RECENT POSTS
Delta Surprises Penny Before Her First Solo Flight
Independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It means having the support you need to take the next step. Penny, our daughter with Down syndrome, prepared
How to Prepare for a Solo Flight with Down Syndrome: Advice from Other Families
As we prepared for Penny’s first solo flight, we received an outpouring of advice and support from fellow parents. We asked Chat GPT to take
Love, Guilt, and Care: A Sibling’s Disability Story with Brian Trapp
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST When a child grows up with a sibling with a disability, what defines their childhood? Author Brian Trapp reflects on
Who Belongs? Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Nazi Germany, and the Meaning of Human Dignity
In Nazi Germany, two very different answers emerged to the question: Who belongs? Brian Brock describes how one answer took shape at the Bethel sanatorium,
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To: July 2026
Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month
More Than a Summer Job: Employment for People with Down Syndrome
I never expected to walk into an ice cream shop and see Penny, our daughter who has Down syndrome, sitting behind the register, putting in
Who Counts as Human? with Brian Brock, PhD
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E8—Difference often exposes our tendency to rank people as “better” or “worse.” Theologian Brian Brock, PhD, joins Amy Julia
Celebrating Milestones: Anniversary, College Dreams, and a Graduation Blessing
This past week, Peter and I celebrated our 27th anniversary with two nights away in Mystic, CT. We are BIG fans of short vacations close
Rejection and the Voice of Love: Announcing Everyone Matters
One of the things that comes with being a writer is rejection. Earlier this spring, I received another rejection for an essay I had written,
Why Forgiveness Isn’t the First Step with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E7—Saying “I’m sorry” isn’t enough to repair personal or institutional harm. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author of On Repentance and
Advice for Penny’s First Solo Flight: A Network of Care in the Skies
Our daughter Penny is 20 years old and has Down syndrome. I cannot believe the outpouring of support, encouragement, and advice we received from far
Penny in Fourth Grade: What Inclusion Teaches Us About Disability, Education, and Belonging
When she was in fourth grade, Penny was supposed to do a project on a “big question.” She decided to learn about Down syndrome. Later,
Who Gets to Tell the Story? Disability, Hollywood, and Family with Craig Thomas
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E6—Is disability a tragedy to overcome, a burden to bear, an inspirational lesson for everyone else? Or is there
Juneteenth, Human Flourishing, and the Practice of Love
Years ago, our daughter was rejected from a preschool program as soon as the director heard that she had Down syndrome. The label she received
Taking the Next Step: Preparing for Penny’s First Solo Flight
I just got off the phone with Delta Airlines. I explained that Penny—our 20-year-old daughter with Down syndrome—will be flying on her own for the
Telling Our Story of Down Syndrome
I mentioned last week that I have been thinking about a response to the controversy over YouTuber Jesse Ridgway’s announcement that his wife chose to terminate
What I’m Reading, Watching, and Listening To: June 2026
Books, essays, podcast episodes, and more that I think are worth your time, plus recent cultural news that I’m paying attention to in the month
Racism, Greed, and the Good Life with Malcolm Foley, PhD
REIMAGINING THE GOOD LIFE PODCAST S10 E5—Where does racism come from? Many of us assume it’s rooted in hatred or fear, but what if it’s
