Still thinking about wounded moms of special kids…and the fact that we’re often the “walking wounded”. Check out this definition of walking wounded:

Walking wounded is a term used in first aid and triage to indicate injured persons who are of a relatively low priority. These patients are conscious and breathing and usually have only (relatively) minor injuries; thus they are capable of walking. Depending on the resources available, and the abilities of the injured persons these people may sometimes... more

It’s not often that I get moments to reflect; my life seems like a never-ending whirlwind. But as I was walking in our lovely fall weather yesterday, I was struck with how beat up I feel. Reflecting on my life, especially the last year or two, I realize that much of it has been spent in survival mode, where I arise each morning and prioritize which dragon to fight today.

And I know I’m not alone. There are countless moms (dads too, but I don’t have that perspective) who awake every morning to the same slate of crises – the physical, emotional and financial challenges... more

Whew! Another long weekend is over! Another three days out of school survived! In households all across the US there are parents of children whose disabilities make them very challenging to parent, who are breathing an exhausted sigh of relief.

Tomorrow is back to school (even for those late-to-start school districts). Friday afternoon and evening brought a flood of emails from panicky parents wondering how they were going to make it through the long weekend. Some had specific plans to do “normal” Labor Day activities (camping, beach, cookouts, visiting relatives).... more

There IS life outside of LuLu! I’m always kind of surprised when it hits me, as it’s easy to get myopic focused on her. The problem is that anything not LuLu-related is often relegated to the back of the stack. Now that we’re trying to get back into the swing of school, I forgot just how many hours out of each day that takes me. Not only are there the 4+ hours of actual instruction, but there are the lesson plans, researching the materials, getting things set up. Just like any other teacher.

But there is still so much to do. Beyond being LuLu’s teacher,... more

On Sunday will be my birthday! (Hence the name Julie…born in July.) I will be 25 years old (again)! As has been the case for quite a few years, birthday celebrations have been subdued and scaled back from perhaps what they might have been if we didn’t have medical, therapy, attorney and educational bills looming large over our heads.

So how do you have a “Happy” birthday without ruining the budget?

1. Get someone else to throw the party. This is easier if your birthday is close to a major holiday. As long as I can remember my birthday... more