RECENT POSTS
Connect to Community | It Makes All the Difference!
Peter and I have often received praise for our parenting when people meet Penny, our daughter who has Down syndrome. That’s all very nice, but
Cultivating Connection One Word at a Time
I once shared a post that included a story from someone who identified as a “person with autism.” To respect their choice of words, I
How to Talk About Disability
Apple YouTube Spotify More! Is disability a tragedy? Are disabled people “inspiring”? The language we use often reveals our assumptions about disability. Carrie Hahn,
Family Formation: What is “the good life” for our children?
I loved getting to speak yesterday at Church of the Incarnation in Dallas about Reimagining Family Life. Our topic for their Family Formation evening was:
Belonging Begins With an Invitation
One of the most heartbreaking aspects of being a mother is watching our kids get excluded. I’ve seen it at times for all three of
Discouraged and Stuck? Let’s Reimagine!
I have felt discouraged and stuck. If I looked back through my journals, I’d find similar feelings detailed over the years, but that statement isn’t
The key to a flourishing life isn’t more effort.
Every New Year, it’s the same message on repeat: Try harder. Work harder. Think harder. We hear it everywhere—from fitness apps and social media gurus
Goal Setting: From A to B to Z
I used to hate setting goals for Penny. It felt like I was measuring her worth based on how quickly she achieved them. Now I
The Discipline of Inspiration
Apple YouTube Spotify More! “Just try harder. Work harder. Think harder.” But what if the key to creativity, whether that’s in our art or
Why Rachel Handlin’s Art Exhibit Prompted Me to Change My Prepositions
Happy New Year! We’ve taken down our tree and put away the gnomes and nutcrackers. The kids are back at school. We reviewed the highlights
Penny’s 19th Birthday
We celebrated Penny’s 19th birthday in stages last week, first with a trip to NJ to see her friend Rachel and—a few days late—with our
Baking at Her Own Pace
Penny wants to work on cooking and baking skills this year. Usually, we are rushing around, so it is hard to let her work at
Questions for the New Year {Plus my 2024 favorites}
I love this pause in the year, these days between Christmas and New Year’s, between shopping and going back to school. It’s one of the
December Favorites {2024}
Here are books, podcasts, movies, shows, and essays that I enjoyed this December: 1. Episode 287: Julia Watts Belser – A Jewish Perspective on Disability. Here’s a
Patiently, Beautifully Wrapping Presents
Gift wrapping has never been an easy task for Penny. Typically, she’s been relegated to the background of the wrapping extravaganza in our household—handing over
Embracing the Mystery (more than the magic) of Christmas
Amidst the morning snowfalls and twinkling lights and jolly tunes, we’ve received grim news from a few different people in recent weeks. One of my
Dancing Again | Nutcracker 2024
(Keep scrolling for video!) | Our daughter Penny danced for twelve years at Fineline Theatre Arts, which included many years of performing scenes from the
From Conditional Love to Unconditional Growth
I sometimes beat myself up as a parent. In all honesty, I also beat myself up as a human, but on the parenting front, I
