Jeanette’s MOMent (Editor’s Note: At times we feel led to share Mom Stories from moms who write to us. We ask that you would lift up a prayer for Jeanette,…
Special Needs
Expectations and Giving Myself Grace
Expectations are a bit like resolutions, aren’t they? They can get us into a load of trouble, especially if you’re like me and set the bar too high. I recently…
My Mature Mom Moment
Rachel, my daughter with autism, adheres to routine. Her favorite activity is riding the school bus, which is not available on Saturdays. She didn’t get the memo. At 3 a.m.,…
Learning My Little Boy Has Epilepsy—And Its Unexpected Gift
It wasn’t quite the Christmas present we would have chosen. But it has impacted our family in a way we could never have expected. A few months ago, we were…
Expectations vs. Reality: What to Do When Life Doesn’t Match The Plan
Expectations are like rabbits. They can be warm and fuzzy, but when ungoverned, all manner of problems result. The other day I had only a few minutes to make a…
Moms Need Encouragement
The other day Eldest and I had a wonderful mother-daughter date … until the drive home. Somehow, reflection on a movie shifted into an argument about laundry, which ended in…
Autism, Food, and Weighty Parenting Issues
As a child I struggled with food. Texture issues and a strong gag reflex made meals a chore. I didn’t even like going over to friends’ houses because I was…
The Martyr Mom
Yesterday I starred in my very own production of Martyr Mom. I’m the only one who does any work around here, I thought. The closing act of my mom drama was…
Teens and Diagnosis
I spent one nervous day this past summer waiting for calls and texts from my husband, who was accompanying our teenage son during medical tests. We were waiting for results….
A Lesson in Tenacity From My Daughter with Autism
Even though she is minimally verbal, my 9-year-old daughter Rachel can stick to a subject. For example, this year she decided she wanted to ride the special needs bus to…