Finding Joy in the Garden of Disabilities and Special Needs
I kneel in my garden bed. It has been freshly tilled and spread with a layer of composted manure. We have an ample supply, given that we have four horses on our farm. As rust-breasted bluebirds flit to-and-from nearby nesting boxes, I’m thinking about raising vegetables, flowers, and kids with special needs for the past […]
Making Every Day a Great Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day 2021 has come and gone. Yet I linger thinking about my mother. In Part 1 of this two-part blog piece, I expressed what it was like to lose my mother suddenly on Mother’s Day 2002. Today, I talk about ways we can make every day a mini-Mother’s Day. Because a healthy, happy mother […]
4 Ways Caretakers Can Take Care (Part 2 of 2)
Hi again! In Part 1, I talked about using The Serenity Prayer to keep a proper perspective. I also talked about the need for self-care and gave some examples of what has helped me over the years. Today, I’m sharing two more ways we can take care of ourselves. Come along with me over […]
Stop Making Self-Care for Caregiving a Dirty Word
Jolene Philo is the author of several books including Different Dream: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs. (Click on the title to find on Amazon). Jolene and I have both raised kids with special needs. We both know the toll of long-term caregiving. Her wise words are a balm for weary caregivers everywhere. […]
I Didn’t Want a Different Dream
My friend and fellow author, Jolene Philo, runs a helpful website dedicated to special needs kids and their caretakers. I’ve read all her books and have found her knowledge extremely helpful on my own journey in caring for special needs kids that led to my own special needs. After 21 years (this month) of caring […]
Nasty Little Whispers and the Truths Caregivers Can Use to Silence Them
Jolene Philo and I became friends due to our mutual experience in raising kids with special needs and our desire to help others who have walked similar paths to understand and find support. Jolene is the author of several books including Different Dream: A Practical Guide to Raising a Child with Special Needs. (Click on the […]
How Can We Turn Away from Such a Great Love?
Leslie Leyland Fields is a multi-faceted, precious jewel—brilliant, wise, accomplished, humble, and generous. She has been part of her family’s Alaskan commercial salmon fishing operation for decades on the edge of a continent. For the past four years, she has welcomed writers to her Alaskan wilderness fish camp each summer, teaching how to create beauty with words and […]