act, which we will talk more about soon. The other significant new breathrough passed by the Congress in …… are ABLE Accounts, which in some ways resemble a college 529 Savings Acccoun.ABLE Like Medicaid programs, each
Just What is an ABLE Account? Read More »
March Madness does exist at Mikelle’s home, but it is more like madness for making money at her Bracelet Bonanza Party. While many things bring a smile to Mikelle’s face, nothing makes her more confident than gathering the green stuff in her small hand. At the first ever Social Security Beneficiaries Summit, via conference call,
It’s not March Madness, but it is Bracelet Bonanza! Read More »
Do the gifts of community come from systems or families? Intelligent, hardworking human services professionals discuss the need for inclusive communities and person-centered planning. I know, I have sat in numerous conference rooms over the years, I hear the concern in their voices as they acknowledge the elusive nature of creating enduring communities. If they could provide the
Three Gifts Under Our Christmas Tree 2015 Read More »
