Book Blog
Welcome to This Life We Got
For the past nine years—ever since my daughter Sienna was born—I’ve been writing our story here.
What began as a blog has unfolded more like a book: chapters of family, advocacy, education, and inclusion, written with raw honesty and heart. This space is a peek behind the curtain of our lives, where vulnerability meets persistence, and where I hope you’ll find inspiration for whatever you need today. Readers often tell me it’s the honesty that keeps them coming back. I’m so glad you’re here. Use the search bar to dive into any topic that speaks to you—family, advocacy, education, or inclusion.
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Different is cool
I was having a hard time coming up with something to write today. One reason being I have had no time to think, let alone write. We hit the ground running this morning with school, aquatic therapy at the Children’s…
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Emotional Intelligence
A fellow Rockin mom shared a wonderful anecdote with me when Sienna was born. Unlike me, she had a very positive experience when she learned of her child’s diagnosis. The doctor who delivered the news had a teenage son with…
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The R Word
Today’s post is a little tough to write, but I feel it’s important. It’s NEVER acceptable to use the R word. Since Sienna has been born, I’ve heard it used by close family members, close friends, and even a teacher…
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Down Syndrome Awareness Month Fun Facts
Is she high functioning? When Sienna was first born, one of the questions I was asked the most was, “Is she going to be high functioning?”. Down syndrome has no spectrum. It affects different people in different ways. It’s…
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Down Syndrome Awareness Month
The month of October is Down syndrome awareness month. If you follow us on Instagram (@thislifewegotblog), you know that we have been posting a fact, an anecdote, and pictures of Sienna each day of the month. Some of the posts…
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My Rockin Mom Family
When you become a mom for the first time, your life is never the same. No matter how prepared you are, the questions come. Is this how much the baby should be sleeping? Is the baby eating enough? How much…
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Our Biggest Win – Breastfeeding
When Sienna was born, we were unprepared. We had no idea that she had Down syndrome until she arrived. I had done no special preparing in regards to breastfeeding. While I was pregnant, I was even thinking that breastfeeding would…
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When Haley Met Sienna
As you can imagine, the next day was full of mixed emotions. People were texting wondering why I hadn’t sent pictures of Sienna. They wanted an update on the delivery. Was everything okay? I didn’t know what to say or…
