100-Word Tiny Witty Window Memory
Funny 100-Word Memory - It was 1989 and my dad thought our new wheelchair van had magic windows. The truth made us both laugh!
Topic
Category: Disability & Family Life
18 stories
Our Amish Story-One Hoof at a Time
The cell phone rings, and my husband, Mitch, answers. “Hi, it’s Jacob.” “Hey, Jacob, what's up?” Mitch replies. This is not just any friend; this is a call…
This Will Make You Stronger: Parenting a Child with Special Needs
I am not saying our life wasn't hard. At times, life was exhausting, isolating, and stressful. Yet the joys outweighed the hard times, and when I look back,…
Jessica’s House, Downtown Voices
In a world that often moves too fast, Jessica’s dinner table, filled with love, friendship, and music, reminds us what truly matters. I enter my daughter Jessica’s house.…
Easy Moving Tips for Families Raising Kids with Disabilities
Moving with a family member with a disability? Discover essential tips to make the process smoother and less stressful for your family.
Happy Birthday, Jessica
Happy Birthday, Jess - Chapter 1 - Raising Jess: A Story of Hope- April 11, 1982, The beginning of our story. As the months passed, the doctor continued…
OMG! Jessica and I are in Exceptional Parent Magazine: A Home of Her Own
OMG! Jessica and I are featured in Exceptional Parent Magazine! 💛 “A Home of Her Own” is about hope, independence, and keeping an open mind and heart as…
How to Help Your Child with Special Needs Engage with the Arts
It can be hard to know where to start. The paint sets get knocked over, the music is too loud, the instructions feel vague — and suddenly art…
How FaceTime Keeps Us Close to Our Nonverbal Daughter Jess
Are you snowed in this morning? Here's a heartWARMING blog to warm YOUR Hearts! FaceTime with Jess: Staying Connected with our Nonverbal Daughter: A Very Short Story
I Am Not Defined by Disability: Seeing our Daughter Through Strength, not Disability
Our daughter Jessica is 43 and has severe intellectual disabilities. This is a parent's perspective of defining our daughter by her abilities and strengths, seeing past the disability.
Seizures and Bravery
Bravery isn’t always loud—it’s Mitch’s calm, my panic-to-strength, and Jessica facing the unimaginable every time
Two Years for a Teeth Cleaning: A Dental Story with a Happy Ending
After 2 years of waiting, a confusing policy, a last-minute call, and one amazing doctor, Jessica finally made it to the OR— A Dental Story
UNIQUE Little Red Book: Our Daughter, with a Severe Intellectual Disability, Story in an International Book 📕
A rare genetic diagnosis gave us a name, a global community—and a spot in the not-so-little UNIQUE Red Book.
Recipe for Disaster with a Happy Ending : Sibling Advocacy for Our Daughter With Severe Intellectual Disabilities
A choking scare in 2012 changed everything. Our son, Alex, instinct led to new safety protocols—and saved his sister Jessica from disaster.
Jessica and Medicaid
Many ask, 'How are proposed Medicaid cuts going to affect your daughter Jessica?' I don’t mind the question, but I wish I had an answer. #Medicaid #DisabilityRights #Healthcare…
My View: Life’s Battles Continue Regardless of Circumstances: Medical Appointments with our Daughter with Severe Intellectual Disabilities 
As seen in Buffalo News, Jessica’s hygienist writes a new chapter each visit— “How to dodge bites, flails while using sharp tools!” 🦷
Thankful for Superhero Healthcare Folks: Bones, Scopes & Hopes
An essay about scopes and Jessica’s colonoscopy? EWWW – Don't despair; no details are given other than a heartwarming story about healthcare providers' unique kindness and compassion. And…
Finally Seeing Our Daughter Jessica After 54 Days Apart
We have all lost a lot of control of our day-to-day “normal” lives during the Pandemic. Slowly we are trying to regain our footing and although things may…
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