RECENT POSTS
What Breaking a Record Has To Do With Responsive Parenting
I love stories that remind me of the power of building on strengths rather than focusing on deficits. In disability circles, it’s really easy to
There Can Never Be Too Much Delight
Marilee and I were driving to soccer practice the other day (alternating between the Taylor Swift Eras Tour setlist and The Good Girl’s Guide to
No One Is Excluded | Life to the Full
America is supposed to be a “melting pot” or a “salad bowl” in which lots of different types of people live together and intermingle. Still,
Down Syndrome Is Not Like a Car Crash
I hear the comparison all the time. When people want to explain that the unexpected can happen to any of us, and to any of
S6 E22 | Why Stories of Hope Subvert Racism with John Blake
Is racism baked into our nation’s DNA? Is there any hope for change? John Blake, a CNN journalist and author of More Than I Imagined,
3 Ways to Find an Ordinary Church
We need to go back to church. I feel like a little old lady wagging a scolding finger when I write that, and the last
Saying Goodbye to their Childhood Home
On Monday, we said goodbye to our home. It was always on loan to us. Our house comes with Peter’s position as a Head of
Life to the Full Series
Who do you follow on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter? I follow a host of other writers, parents of kids with Down syndrome and other disabilities, social
Family Screen Time Practices for the Summer
Free Resource 5 screen time practices for Families | Summer Edition When it comes to family use of technology, I want to nudge our family,
Juneteenth and King: A Life
Today, people across the nation will celebrate Juneteenth—a holiday I only learned about in recent years. As Jemar Tisby writes, “Juneteenth may be the perfect
Father’s Day 2023
Peter and I both remember the dinner where we admitted to each other that we weren’t sure we ever wanted kids. We liked our little
Self-Care in Seasons of Stress
The past month has included three kids finishing the school year at three different schools, Peter coming to the end of his tenure at a
S6 E21 | A Good Life, A Good Death with Dr. Lydia Dugdale
How do we prepare now to die well? Can we reimagine care of the dying in all of its messiness as a gift? Dr. Lydia Dugdale,
The Ordinary Glory of Marriage
We were married 24 years ago today. It’s really hard to find words to convey the gratitude and wonder I feel, not only when I
Thank You for Your To Be Made Well Reviews
I’m so grateful to readers who have reviewed To Be Made Well on Amazon and Goodreads, sent me personal messages, and told others about the
How a Dance Performance Gave Me a Glimpse of a World Made Right
She wanted it to be a surprise. So when we showed up to watch Penny on stage for her annual Spring Dance Fest, we were
A Reservoir of Hope
How can we build up a reservoir of hope? Last year, when I was teaching the young children at Hope Heals camp, we talked about
I’m Not the Mom for Prom…
Here are some things I’m good at as a mom: listening to our kids asking questions making sure they get enough sleep, as toddlers and
Hillsong was extraordinary. That’s the problem. | RNS
I watched the FX documentary, The Secrets of Hillsong last week, and it struck me that the allure of Hillsong was also the cause of
June Introductions
Hi! If you’re new around here, I’m Amy Julia (double name–I also go by AJ). This lovely little corner of the internet continues to grow,
Small Talk Is Available as an Audiobook
Are messy diapers, loads of laundry, and sleep deprivation part of your life right now? Nine years ago, Small Talk was published, and I just
