A time of good cheer. The holiday season is always a special time for the Shining Beautiful Team. It’s a chance to gather with our favorite people, share laughter, and celebrate all the moments that make life meaningful. But this year, like so many others, we’ve had to adjust and find new ways to embrace […]
A Shining Beautiful Christmas: Finding Joy in the Little Things Read More »
Celebrating Mikelle’s Birthday in the Shadows of Her Grandma’s Home This summer, Mikelle celebrated her birthday at the home of her brother Kasey and his wife Allison, once her beloved Grandma’s house for sixty-two years. Although it marked the second birthday without her Grandma, gathering friends in the revitalized backyard breathed new life into the celebration.
A Tale of Two Celebrations: Mikelle’s Memorable Birthday Bash Read More »
The kitchen table in Mikelle’s cozy condo hosts countless conversations. It’s where the Shining Beautiful team gathers, supporting each other through the chaos and adventures of everyday life. Each day, the table—and sometimes the coffee table—is laden with coffee mugs, a fresh breakfast or a plate of freshly baked chocolate croissants, and the weight of
Conversations Over Coffee: Navigating a Chaotic World Read More »
Thanksgiving is approaching, and families gather around the dinner table, sharing stories and side dishes. It’s also a time to remember those no longer with us, whose influence shaped our lives in positive and challenging ways. Grateful for the fight. The past several months have been challenging for Mikelle and me as we’ve navigated some
It’s Not Perfect. But, we are grateful for it. Read More »
Community Connects at Eye Level We all desire a certain amount of control over our lives in what we eat, where we go, and who we see, and Mikelle is no different. Most enjoy sitting across the table and sharing coffee with friends and family at the local cafe. We sit at eye level, read
The Big Wheelchair Debate Read More »
Routine Life Most families have a routine. We have a daily set of rituals and activities that help us wake up, move around the house and help us run around our communities, and chat with each other over coffee. Yet, we all know that when the dishwasher does work, or the car won’t start, it
Our Everything, Everywhere All At Once! Read More »
Tradition Every year is different, yet the same during the holidays. Tradition abounds at the Shining Beautiful household. So Mikelle’s annual holiday party is not to be missed. Except for last year when holiday parties took a COVID hiatus. Even this year, the darn virus threatens to disrupt as the Omicron mutation grows. But, thrice
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 challenges like parental surgeries and
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 of neurological damage. A parent
Am I Eating Right? Read More »
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”. ~ The World Blind Union Cavepeople
Adding Voice to Advocacy Read More »
