Chloe's Favorite Toy

So I've been meaning to post about this forever for my fellow special needs friends... Chloe is SO in love with this toy bar/gym. Oby made it out of pvc pipe for almost nothing. She got it for Christmas and, yes, I'm just getting around to posting this. I really need to do a video sometime. This girl goes wild just to bat at these toys over and over again! Love this little lady....

Chloe's Message

October is disability awareness month.

I had been feeling guilty for letting half the month go by without addressing the topic. But every time I sat down to write my thoughts about it, I thought that I didn't want to bombard everyone with more disability awareness.... isn't my life one big disability awareness campaign stuck on repeat?!? I am awe-struck and astonished by everything I've learned from those with disabilities and the people who frequently interact with them. But I talk about it all the time -- on my three blogs, on facebook, in my interactions with everyone I meet! Do I really need to do a "special" post about it?

Then Chloe, as usual, inserted her wisdom and left me humble. We had a little heart-to-heart, non-verbal discussion. I didn't need to give my opinion yet again, but Chloe wants me to give her opinion on the subject. How do you disregard that type of call to action? Um, let me tell ya what -- you don't. And if you think I'm crazy, think again. This message is truly not my own.

So here goes, Chloe,... my attempt to do what you "told me" to do.

From Chloe's heart to your heart, please soak up this message...

See the beauty in everything
(including yourself)

Be kind to everyone
(including yourself)

I don't want to muddy up Chloe's simple message too much, but I do want to add just a couple of thoughts.

I have always and will always believe that Chloe willingly accepted a divine call to be on this earth with physical limitations. I believe in the wisdom of her old and beautiful soul that she knew she had a special song to sing that could only be heard when people's hearts were softened and humbled. It is a lovely song born of fragility and vulnerability that beckons each person who meets Chloe to appreciate and have joy in and gratitude for life, with all its disappointments, triumphs, peaks and valleys.... Because of her fragility and vulnerability that is so blatantly obvious, she is able to relay a message to other people that they may otherwise miss. Yet aren't we all fragile? Aren't we all vulnerable? Of course the answer is yes. So, then, aren't we all "disabled" in some way? Don't we all have "special needs"? In my opinion, the answer is still yes. So I believe "disability awareness" is a much more broad concept than we may initially realize. I think what Chloe is trying to tell us is that we are all different and we are all perfectly imperfect. Let's see those differences and celebrate them! Let's be authentic. Let's appreciate what makes each of us beautiful and unique!

Because of those imperfections that Chloe has reminded us to see the beauty in, we are going to stumble and fall on occasion. People are going to make mistakes -- both those who are closest to us and sometimes complete strangers. But we need to forgive them. We need to see deeper. We need to give unending love and kindness. I can solemnly swear this is what Chloe does no matter what. She is unrestrained in giving love. Every single person who meets her feels it. It is the most pure love I've ever encountered. Her love is not "earned" and she expects absolutely nothing in return. Because her physical state requires the help and understanding of others, she is inherently constantly beckoning others to be kind and give love as well. Because she is frequently physically ill, she is constantly begging us to strip away all the complications of life and stay home together, keep it simple, and just love each other!

Again, I don't mean to take away from the simplicity of her message. I just felt the need to let everyone know that Chloe doesn't only ask these things of us, but she truly lives up to the request as well. It is a privilege to be her voice and share her message. Thanks for being aware, not just this month, but always.

Friends

One of my favorite silver linings to being a special needs mom is the other special needs moms I have been able to meet that I otherwise never would have! I especially have a soft spot in my heart for the "kidz krew", other moms who help me out by posting on kidz. Not all of the kidz krew is from Utah, but some of us who do live in Utah have gotten together a couple of times recently, and it has been a real treat!

Jenny, Chrystal, Jennie, me!, and April at Gardner Village - yum!

Literally, it was a treat! ;)

April and her carrot cake

These beautiful women are such an example to me. I simply adore them all! Their positive attitudes and perseverence astonish and inspire me.

Jenny & Samantha

Chrystal & Hunter

Callie, Chloe & Samantha

Callie & Caitlin

Chloe, Samantha, Callie, Hunter & Caitlin

Don't let Chloe's face in the above pictures fool you. She was overjoyed to be with her friends!....

She was particularly enamored with Sammy. And I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual! :)

Cheers to all my special friends! Love you all!!!

Chloe & Jenny

On the Radio

KSL Newsradio, a Utah station, highlighted kidz on their show and website today. Check it out here!





I'm so proud of my little blog, it means so much to me!

Tulip Festival Open Invitation

Hey, all my special needs friends in Utah....
you've read Welcome to Holland, right?
Come tiptoe through the tulips with others who also had the experience of "landing in Holland" with their special needs child(ren)....


Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival is amazing!
I cannot think of a better place
to celebrate our unexpected life amid the tulips
than at this venue with my other special needs friends.

This is an open invitation.
Feel free to spread the word, or come even if we've never met! If I've learned anything in these four years, it's that one of the best parts about life in Holland are the other tourists you meet along the way....

Let me know for sure if you're coming and how many will be with you
(manntar@hotmail.com)
because I'd like to make windmills for all the kids
and will give you my phone number so we can be in contact that day, just in case ;)

p.s. I'm going to contact Thanksgiving Point to see if they may possibly offer a discounted price for this special group. If I don't tell you otherwise, though, plan on an entry fee.
Details about the Tulip Festival
(prices, directions, etc)
can be found here.

And remember....

Feeling Lucky

I feel so lucky and blessed today. Maybe it's St. Patrick's Day fever? Or spring fever? I don't know and I don't care, I love it!



Speaking of luck and St. Patrick's Day, I just realized that I needed to let you know that if you're looking for any cute St. Patrick's Day ideas -- crafts, decorations, food, activities -- kidz is the place to find it. I had good intentions of making a few garlands for the house, but what I'll probably do is something cute for Chloe's wheelchair the day of and something to send for her classmates. Anywho, here's a glimpse of some of the ideas, but go check out all of them!

Actually, this banner is essentially NO work
because it's a free printable.
Hmmmm.... guess I might throw this up in a hurry after all!

Should I send this with Oby for lunch on St. Patrick's Day?
LOL, how funny would that be.
I'm totally going to do it!

Green eggs and rainbow toast = super duper cute idea from my pal Bree!
Love this!

Who Chloe Is vs What Chloe Has

When I think of Chloe, I think of everything that she is, everything she teaches me, that big beautiful personality that simply exudes joy!



I think of how much sunshine Chloe brings into the lives of every single person she meets. She shines so much light!



I think of how happy and how beautiful she is.


March is Cerebral Palsy awareness month.



Sometimes I forget that Chloe has Cerebral Palsy. Chloe is just Chloe to me, she is not defined by her diagnosis. Not in my world, anyway.


However, because of Chloe's diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, we have been strengthened. We have learned more about love and faith and hope than I ever thought possible.


We have learned to depend on love and faith and hope -- because it's all we have AND it's all that really matters anyway!



Thank you to everyone who loves and supports Chloe and our family through our journey with Cerebral Palsy.

Please take a moment to learn a little bit about Cerebral Palsy. Just a few things that I think most people don't understand about it:

• People in our world frequently refer to Cerebral Palsy as CP.
• CP is not contagious (I've been asked that several times, if you can believe it!)
  
• It's an "umbrella" diagnosis. In other words, there are many specific diagnoses that fall under the umbrella of CP. Cerebral Palsy includes a neurological deficit (usually damage on the cerebrum) that causes any type of movement disorder. So if you know someone who has Cerebral Palsy and wonder why Chloe's physical limitations are so much more severe than the other person you know, well it's probably because their "real" diagnosis is actually very different. Make sense? Chloe's specific diagnosis is West Syndrome -- although that has more to do with symptoms than cause, but it's the closest thing to a diagnosis we have.
  
• People with CP are awesome! You should get to know them!
• When you see someone with CP, or anyone with some sort of movement disorder, as you pass them, don't frown. Everyone is always frowning at Chloe as we stroll her around in her wheelchair. How sad! I know they just feel bad that her body doesn't work the way they think it should. I get it. But it's sad to go around seeing people frowning all the time! Chloe is always smiling and I wish that everyone would just smile back at her -- and everyone like her!
• 
• For all other factoids about Cerebral Palsy, go here.
• To show your support, wear a green shirt or ribbon throughout the month of March, specifically on March 20th, and let people know why, because....

New Look

You may have noticed that this blog got a new look recently. What happened was that I went to update my header for TMI, and I was completely uninspired. So I decided to start from scratch, and endless jubilee was the result.

I know most people resist change, but I am quite the opposite. I thrive on change.... it inspires me and rejuvenates me!

So after I got the new look for this blog, I realized it was time to udpate kidz. Oh how I loved the original design, but it had been that way for over two years now! Go check out the new look and let me know what you think of our special place for special needs. :)

p.s. I had the best time going to Chloe's class today. I can't wait to share all the fun details -- tomorrow! ;O)

An Invitation to *Wink*

Imagine yourself pregnant. You're expecting a sweet little bundle of joy with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. You go in for the ultrasound and you're told your baby very well may not be born alive. And that if your baby is born alive, he most likely will not live long.

And then he is born alive.... with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes.... plus one eye and one amazing spirit....


Miraculously he lives long enough that you get to take him home where he will stay on hospice care because you are told he will not live long.

And then he lives. He lives 6 days, then 6 months.... He lives so long that eventually you take him off hospice care. You love him. He grows. He touches you in ways you couldn't imagine.

And he lives to celebrate his 6th birthday.


This is what my friend April is experiencing this week. Her Caleb is turning SIX!

She has a special request of everyone who wants to participate in Caleb's birthday wish, but before I tell you about that, I want to share just a little lesson that Caleb taught me.

Caleb's story was one of the very first ones I shared on the kidz blog. His story touched me so profoundly that I spent the better part of two days reading every single post on his blog because I just couldn't get enough of Caleb and his little lessons and his special mom and her little lessons. Chloe couldn't get enough either! She would smile and squeal in excitement every time she saw a picture of Caleb on the computer screen. And so I all but stalked them down because I knew we simply had to be friends. I didn't actually stalk them, people, sheesh! With permission, I met up with April once when Caleb was in the hospital, then since then we've had a few special lunches and never miss each others' blog posts.

Wow. I am wordy, aren't I?!?! TMI all the way. Let me get to point.

So the first day I met Caleb was a little over a year ago. I had a specific issue on my mind that I had been fretting over for weeks and praying about for just as long. I couldn't let this issue go and didn't know what to do about it.

Then I met Caleb.

The issue quite simply disappeared. Just being around Caleb touched me so much. It was like his heart reached out and touched mine and told me that the answer was love. And when I put love into the equation, the issue was resolved. Love was the answer.

Love is the answer. When we strip away all the complexities of the world, when we really get at the root of each of us -- the simplest most inner parts -- all that really matters is that we can love and be loved. That is what Caleb teaches me.

He is a little wink from heaven that reminds us to love and let everything else go.

So now to a special Birthday request from Caleb's mom, April.....


~~~~~

Caleb celebrates his 6th birthday this week!
My little miracle turns 6!
He's old enough to be in kindergarten!
He has 2 wiggly front teeth!


To an outsider looking in, his physical capabilities haven't changed much since he was a baby.
His body isn't able to hold his head, to sit or to stand.
His mouth doesn't know how to eat.
He needs help to breathe.
His eyes don't always see.
His muscles need help to stretch and reach.
He loves to be held.


Yet...
insiders know

Caleb lifts
His smile radiates
He breathes hope
He winks
He reaches out
He holds us


Caleb loves. Really loves.
His little wink reminds us every day that love is his mission.
So this year Caleb has a special birthday wish for each of you.

WINK

Find a way to love someone. Really love someone.

*lift* smile* hope* wink*
*reach out* hold*

If you'd like to take the challenge, leave us a comment telling us where you're from - then spread the word! Let's see if we can share a Wink around the World for my little boy who has never uttered a word, yet who says so much- with a little wink.

~~~~~

I'm going to reach out and wink..... Are you???

"Wait and See"

Because of the kidz blog, people -- complete strangers -- often reach out to me when they have a new diagnosis for their child, or no diagnosis for that matter. I'm glad to be of any help I can, although it's very limited. I've been corresponding quite a bit with one mother whose experiences with her child, so far, have reminded me a lot of our experiences of first learning about Chloe's condition and all the frustrations we had during that process.

This sweet mom keeps asking me what to expect.

"Will she do this? Will she do that? Will I be able to do this with her? What will people think? You don't think she'll need a wheelchair, do you?"

I find myself giving the response that used to make me cringe.

"You'll just have to wait and see."

Ugh, I remember thinking that was such a cop-out answer from doctors. I thought for sure they knew and they just didn't want to tell me the grim truth or were afraid to give me the hope I was seeking. But with a couple years of wisdom (provided by Chloe) and motherly experience under my belt, I realize it's the truth. You just don't know. No mother really knows those things about each of their children, but especially those children with special needs. And so here I am just a few short years later, echoing those words I used to dread, yet heard so often.

"Wait and see." To which I add, "She will be who she is and do what she does and you will love and simply adore her."

I understand now that there are so many things that a medical professional could never have guessed about Chloe. What a joy it has been to wait and see all the things that make her -- her.

• How much she loves to snuggle.
• The way her eyes flutter and her lips turn up in a smile as she drifts off to sleep.
• The way she loves to hug and kiss everyone -- teddy bears, dolls, family, friends, strangers, cartoon characters, pictures in books. She loves to give love. She IS love.
• How special her hugs are. We help her put her arms around our necks, but then she squeezes just as hard as she can and it feels an awful lot what I imagine heaven will be like.
• How just when I'm in that heavenly hug, she mischievously starts yanking on my hair and giggling because she knows she's not supposed to pull on mommy's hair!
• How she has the tightest grip imagineable and sweaty little palms from always being fisted, and so when she gets those hands tangled in my hair, it takes an army of about 5 adults to unravel the mess. I've asked for help from strangers in stores and in parking lots one more than one occasion just so I could go on with my day.
• How before I had Chloe, if I had known about having to ask strangers for help getting my child to unclench my hair, I would have DIED at the thought. But how when it happens, it seriously makes me laugh so hard!
• How much she loves to play dress up with funny hats and silly head bands. She'll fuss, though, if I dress her up and don't show how cute she looks in the mirror.
• How much she loves girlie things -- earrings, ruffles, pretty shoes, cute clothes, pretty bows, and even make up! I put blush on her while I'm getting ready almost every morning or she'll fuss. On special occasions I let her wear eye shadow too.
• How much of a terrible sleeper she is.
• I think she's a terrible sleeper because she wants to be with people, not alone.
• How when I hear her first cry at night, I actually wake up in relief that she's alive. No matter how hard I try not to, I worry every single night that she's going to pass away.... that she won't be able to get out of a position that restricts her airway and she won't be able to cry for help. Or that we haven't checked something in her heart and it will just stop one day. It's illogical. She'll probably live a long lovely life, but if she goes to heaven even one minute before me, it will be far too soon.
• How after the fourth or fifth time she wakes up in the night, I get angry. And then I feel guilty for being angry. And then I get over all of it as soon as I'm holding Chloe because she lets me know it's okay -- to not be angry or to feel guilty, because love is all I can feel when I'm with her.
• How much I love laying in bed with her at night and studying her face in the moonlight.
• How even though she doesn't "speak" very often, she still communicates very well.
• What a silly and fun personality she is. How she goes to give me a kiss sometimes, then when I'm swooping in for it, she turns away and giggles hysterically.
• How much she loves music.
• How much MORE I love her when she's sick or hurting.
• How I actually like to smell her farts or poopy diapers. Don't think I'm a sicko, I don't actually like the scent, but I like knowing that her digestion is working that day!
• How cute it is when she pouts.
• How precious she looks in her wheelchair and how much I love her wheelchair -- the color, the freedom it gives us -- I love it.
• How excited she gets when daddy comes home.
• How she never gives up when she's trying to accomplish something.
• How hard she works just to turn her head to the left. Or to the right. Or to hold her head up. Or to swallow. And never feels sorry for herself or acts frustrated.
• How much she loves to dig crayons out of a box just to throw them on the ground and dig more crayons out and repeat.
• How much I love to hear her giggling in the other room, just having fun playing by herself.
• How much I love to watch her playing with other children and not wanting me to come get her.
• How much she loves to be the center of attention.

Wow. I didn't realize what a Pandora's box this would be. I could go on and on and on and on.

My point is this. My list has nothing to do with Chloe's milestones (or lack thereof), test scores or physical strength. It has to do with the BIG SOUL she has inside that little body. It has to do with the person she is, that no physical condition could alter, and the special lessons she teaches.


She is smart and has tested very well cognitively. She has been able to accomplish many things physically that I once didn't know would be possible. But those things don't matter much to me. Not anymore. CHLOE is all that matters and I can't "wait and see" what other beautiful, special, funny, delightful and amazing things I get to find out about her and learn from her and love about her along this unexpected yet wonderful journey.

So Much More

Have I ever told you about the hiatus I took from life when we first found out Chloe had brain damage? Of course I haven't. I don't even think I've told my husband about what went on during those monumental days, so why would I share it on a public blog for all to read? Oh well, here I go....

You've read the story. We found out in the ER that Chloe had brain damage and many tests would follow. I was working full-time back then (wow, life really does come full circle, eh?) so I immediately called in "sick." I told them my leave was indefinite, so I filed for FMLA and planned on at least taking two weeks so I had time to get to all the appointments that suddenly filled my calendar.

Time. I suddenly had time that I wasn't used to. Time to take in Chloe's goodness (hooray). Time to research the internet (oye). My search of the internet was so bittersweet. I wanted to understand and be informed about what was wrong with my baby and what could be wrong. I wanted to be prepared with questions so I could get answers. But all the information that kept coming up was doom and gloom about the prognosis of a child with the type of damage in Chloe's brain. It was good to armor myself with knowledge, but it was also very discouraging. So when I got feeling too depressed, I would take a break from all the medical websites and search uplifting/inspiring quotes. One stood out to me in particular:


Courage. That was what I needed. I knew it and I prayed for it because courage wasn't going to come easily to ME. My initial reaction was to think of all Chloe would miss out on and our family would miss out on because of the type of diagnosis I knew was forthcoming. Yet, when I read this quote, something inside of me whispered, 'If you have courage with Chloe's diagnosis, you won't miss out on anything; in fact, your life will be filled with so much more than you can now imagine.' Now, I have quite an imagination, so to think that there could be more in store for us than what I could dream possible..... Wow. And so this became my own personal motto as I soaked it all in.

When Chloe was born and I instinctively believed something to be wrong, that was hard. But to see the actual brain CT scan and know for sure that the road ahead was going to be filled with question marks and difficulties, wow. To read things online about short life spans, children who don't have a personality or smile, children who don't walk or talk.... I just wanted to curl my knees up to my chest and lay in the fetal position.

That's not what I did, though. I prayed for courage. Then I acted. It wasn't easy. It still isn't easy, but I pray, then I go and somehow the courage comes.

I first needed courage to face the doctors, to get answers, to start therapies, to allow Chloe to have tests done. Then it took courage to start a blog and start talking about things that were hard to talk about -- our unexpected life and all that went with it -- the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Then something occurred to me. I was sure others had probably been through something similar as what I went through when I first knew something was wrong with my daughter and started researching the internet. All those discouraging sites and cold, factual information about what life is like with a child who has special needs. And I realized I could do something about it. I could create a site where people who actually lived with a special child could share the positive and inspirational stuff, not just the discouraging stuff. The name came to me almost instantly, kidz -- like most kids, but just a little bit unique!

The thought overwhelmed me. This would take so much courage, more than I thought I had. I was scared to reach out to others and ask them to read my blog and participate in this concept. Believe it or not, shyness is my natural instinct, but with courage, I've learned to reach out. So I started searching blogs, trying to find all my special needs friends. There were more than I ever could have imagined and they gave me more than I knew was possible -- so much more! The more I searched the more I found that there were many amazing people, from all walks of life, living a life very similar to mine. It was comforting. Until then, I thought I was so alone and isolated. But to discover all these incredible people and their incredible stories and perspectives and never-give-up attitudes. Wow. I was so grateful that courage had led me down this path.

But then I thought that there were all these blogs out there about people with children who have special needs.... there didn't need to be a kidz blog. So I put it out of my mind (or tried to, anyway). But something kept nagging at me. It would not leave me alone. The kidz blog had to be.

And so I started it. It started small. It's been through ebbs and flows of popularity, getting many hits a day to only a handful. Initially, I was obsessive about it and it was top priority in my life, second only to Chloe and Oby. But then when I've been busy with things, I've put it on the back burner and even considered deleting the blog altogether a few times. But still, something always nags at me to keep going with it. To connect with people. To be courageous and keep reaching out. And every time I take a courageous step forward with the kidz blog, I get so much more than I was ever looking for.

The friendships I have made because of this blog truly defy description. I have been spiritually uplifted, my heart touched and my soul healed on more occasions than I could name. So often it seems a person shares a post on their blog that was written just for me in that moment and it gets me through. I initially thought I would start the kidz blog to do something good, but I never understood that it would give something so positive to me. I thought I could help other people, but they have helped me. It's been incredible.

Turns out the quote is right. Having courage truly has caused our lives to expand and has brought more blessings and joy than I could have imagined.

Which brings me to the actual point of this post (wow, TMI is NO exaggeration around here!)....

I'd like you to meet the new 'Kidz Krew.' They are some of the elect friends I have made on this journey. Their stories, their beautiful children, their courageous spirits, their uplifting attitudes - it is more than I could ask to just look at their blogs and read about them. But to know them and call them my friends and count on them to help me with a project I started, it's more than I could ask for -- so much more!

Go here to meet them. You will not be disappointed!

Differently Abled Toy Guide

Hooray that this toy guide exists!

Hip hip hooray that you can share our opinions about it! Read more about this opportunity HERE!

To Tweet or Not To Tweet. That is the Question.

I have to ask.

Are you a twitter-er?




I've been considering it for awhile now.

Here's my problem. I know I'll love it. I already have so many things that I love that consume my time. So is it worth it?

I dragged my feet to start a blog because I knew I'd love it. Four blogs later and, well, you see how that turned out. Not only do I keep up the four blogs, but I stop by all my family, friends and bloggy buddies' blogs as often as possible. I don't think an hour goes by most days that I don't think, "Oh, I should blog about this!" It is a huge part of my life.

I hesitated signing up for facebook. I now update my status every day and couldn't possibly miss out on any of my friend's status updates or new photos or anything at all! I've either got to let them know that I like their status, love their photo, or leave a comment of some sort. It's addicting.

And don't even get me started on digital scrap booking. There's not enough time in the day to go into that.

Now I've really got going on the playground planning and fund-raising. (I can't believe how supportive people are. It is heart-warming and exciting!)

I'm also thinking 24/7 about my weight loss (20 lbs down, yet still a long way to go). I track everything I take in and every second I exercise (or don't). I've got charts, graphs, books on my laptop and in my purse and on my nightstand.... talk about consuming!

And then there are the usual things that consume my day: cleaning, parenting, husband-bonding, etc.

(p.s. I'm not trying to insinuate that I'm any busier than anyone else. I still have time for long baths, reading good books, seeking out new music, playing Hangman and Scrabble on my phone, and quite a few TV shows, so I know that I'm doing just fine with my allotted 24-hours per day.)

But here's my question. Is there room for twitter? If I make room for it, will it be worth it? It's gotta be worth it because I know myself. If I do sign up for twitter, I will become a tweet queen. It's just in my nature and there's no way around it. And that might get me in trouble!....





It's not because I'm searching out another hobby. I just think it might enable me to meet more people that can help teach me wonderful things to put on the kidz blog. I also think it might be a great way to help get the word out about the playground and its fund-raising events.

I dunno. What do you think? Those who tweet, please, speak now or forever hold your peace!!! Because even though I kind of understand what it is, I don't really know how it works or if it will work for my purposes. So share your thoughts!

Want Free Word Art?

I'm adding another little somethin-somethin to the kidz blog. On Thursday (a.k.a. Thoughtful Thursday), there will be an uplifting quote that will be turned into word art, that you are free to snag for your blog or whatever else you wish. Just wanted to spread the word, in case you want some cute word art! This week's quote is:

"The young do not know enough to be prudent. Therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it." ~Pearl Sydenstricker Buck

Head to kidz for the word art if you'd like!

Introducing Kidz Krew!

While we were working on our house, I was very lazy about the kidz blog, but I am back up and running with it and very excited with some changes that are happening - especially the kidz krew! These fantastic ladies have offered to help me keep up with posts on the kidz blog. Because they are all so unique and because they are all wonderful examples of advocates for their own special needs children, I know they will be an asset to the kidz blog - and just great examples to follow in every day life!....



Let me introduce you!....

April, mother of Caleb
Blog: Wink From Heaven
(Read Caleb's story HERE)

I am the mother to 4 wiggly and wonderful boys. This means I am an expert worm digger, stain get-er out-er and tickler. We call our third son, Caleb, our "Wink from Heaven." Caleb has hydrocephalus, and his brain largely did not form. Doctors didn't expect him to live for more than a few weeks. Caleb is now 4 1/2 years old! He has a joyful spirit and is a little miracle in our family. Among his various physical challenges, Caleb is missing one of his eyes. Even though he will never be able to say "I love you" with words, he tells us every day with his "wink!" His little wink is a daily message of love from heaven. Although most hours in my day are spent taking care of my boys and their needs, I also love going to the library, putting on my fuzzy socks and curling up with my latest find in juvenile literature. I love Gerber daisies, chap stick and warm chocolate chip cookies. I enjoy music, being outside, having adventures (even if they are only in my imagination), laughing, and spending time with my family. My idea of the perfect day is being surrounded by the people I love. I get excited for BYU sports, and I get fluttery when I hear my husband come home from work. My favorite word is joy. My favorite smell is sunshine, and I believe in miracles.

Ashley, mother of Clayton
Blog: I Never Imagined

I am a SAHM. I am a Christian, passionate about my family--also a homeschooler, a scrapbooker, and a wannabe photographer.

Colleen, mother of Kennedy & Zachary
Blog: The Princess & The Monkey

I have been married to Bob for a year now, but together for 8 years.I am stepmom to Bob's twins, Corie and Cortnie. I am a Mom to two children, Kennedy and Zachary. Both of my children have special needs. Kennedy has mitochondrial encenphalomyopathy. This causes her to have many medical problems. Zachary has autism. Having children with special needs has really paved the path for our family. The path sometimes is long and bumpy, but we always push on and find our way home.

Cristin, mother of Graham
Blog: Tiptoeing Through the Tulips
(Read Graham's story HERE)

I'm Mom to Graham, 6 years old. He's a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia survivor. Noboby is gonna know what that is. He also survived ECMO TWICE. Not many people will get what a BIG deal that is. Basically, he was so sick at birth, he should not have survived his first day, let alone the 3.5 month hospital stay as an infant, nor his first winter at home.

Results of his rough start are that he's tube fed, learning to eat and down to about half tube feeds now. Also, he lost most of his hearing thanks to the antibiotic Gentamicin, which he had massive doses of to keep him alive while on ECMO. He is also overcoming developmental delays, gross and fine motor troubles due to a couple brain bleeds while on ECMO.

I also have a normal kid. She's Dottie, 2.5 years old, healthy, ridiculously cute.

I work part time as a nurse, mostly long term care, Dementia, and Hospice (that's my favorite).

My blog is not for everyone, I understand that. I like bad words, and wine... the two appear frequently on my blog!

Diane, mother of Zoe & Trinity
Blog: Good Mourning, Glory!

I'm a Mom to two beautiful girls. I'm also an artist and I like to take pictures.

Keri, mother of Logan
Blog: Life of Logan

I am married to Jason. I am the very proud mother of Logan. He and his brother, Levi, are my pride and joy.

Kristina, mother of Emma
Blog: How Life Happens

I've been happily married to Chris for about 5 years. We have two daughters, Julia and Emma, who fill our lives with joy and laughter and loads of things to do that we find our life is more hectic than we could have imagined! Julia attends pre-school two days/week, loves to swim, dance and play on the swings. She is the sweetest little girl and best big sister! Emma is a social butterfly and a shameless flirt who makes fast friends with most people she meets. She was born with congenital CMV, a virus that I contracted in my first trimester of pregnancy, which resulted in profound hearing loss (deaf) and cerebral palsy. Emma uses a cochlear implant to hear and is kept busy with her doting crew of therapists! As for me, I am currently a stay-at-home mom that manages the day-to-day details around the house while making sure everyone is appropriately happy, healthy and at our appointments on time. In my spare time I love to read and take pictures and am currently taking a course in Photoshop to learn how to make the photos I take look good.

I am so excited! Be sure to stop by kidz when you have a chance!