Friendship Forms Durable Hope
What do I do? People in my family received a terminal diagnosis for their child. What do I do? A woman recently emailed me this question. When I wrote her…
Stepping Off the Ladder of Comparison
I’ve been writing about Penny for a long time now. Along the way, I’ve often written of her accomplishments. The cuteness of hearing her pronounce “medium-hard words” when she asked…
S7 E5 | Finding Hope in the Dark with Curt Thompson, MD
Apple YouTube Spotify More! How do we show up for each other in the midst of pain? Is it possible to hope when we’re suffering? Psychiatrist Curt Thompson, author of…
Penny in Her Own Words: What I Want You to Know About My Life
What does life for a 17-year-old with Down syndrome look like? In case you’re curious, I asked Penny a few questions about her life as we come to the close…
Small Talk Turns 9
“Limitations, properly understood, lead to love.” I don’t always live as though I believe those words. I would often like to overcome limitations rather than accept them. But those words…
COGNOSCENTI | The future I imagine for my daughter
The future is uncertain. After high school, should Penny go to a community college? Will she be segregated and only socialize with peers with intellectual disabilities? I experienced a similar…
Penny in Her Own Words: Inclusion and High School Senior Project
What does inclusion look like for a senior with Down syndrome at our local public school? Here’s one example, in her own words, from an interview with Penny about her…
Friendship: Judgment and Jealousy or Celebration and Compassion
I learned early on in Penny’s life that if I spent my days comparing her to other kids, I would find myself in a place of judgment or jealousy. I…
4 Ways to Deal with Brokenness
The world feels shattered. Some days I feel shattered. What do we do with all our broken pieces? I’ve found that there are four ways to deal with the idea…
S7 E4 | Breaking Down Bias: Prenatal Diagnoses and Comprehensive Care with Stephanie Meredith
Apple YouTube Spotify More! What happens when women receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome? How does that diagnosis affect those women and their families? How does it affect our…
