October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This pic says it all… champion siblings, and a mom holding on to all of them in the background. A good friend of mine, when talking about the fight of advocacy, said after years of experience raising her child that she is but a bandaid on this system. She … Continue reading Throwing Bandaids, Growing a New Way of Being
Miles of Memories: Marking Two Decades of Community
Community is everything. 💙 Wil enjoying the music and festivities at a Buddy Walk past. To celebrate Wil’s 20th Buddy Walk, I penned an article for the Manchester Mirror all about the power of showing up, local love, and the amazing people who make it all possible. We are endlessly grateful for the support right … Continue reading Miles of Memories: Marking Two Decades of Community
Spaces That Last
A farm where Wil has worked over the last few summers recently closed its doors. It was a space specifically created for people with disabilities—a true project of passion and heart started by a founder who has an adult daughter with a disability. In the end, he simply couldn’t keep up with the funding.My heart … Continue reading Spaces That Last
What Silly Socks Don’t Tell You
At school yesterday, we wore our silly socks for World Down Syndrome Day. Today is actually WDSD, but since there isn’t school on Saturday, we celebrated on Friday. As the other teacher assistants and I walked down the hall to pick up our students from the bus, we talked about our socks. I said that, … Continue reading What Silly Socks Don’t Tell You
Turning the Tide: A Story of Growth and Inclusion
Growing up, Wil has loved boat rides with his Grandma and Grandpa. So when his sisters were invited on an impromptu trip around the lake with some of the neighbor's kids, they jumped on — and Wil stayed back with his grandparents. My dad noticed a shift in Wil’s demeanor. He didn’t say anything, but … Continue reading Turning the Tide: A Story of Growth and Inclusion
Down Right Perfect
I remember one day wearing a “Down Right Perfect” t-shirt as I marched up to the high school doors to collect Wil after school hours because he had run from getting on the bus. He booked it up the steps to the second floor and hid. Once he was found, Mr. Walsh walked him down … Continue reading Down Right Perfect
Paradoxical Path
A singular new word Wil calmly adds to his vocabulary, in a such a way that only I — or his closest educators — would hear stands out like a stacatto flashing me back in time to a movie reel loop when he was 5 or 7 or 10, working a skill on a repeat … Continue reading Paradoxical Path
Wil is graduating; this is a hard one. Raising Wil I’ve gone through what I think of as “3 acceptances” so far: Acceptance of Ds Acceptance of new behaviors of puberty. (That was a tough one!! That truly took a village!) Acceptance of transitioning out of high school. Wil is ready to graduate, though; he’s … Continue reading
Leaders in Life
Our Human Services leader is telling us to be weak. To be devasted by a diagnosis. To feel damaged because our children are neurodiverse and may not pay taxes. I was devastated but I CHOSE to RISE! I CHOSE to love my child for who they were and to find others that gave me strength … Continue reading Leaders in Life
Light 💡 Ranch
Not so long ago, if anyone gave Wil choices he’d pick the last choice offered. This morning I asked him, “What dipping sauce do you want? Ranch, mustard, ketchup or honey mustard?” “H — Ranch.” Wil corrected his auto-response for what he wanted. Life is full of tiny miracles embedded within everyday occurrences. Our kids … Continue reading Light 💡 Ranch