The other day I read, “Remember how exhausting that newborn parenting phase was? Well, some special needs parents have been doing that for years. So let that sink in.” It is a meme that is supposed to inspire thought and compassion from those who don’t know what it’s like to have a child of severe need but have a child and therefore know the feeling of exhaustion. But, unfortunately, to me, it placed an elephant in the room. I want
Ever have a realization smack you in the face? In my case, I sat up straight, my eyes began to lose their focus, my heart began to pump a little faster, my stomach started to twist, and I felt distant but completely clear and present at the same time. “You got tired of me canceling, and I got tired of making excuses.” That was the line written by Tracey Higgins that did it. This moment of clarity as to why
Little do we know when we are children how much of a luxury having time is. I remember saying how I couldn’t wait to be older and my grandmother telling me, “you will always be old, but you will only be young once,” something I wish I had appreciated at the moment more. She was trying to tell me that I would one day yearn for time, but mostly to enjoy the moments we have. So, when the reality struck
For a year and a half, I worked out in the room attached to our playroom. There is a sliding glass door that leads into a mostly glass room which looks out into the backyard. This also means anyone who is in the playroom can see me peddling away on the Peloton. Over the last year that everyone has been home, there are days my husband would say, “take a ride,” and if you need exercise as I do, many
What kind of friend am I? I am always busier these days. I have children, so I can’t do anything for myself during “normal” hours. I’ve moved three time zones from one set of friends, two from the next, and I somehow need to make new friends where I live now in the middle of a pandemic. I don’t want to be a bad friend, but the deck is stacked pretty high. I am busy, stressed out, my life consists
Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Oxford Dictionary When the idea for Our Hidden Stories started, it didn’t have a name, but it did have a concept—that it was okay to not always have a positive message. This idea can be disturbing for some people, and it can be sad for others. However, it can also be a sigh of relief for a parent or caregiver who feels overwhelmed, overburdened, and downright
