1. I married my husband 43 years ago, we met as undergraduates at the University of Miami – He is the Ying to my Yang.

2. Our 3 children are now older than we were when we first became parents!

3. I am the award-winning author of Raising Jess: A Story of Hope. Check out the Amazon reviews!

4. Our oldest daughter, Jessica, has a rare chromosomal deletion and often serves as the inspiration for my blog posts.

5. I earned my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood from the University of Miami in 1979. In 2001, I completed my Master’s degree in Exceptional Education, specializing in Special Education.

6. It took me a decade to complete my Master’s degree at Buffalo State College, where I was honored with the President’s Medal for Outstanding Student. Despite this, I never held a full-time teaching position, although I did work as a substitute teacher.

7. I’m a ski enthusiast who thrives in cold weather!

8. I cherish being a Nana to our three grandchildren.

9. I served as the Manager of the Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC) at Oishei Children’s Hospital for Kaleida Health, and was also the Project Director of the Western New York State’s ECDC program for 18 years. Turns out, my degree came in handy after all!

10. We bought a camper upon retiring, not realizing that camping would become trendy post-Covid-19. This new lifestyle has inspired many of my blogs and even led us to upgrade to a new RV.

11. Our fur kids include two dogs: Gus, a Hungarian Vizsla, and Daniel, an Italian Greyhound.

12. After two decades of my mom urging me to write a book, I finally heeded her advice. My memoir, Raising Jess: A Story of Hope, was published in July 2021.

13. The book chronicles our journey raising Jessica and serves as a heartfelt memoir. Comprised of essays, it offers insights into life with a special needs child and provides information, hope, and encouragement for families facing similar challenges.

14. Believe it or not, I’ve battled COVID not just once, but twice!

15. I’ve been meat-free for 38 years, though I prefer to call myself a pescatarian. I once told a waiter, “I’m vegetarian, I’ll have the salmon,” only to get a lesson in labels. He corrected me, “You’re not vegetarian, you’re pescatarian if you eat fish.” Live and learn!

16. I indulge in a small bowl of chocolate ice cream every single night.  

Thank you for reading! In these extraordinary times, your comments and stories remind me that we’re not alone, and writing keeps me connected to all of you.

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