This morning’s Chicago Tribune’s front page story ‘I have a great life’ is the most tepid, cowardly and typically written article by an outsider to life with a child who has Down syndrome. It made my blood boil! So, I shot off this letter to Colleen Mastony who wrote the article:
Dear Colleen,
I have ask [...]

Everybody has a pile of squished T-shirts in their drawers that never see the light of day. Well “git’em” out and start snippin’. Here’s what you do:
Find the shirts that don’t have seams on the sides
Cut off the bottom hem
Get a VERY sharp pair of scissors
Cut one continuous 1-inch spiral strip from the bottom of [...]

Last spring I spotted an ad in the local paper advertising a position to manage an apartment building. Paul and I had done this for the first 10 years of our marriage and we were considering doing it again, so we called the number and were amazed to have received a call to meet for [...]

I Am Capable Of More Than I Think I Am
by Gregg Rogers

Gregg Rogers is an English professor at Pennsylvania State University. He spent 10 years as a writer, reporter and editor in New York and Los Angeles. Rogers and his wife host a Web site for other families in their area who have children with [...]

In recent days I’ve been overwhelmed by circumstances beyond my control. I’m tired. Wordless. Prayerful. So, I’ve been reading instead of writing.
Paul is working a temporary job for Tyndale House Publishers and has been bringing home a lot of books to read. The newest one off the press is SARAH How a Hockey Mom Turned [...]

I took Amy’s suggestion to try to make mittens out of the arms/cuffs, but they didn’t turn out right…gotta try again. I learned something. If the seams are in the inside, you can feel the edge and it’s kind of annoying. Also, the thumb needs to be EXTRA big. Well, I checked a great site [...]

Once upon a time, when I was pregnant with Miika, I splurged and bought a cashmere, hooded sweater by Ralph Lauren. It was soft, long, warm, light-weight, covered my pregnant belly and all I really needed for a winter coat. I loved it because it was so comfortable and not thick or bulky. I have [...]

I have this bug to create something or better yet, re-purpose some stuff. After dropping Miika off at school this morning, Nathan and I went for a little walk in the arts district of Oak Park scrounging for ideas. Ideas are the only things that I can justify shopping for until the job thing settles [...]

I have to thank my friend Amy for sending a link to this article from the Washington Post…well reasoned and insightful. Thank you, Michael Gerson for your eloquence!

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Trig’s Breakthrough

By Michael Gerson
Wednesday, September 10, 2008; Page A15
In addition to Barack Obama making [...]

Yesterday while I was putting Nathan down for a nap, the phone rang but I couldn’t get to it. After he fell asleep, I came downstairs and my mom said that Lisa, Nathan’s PT had called, so I called back. Her news hit me like a ton of bricks. Vital Rehab, near Irving Park & [...]