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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Chaos Continued
For the past 11 or so months, I’ve missed the busyness of our lives. I am not going to lie. The first few months of the pandemic were the reprieve I have long desired. I enjoyed the stillness of time…
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For the New Families Entering this Extraordinary Journey
I stood in your shoes. I stood at the precipice of this life, my emotions engulfed in fear, grief, and uncertainty. I remember the congratulations and the welcomes from our community. I still felt uncertain and then I felt guilt…
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Wear Your Damn Mask
My phone rings. I immediately run to check caller ID. It’s spam again. Frustrated, I put it down and dive right back into the land of Polly Pockets. “Where were we?” I say. “Mommy, you look disappointed again. What’s wrong?…
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Living in Fear
Powerless. That’s how I feel. I watch as she avoids saying one word to her speech therapist the entire session. She’s so stubborn. She isn’t making progress. Her peers try to communicate with her and her responses are unintelligible. I…
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Inaccurate Sibling Perceptions
Something happened recently. There’s been a shift in pity. Lately, it’s directed at Haley, and it’s not always welcome. People assume that Haley is missing out on childhood because of her sister. They make comments. They always hit me with them…
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Fear of the Future
How is it possible that I am still awake? I have knots in my stomach and a flutter in my chest. I think I’ve played out every worst-case scenario for Sienna’s future. I don’t know when it happened. When did I…
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My First Time
If you ask a mom in the disabilities community about the first time she heard the r word after she learned of her child’s diagnosis, I can guarantee she remembers. This is the story of my first time. The ocean…
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Lessons from a Mom that Values Inclusion
Two months after Sienna was born, Haley started preschool. As we walked into her classroom on the first day of school, I mentally took inventory of all the mothers. I assumed they all had perfect lives with perfect newborn babies.…
