Opening up to the beauty of differences
Love holds the key.
When autism moves in
A difficult, near-deadly birth opened the door to the fragility of life. As fragile as the birth was, the months following my son’s entrance into the world were shaken by an earthquake, unsettled by a surgery, and rocked by a diagnosis. It seemed that at one fell swoop, the vision I held for the future collapsed. The road I thought we were on as a family took a sharp and unexpected turn. The journey ahead required great patience, maximum resolve, and guts.
Finding myself in dark times when everything should have been happy and light with a brand new baby in the house was more than difficult. I was weighed down by worry and fear. Could I carry the pain, the responsibility? Could I still create the family and the home I wanted?
KeriMeHome is a blog about how life can be a mucked-up mess and a pain in the ass sometimes. It’s also a blog to remember that life can be an exhilarating escapade, an enthralling adventure, and a most jubilant journey.
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Latest Blog Posts
Elsa
When Walt Disney Pictures released their 53rd animated feature film, Frozen, in 2013, we pretty much ignored it. I was intrigued by the connection to Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen," but not enough to pay for movie tickets. Years later, a weekend stay at the Hilton Orange County brought Frozen to the forefront of my family's life. You have no idea the impact it has had since then. Getting ready one morning in the hotel room, we [...]
Don’t Give Me the Finger!
As I raised the blinds in my son’s bedroom the other morning, I noticed his arm stretch out from beneath the blanket. His sleepy eyes looked at me – rather, at my clothes – and one periscope-like finger pointed in my direction. I would have thought the finger-pointing meant close the blinds, Mom, I’m still asleep, except I knew exactly what the index finger indicated. […]
Zipping Through Milestones
Milestones. One might say these are roadside markers measuring distance. Another might think of significant events in life: a graduation, the start of a new job. And still others may define milestones in the context of a baby's developmental steps. In fact, monitoring milestones is one way to consider the possibility of an underlying developmental issue. Parents of special needs individuals become used to ignoring typical (developmental) milestones and appreciating their child's unique and glorious timetable. The CDC's list of [...]
No More Taters, Tot!
Going to the grocery store became a highly preferred activity for my son when he was younger. It was surprising, because he experienced difficulties in places that were too bright, too loud, too chaotic. We realized he was a foodie, and then it made perfect sense why he adored the market. […]
If At First You Don’t Succeed…
(First appeared on VestLife blog) The other day, my son and I were in a store, and he was helping the cashier by putting our items in a bag. One slipped. The clerk said, “Ooops! Try again!” And I cringed. I glanced over at Zach, fearing some kind of reaction. I readied myself to calm him. Fortunately for all, he seemed alright and let the phrase roll off his back. No gnashing of teeth, no screaming, no smacking himself on [...]
Sequins and Sharks
(Originally appeared on the VestLife blog) It feels like yesterday, but it wasn’t. My son and I were doing some browsing around at a San Francisco shopping plaza. It looked like rain was coming, so I had an umbrella. I also carried a very loaded-up backpack. Special needs parents go places prepared for almost anything! After a visit to F.A.O. Schwartz where I encouraged Zach to pick out something he wanted, we trekked down the street to a lovely department [...]
Sharing Some Sun on Groundhog Day
“Then put your little hand in mine…there ain’t no hill or mountain we can’t climb…Babe, I got you babe…I got you babe…” As the black alarm clock on the white doily flipped to 6:00 A.M., Sonny and Cher awakened Phil from his slumber in his room at the Cherry Tree Inn. It was February second, Groundhog Day, and haughty weatherman Phil Connors was on assignment in Gobbler’s Knob. A blizzard hitting the area prevented him from leaving Punxsutawney after his [...]
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