Bigger Than My Body

 

I've heard this song approximately one zillion times before, but the other day I heard it and thought of Chloe. My biggest fear is that people do not see her the way I see her. They see a frail body in a wheelchair and make assumptions about her ability to understand or her potential (or lack thereof). I think I might print these lyrics and hang them from the back of her wheelchair. Because my beautiful child is SO MUCH BIGGER than what most people can see!...

Someday I'll fly

Someday I'll soar

Someday I'll be so much more

Cause I'm bigger than my body gives me credit for

Bigger Than My Body by John Mayer

Guaranteed to Make Your Day...

I'm different. I like it.

Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain

Mothers...

believe, encourage, listen, sacrifice, teach, inspire, hug & kiss, always love

I love U & Me this much!

Team Kellan

Meet Kellan:

Isn't he cute?! His parents are helping raise awareness and fighting for a cure for Angelman Syndrome. Please support them in their walk if you can. Information can be found here.

Impossible Dream

Wonder

Oh, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle:
"Know this child will be able,"
Laughed as my body she lifted
"Know this child will be gifted,"
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way.

The New R-Word

Today has officially been set apart by r-word.org as the day to spread the word to end the word.

The fabulous Ellen created this video, and I think it does an amazing job of explaining WHY the word is offensive. Too many people think we're being too sensitive and need to just relax instead of running around telling people to stop using a word. I doubt any of them would have a comeback for this: 

My favorite part starts at about 1:10....

"It's just slang!" you might say. 
"It's just a joke!" 
"I'd never actually call your son a retard." 
Thing is, every time someone uses the word "retard,"
they spread the idea
that people like my son are
stupid, dumb, slow, incompetent, pathetic losers.

Thank you, Ellen, for giving us something to answer the question of WHY we are so adamantly opposed to this word. Let's all spread the word. The new R-Word is RESPECT!
 

7 Lessons

 

This post from the blog Wrestling With an Angel by Greg Lucas touched my heart and made my day. I hope it might be uplifting to you as well....

The tragedy of disability is not disability itself, but the isolation it often creates. This was one of the most important lessons our family had to learn. Sadly, we learned it the hard way. But hard lessons often lead to great insights and over the past few years we have had the wonderful opportunity to gain great wisdom from several families in many different communities.

While there are still many discoveries to be made along this journey, here are at least 7 helpful insights gleaned from the community of disability that have made a powerful difference in our family.  

1. God is both sovereign and good. When you are given a child with a severe disability, it is essential that you see God’s sovereign hand at work in your family. Scripture declares that your child was not an accident or a tragedy, but wonderfully and purposefully knit together from a blueprint of God’s plan that was designed before the foundation of the earth. (Psalm 139:13-17; Ephesians 1:3-12). Disability is not a curse; it is the goodness and grace of God magnified in ways that many typical families never get to experience.

 2. You have been brought into this community for a purpose. I was very slow to realized the purpose and potential of our family’s suffering and hardship until I began sharing our experiences. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 came alive during that time. Suffering brings us into the intimate presence of God where the sweetest comfort occurs. But we are not comforted to become comfortable; we are comforted to become comforters. Every single episode in our family’s experience with disability was an equipping of God’s grace to be shared with those in desperate need of His comfort.  

3. Disability magnifies our vision for joy in the smallest things. Most families living with disability will testify that some of their greatest victories have been those moments typical families often take for granted. I remember the first time our son used the bathroom in a public restroom (at the age of 17). We had just walked into Walmart and Jake took me by the hand and led me to the men’s room. He pulled his pants down and tried to pee in the toilet. He missed the toilet completely, peeing all over the seat, the floor, the wall and the stall. But he didn’t pee in his pants! We were laughing, clapping, cheering and praising God in a urine covered stall of a Walmart restroom. Most people cannot comprehend the enormous victory of that day, but disability often gives us 20/20 vision to see the things that others seem to miss. This is a wonderful gift.  

4. Community brings much needed perspective As said before, the danger of disability is isolation. The danger of isolation is idolatry (yes, our disabled children can become idols). The blessing of community is perspective. We all need perspective to wake us from the potential of self-pity and self-centeredness.

Just when you think no one on earth could possibly have it more difficult than your family, you meet a single mother with severely autistic twin boys. And just when the single mother thinks she can’t go on, she meets a grandmother trying to raise a 10 year old girl with fetal alcohol syndrome. The grandmother watches as a young couple attempt to nourish their unresponsive child through a feeding tube between seizure episodes. These families are learning something extremely valuable from each other--perspective turns our inward focus to outward community. And within community, disability become ministry.  

5. Outspoken men are often minorities. While this is not always the case, oftentimes when it comes to family leadership, women seem to be the most outspoken advocates for their disabled children. A mother’s tenacity may seem like the most natural response to a child’s disability ("Mama Bear" is not one to be messed with), but when this tenacity stems from a father’s detachment or disillusionment, it can create a lopsided weakness in the family structure. A family living with disability needs a father of certain dependability. This dependability is often best cultivated and strengthened through other masculine men in the community of disability.

6. When marriage takes second place to disability, it ends up in last place. It has often been said, “The best way to love your children is to love your spouse.” While very few couples would admit to neglecting this truth in principle, many neglect it in practice. Good intention, without deliberate application, leads to marital deterioration. The relentless care of a disabled child, added to the care of other typically developing children in the home, added to working overtime to pay medical and therapy bills, added to stress and depression and weariness, leaves little time for marriage maintenance. A marriage that is not properly maintained is like a car leaking motor oil. Sooner or later the cylinders will seize, the engine will blow, and the damage will be beyond repair.

Do whatever it takes to make space in your busy schedule for quality time alone with your spouse. Men, don’t wait for your wife to seek this; lead the way. It could be as detailed as planning respite care and adding a date night every other week, or as simple as ending every evening sitting on the couch laughing (or crying) about the day's events. Aside from daily intimate time with the Lord and His word, this will be the single most important thing you can do to protect your family from becoming the alternative sad statistic.

7. A child with a disabled sibling is anything but typical. I have borrowed (and adopted) the term “typically developing child” from my good friend John Knight. It is clear and accurate language in the proper context. But the more time I spend with siblings in families touched by disability, the more I realize these kids are anything but typical (per se). I have watched in awe as siblings have stepped into difficult situations rivaling the heroic status of soldiers, firefighters and police officers. I have seen awkward, backward teenagers discover their extraordinary gift and calling as compassionate caregivers. And many times when I began to feel pity towards one of these typical siblings I have felt the faint nudge of the Lord scold me with, “Pay attention, I’m doing something incredible in the life of this child as I conform them into the image of my Son.”

No school, public or private, can teach the deep lessons of life like the school of disability. I can say without hesitation that my sons will be better men because of their relationship with their disabled brother. Living with Jake has not only prepared them for the worst of trials, it has equipped them with a profound sensitivity to recognize the intentional hand of God in the smallest, most unsuspecting, details of life.

What an extraordinary gift their brother has been!

These lessons are not even close to being exhaustive. They are ongoing and ever developing all around us. The desperate search and refreshing discovery of each nugget of wisdom brings strength to our family and equips us to be poured out into the lives of others.

 If you are reading this and happen to be new to the community of disability, welcome to the family! It is a wonderful, glorious, breathtaking journey that will open your eyes to the most precious things in life as it draws you closer and closer to the most precious truth for eternity.

Wonder Baby

Ivan Kapi'i Bobnar was born June 11th, 2005. Soon after birth, Ivan was having trouble breathing, and, after hooking him up to monitors, we discovered that his blood oxygen saturation was very low.

We spent the first week of Ivan's life in the hospital, then we were sent home with monitors, oxygen canisters, and medication. The doctors were confused but assured us that he would grow out of these respiratory problems (which included apnea and reflux) as his system matured. We were very anxious but also very happy to have Ivan home.

His breathing problems did pass, but by the time he was 2 months old and not focusing on objects we were worried about his eyes. We were told to wait until he was 3 months old. He still wasn't focusing and that's when the crazy stream of doctors' appointments began. Most of his doctors assumed Ivan had LCA (Leber's Congenital Amaurosis), and that was confirmed with an ERG in July, 2006. (You can read more about our ERG and Ivan's LCA diagnosis here.)



Ivan is happy! In the summer of 2008 we attended an LCA conference and felt that Ivan, then three years old, just wasn't keeping up with his peers. So we began scheduling more doctors' appointments and tests and by late 2008 Ivan was diagnosed with Joubert Syndrome along with the already diagnosed LCA. Ivan began seeing a geneticist at Children's Hospital Boston and we soon discovered that he had a mutation on the CEP290 gene that is often associated with both LCA and JS.

But Ivan's trials weren't over. When he was about three and a half years old he began losing his speech and by the time he was four he was completely nonverbal. Ivan had gone from a boy who had over 100 words and was beginning to put two- and three-word sentences together to a boy with no language at all in about six months.

More doctors' appointments led us to a diagnosis of Landau Kleffner Syndrome, a language processing disorder caused by sub clinical seizures in the language center of the brain. Of all the diagnoses Ivan has received, this one was the hardest to take. LKS took Ivan's speech away from him, along with much of his physical and cognitive skills. Seizures are nasty, nasty things.

In 2010 Ivan had his first sustained tonic-clonic seizure and we knew his epilepsy was getting worse. It was a frightening day, and we are still playing the medication game trying to find the right combination and dosage. I'm happy to report that his last 24-hour EEG was spike free!

Through it all I've learned that regression is a bad word, but that it often comes hand in hand with disability and that we should appreciate everything we have now because life is fleeting. I'm also impressed everyday with the grace and strength with which Ivan faces his challenges and I am determined to help Ivan be the best Ivan he can be!

WonderBaby.org, a project funded by Perkins School for the Blind, is dedicated to helping parents of young children with vision impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities. Here you'll find a database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what they've learned about playing with and teaching a blind child, as well as links to meaningful resources and ways to connect with other families.

If you would like to link to WonderBaby, please click here.

I began this site in 2006 when my son, Ivan, was only one year old. He had just been diagnosed with LCA, a rare retinal disorder, and we were desperately searching for support and answers. At the time I thought it might be a good idea to gather everything I found into one place.



In 2011 WonderBaby teamed up with Perkins in order to provide more features and support for families through the internet. My original intent for the site was just to link to resources I found on the web, but before I knew it I was writing more and more about Ivan and all he had to teach us! I soon learned that other parents were experiencing this too... we all know that our children are full of wonder and they amaze us every day. As we focus on teaching our children all they need to learn in order to be as independent as possible we are often surprised to find out that we are learning so much from them!

If you want to share your story or have any ideas or advice for other parents, we'd love to hear it! Please contact us!

Traveling Bears

Do you know a child who would love a visit from a cute and cuddly teddybear who just so happens to have the same disability as they do? These friendly bears are on a very special journey spreading awareness, encouragement and love by visiting families all over the world. This mission was brought to life by a very young 7 year old boy named Elijah and his mom. They wanted to raise awareness for his diagnosis Pediatric Stroke, and thus the Traveling Awareness Bears were born.


The effort took off and was even more successful than they could have ever imagined, bringing along the conception of multiple bears with varying diagnosis’s known as the Bearowicz family. The bears are allowed to visit the home of a very special little girl or boy for 1 week, and for individual circumstances up to 2 weeks.They arrive with a journal and a passport in tow. Each child gets to stamp the passport and marvel at how far and wide their bear has traveled to be with them. (pretty awesome huh)?The bears hate that they have to leave after just 1 week but they are mindful that their job is very important and they have friends around the world that need them too.The bear is allowed to go almost everywhere, to schools, Dr.s appointments, surgeries and even while they are attending horseback therapy lessons. The organization is to taking suggestions on other disorders, diseases,syndromes, and disabilities but for now the bears that are making the rounds are...Pediatric Stroke, Autism, Congenital Heart Defect and Rare Chromosome Disorders, lymphatic malformation, Chiari malformation, cerebral cavernous malformation, EA/TEF and they are also working on diabetes, epilepsy, leukemia, hearing impairment, ADHD/ADD.. Their goal is to eventually have bears for all of the things that affect our children. If you would like a member of the Bearowicz family to come visit your home for a week Click Here .The organization is currently in the process of becoming a non-profit 501c3 but in the meantime has a WISH LIST Please take a moment to see if you can help out with any of the items on their wishlist. They are not expensive items and some of you may have things around the house that would be helpful to them.Traveling Awareness BearsP.O. Box 1513O’fallon, MO 63366

Wheelchair Acceptance

Well, yesterday was an extremely emotional day for our family. Though some of us handled the news better than others. It wasn’t a total surprise when Natalie called me to let me know the news. Hailey’s PT recommended that Natalie contact children’s hospital about getting her a wheelchair. There has been talk about this in the past, so I don’t know why it hit me so hard, but it did. Like a ton of bricks. I was at work and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it, I couldn’t get myself together and I felt awful when my waves of emotion took the place of getting my job done, but I couldn’t concentrate, I just wanted to go home and go to bed, put the covers over my head and wake up in the morning and discover it was all a bad dream. I felt compelled to drive over to Natalie (because I know she was feeling it even more than me) and hug her and let her know that everything was going to be o.k. Little did I know that she was already headed over to my house with Hailey. She said she was in the neighborhood, but I think that subliminally, she wanted to be with people who love Hailey. She knows that she can always count on us for support. We have all been through so much together as a family. I guess I kind of secretly hoped that Hailey would get to a point where she would be able to walk with assistance, and that one day the only thing that she would need would be help from a canine assistant. So to here from a professional that this is not the case, it just knocked the wind out of me. Now that I have digested and regurgitated the news, i’m o.k. with it. Why wouldn’t I be? As my husband says “Hailey is still the same beautiful girl today, as she was yesterday and will be the same beautiful girl tomorrow” I know this is true. So, as I usually do when I hear new developments about Hailey. I get on the internet and I talk to my blogger friends, the people who understand first hand about what is going on in our lives, because it is also going on in theirs.(special thanks to Cary from about the small stuff) I have to constantly remind myself to stay focused on the positive and not let these barriers swallow me up, and to remember that wheelchairs are just a good way of getting around if a person has trouble walking. I also know that there are others out there who do not have the mobility to use a wheelchair and I should be grateful that Hailey is a candidate for one. Just because Hailey will be using a wheelchair does not mean that we are giving up hope, that one day Hailey will walk. We will continue to challenge her to reach her own personal potential, whatever that may be.

There are just so many unanswered questions: I wonder if Hailey will use a manual wheelchair, or if she would be better suited with a power wheelchair? Will her motor limitations allow her to maneuver the controls like a joystick, or will she have the strength to push herself along. She will have to get used to it in school, at home, travelling etc. It will be quite different. I wonder about how the wheelchair will transport? If we need some kind of conversion van, or lift. I wonder if we will eventually need a wheelchair ramp? I wonder how Hailey will adapt to using this new mode of transportation? My sense and my hope is that she will adapt fairly well. Her strength, determination and perseverance will be tested once again. As I have said so many times before, I believe in Hailey, she has led the way for our family on this uncertain path this far and she will continue to lead us down this bumpy road, only this time she will be doing it on wheels!

What Makes Someone Extraordinary?

I'm sure you've seen videos about Nick Vujicic before, but this one is new (to me, anyway) and as inspiring as ever. I love the parts when he talks about his parents.

Hard Life

Stop starin' at me
Leave the sad looks at home
Everybody feels bad,
And you don't understand,
It's not like I'm alone

'Cause everyone has battles to fight
And I don't need your sympathy tonight

Yeah, it's a hard life
But I'm okay
If I didn't have this, I wouldn't be who I am today
And I have lots of friends
Oh, and I have love
And yeah, I have a hard life but in some ways everybody does

There's a lot I can't do
But don't be judgin me
I'm in a body I hate
But I have my faith, more then what you see

So what if I can't kick a soccer ball into a goal?
I feel like I can lift 500 pounds with my soul



Yeah, it's a hard life
Oh, but I'm okay
If I didn't have this, I wouldn't be who I am today
And I have lots of friends
Oh, and I have love
Yeah, I have a hard life but in some ways everybody does

And some like me have lost their battle
But they will be the sun that gives you warmth,
And lights the way so we can shine on

Yeah, it's a hard life
But I'm okay
If I didn't have this, I wouldn't be who I am today
And I have lots of friends
Oh, and I have love
Yeah, I have a hard life but in some ways everybody does
Yeah, I have a hard life but in some ways everybody does

Adaptive Sports Academy Class

As a mom of a child with special needs, there have been times where I've been frustrated by "limitations".

Oh, you know... the basics. Little things like speech limitations, social skills, or ability to control behavior, etc, etc. But I get it. It's all part of the package and thus, our life. We work around it. We immerse ourselves in therapy, doctor appoints, and medication. With time and LOTS of work and repetition things can and do get better. Progress is made.

But.... there is one area that has been a continual challenge for us on this journey. Because of Jackson's disability, finding interests for him outside of our home has been a challenge. While typical kids can choose from dance, music, the arts, and sports, Jackson has not had the desire or ability to really connect with any particular interest or hobby. Part of that is because he has a hard time connecting with people in general. However, he does enjoy Scouts. Yay, for Cub Scouts!

I think if we lived closer to SLC, there would be more opportunities for him to participate in adaptive sports and activities. Plus, let's face it. When you have a child with special needs AND other children with their own set of needs, the money you normally dedicate to that child's "typical activities" is instead dedicated to their therapy, medication, and medical bills. Plus, when you are going to OT, PT, Speech, and Psych - who has time for one more thing, right? :)

We also tried to get Jackson to "play down" on community leagues with his younger brother. For a few years, this seemed to work well. Although, now we're at a point where the younger age group's skill set is advancing and Jackson is finding it more difficult to keep up. Plus, the desire is not there. In baseball, he enjoys hitting, but would rather pick grass when it is his turn to be in the outfield.

So... what to do, what to do?

This past fall, this topic was on my mind heavily. Jackson has been a therapy kid for 11 years and I have felt the tides beginning to turn. I needed to find something for him that wasn't so clinical. Heaven knows we have our clinical plates FULL! I also wanted to find something for Jackson that would be enjoyable and let him interact with other kids (social therapy) in a more typical environment.

Do you every have those moments where you know you were lead to a certain point? Well, on a certain day in October, I had that a-ha moment. I knew I was where I needed to be. After dropping Lex off at dance, I decided to venture west to a tumbling facility in K-town. But... they were closed. Every time I've stopped there - they've been closed. Grrr...!

I then remembered the Sportsplex. I remembered Collin had participated in their Sports Academy programs in the summer. It was worth a try. So I stopped in and began asking questions at the front desk and described what I was looking for.

One thing led to another and I ended up talking to the Gym Manager, Joel. He was great and very receptive to my questions. While the gym didn't currently offer anything I was describing (other than individual personal training and a kid's class), he said he was happy to help me put something together.

At first I thought I would like to take on another project / opportunity. (There really aren't a lot of adaptive activity options in Davis County.) But, I also knew my plate was full. So... we decided to go with the existing kids' classes and hope for the best.

Not more than two weeks later, we were at ward party and our new neighbors sat down beside us. Camille Bennett is darling and just happens to be finishing her masters in.... wait for it.... Special Education Physical Education. She is currently working in programs like the one I want set up at the Sportsplex.

So, I said... "Camille! I have a business idea for you! You would be perfect for this. There is such a need for these types of programs in Davis County."

Fast forward two months, and.... it is happening! My neighbor, Camille, and Joel, from the Gym, have worked their magic and have created an Adaptive Sports Academy Class. It is going to be great. Here is all of the information. If you are still with me this far into the post, PLEASE help us pass along the information to anyone who may need a little extra help with coordination, agility, sports, technique, social skills, etc. This isn't necessarily a class for kids with "special needs". After all, what does that mean anyway? For heaven sakes, I have special needs - lots of them. :) It is a class for anyone who may not flourish in the typical environment - for someone who may need to take things a little slower and who needs a bit of extra help. This is the class!

They probably need about 10 participants to really make the class work. If they have more register, additional classes will be added. I truly think this is a perfect opportunity for so many kids who just didn't thrive in traditional sport settings. I am crossing my fingers that it will be a success.

(ps - I'm not be compensated to promote this class, nor am I affiliated with the class in anyway. Well, other than being a passionate mama bear who wants to find programs for her son.) :)

pss: Now go!!! Help me spread the word! Classes begin Thursday, January 26, 2012

Adaptive Sports Academy Information

Class Description:

Adaptive Youth Academy provides children who have unique abilities and needs with the opportunity to learn and practice athletic skills, improve fitness levels and to improve self-confidence. Not to mention, having the opportunity to be part of a team. If they enjoy playing sports and want to be a part of a team this is a great opportunity and your kids will LOVE it. This class will be taught by Camille Bennett.

This class will be offered on Thursday from 4-5pm. If there is enough interest a second class will be from 5-6pm on Thursdays. Classes will begin on Thursday, January 26, 2012.

Adaptive Youth Academy is just $30 per month for SportsPlex members or $40 per month for nonmembers. The classes are grouped into four sessions that each include eight weeks of instruction. For example, Session III runs from Jan. 26 to March 15 — classes are not held during weeks surrounding major holidays. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $20.* If you already paid the enrollment fee when you registered for Session I, you don’t need to pay any enrollment fee to register for Session III. You can pay the enrollment fee online to secure your child’s spot in the program.

Visit the SportsPlex website at http://sportsplexgyms.com/youth-academy-center/sportsplex-youth-academy-classes for more questions.

Some quick facts about the new Adaptive Youth Academy class:

· Adaptive Youth Academy provides children who have unique abilities and needs with the opportunity to learn and practice athletic skills, improve fitness levels, and to improve self-confidence.

· This is a great opportunity for to be part of a team and practice sport skills.

· This program provides a smaller group, more practice time, and adaptations needed to help each athlete learn skills at their own pace.

Bio about the teacher:

Camille (Lott) Bennett is currently a Master’s student at the University of Utah in Special Physical Education. Camille grew up in Kaysville and attended Davis High School. While growing up she played many different sports. Her main focus in athletics was Track and Field. She was recruited to be a sprinter and hurdler at Weber State University. She received many All-Conference Awards and was a three-time Big Sky Conference Champion in the Women’s Mile Relay. Camille got her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education, Health Promotion, and Coaching Sport. She has spent over 500 hours planning, teaching, and coaching students with disabilities in Davis and Weber School Districts. Camille is married to Justin Bennett and is currently living in Layton.

~~~

If you know of any similar classes in your area, please leave a comment!

Different

I’m not your average type of girl
Not part of this stereotypical world
Don’t wanna be anything but myself
I was never good at tryin’ to be someone else

Take me as I am I’m not changing for anyone
Guess it’s me against the world but tell me one thing

Why do they hate me for being different? Different.
And when will they see that being different is good? Different

High school life is so black and white
You either fit in or stick out, but that’s just life
For me I’m sure that some day they will find
That fitting in was overrated

Why do they hate me for being different? Different.
And when will they see that being different is good? Different.

Light

Caleb's eye really responds to light so we have a light box we use to help him with vision.

It touched my heart to see Mitchell pull it out so he could teach Caleb.

It melts me to see Mitchell so eager to share the light with Caleb

While at the same time Caleb teaches him what true light really is.

I hope my boys will never forget the light and love they feel when they spend time with Caleb.

For the way he shares his light is divine indeed.

Tribute to Siblings

This is the family whose story inspired me to start Chloe's Sunshine Playground. They deserve the recognition they got on the Today Show last week. Each of them touch my heart so much, and I think the song to a special needs' child's siblings will resonate to many of you....

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thankful Every Single Day

Well, we all know how much I really enjoy spending time with Miss Hailey and Thanksgiving certainly is a perfect time to reflect on all of the blessings we have in our lives. I would be lying if I said that it didn’t bother me to watch her struggle as she attempted to eat the whipped cream off of the spatula from the pudding pie that she and Natalie made for dessert. Of course I wish that such a simple task could be accomplished without such difficulty, but for Hailey, it will always be difficult. But we will never forget that the mere fact that she is here today is truly a blessing.

Life certainly has a way of throwing you curve balls, but it is how you deal with them that defines your character. I am so proud of the way Tommy and Natalie have grown both in maturity and character since Hailey’s birth 4 years ago. As young parents they have learned more about life lessons, health issues and therapy sessions, than most of us will ever learn in a lifetime.They have learned more than they should ever have to know. When you have a child with a disability it is important to be able to look past the medical issues, past the limitations and all of the challenges that someone like Hailey faces every single day.They even have to look past the ignorance of others. Instead the importance lies in seeing the beautiful and courageous little girl that Hailey is. After all, that is what defines her anyway... not her disability.

For others it may seem a bit difficult to see their blessings, especially in this challenging economy, some have lost their jobs, others their car payments or the luxury of enjoying a night out to dinner. To my family our blessings are quite clear. Hailey is our blessing. We see things a lot more clear than in years past. We celebrate every achievement, no matter how small. Our priorities have shifted and our lives have completely changed, because when someone that you love has Cerebral Palsy, (or any disability) it’s as if the entire family has Cerebral Palsy, and you know what, we wouldn’t have it any other way, because we will never let Hailey go through this alone. We count her as our number one blessing, not only on Thanksgiving, but every single day.

Rollin' With Zach

Official Trailer: Rollin' With Zach

Zach Anner is obsessed with travel. In Rollin' With Zach, he takes an authentic and often humorous approach to seeing the country, as he hosts his own half-hour travel series. Zach may have cerebral palsy, but that's never stopped him! In every episode, Zach explores a new city and conquers his "top five" list for the destination.



In season one of Rollin' With Zach, he travels from coast to coast, visiting Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Portland. Each episode is filled with humor and emotion, as Zach meets new people, indulges in his favorite treats, and attempts new and exciting experiences he never thought possible! From surfing to sailing, rock climbing to water-skiing, he challenges himself to try the unexpected, and at times - the seemingly impossible. And when things don't go as planned, Zach embraces the problem with his sharp sense of humor and a positive attitude, because travel is an adventure and sometimes you just have to "roll with it!"

Rollin' with Zach will premiere with back-to-back episodes beginning Monday, December 12 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

No Limitations

THANK YOU to Nicole for sharing this link with us.

You can listen to the song or download it by clicking here.


Within the womb I formed you
I fashioned and made each part
I thought of your fingers, your hands and your feet
Your mouth, your lungs, your heart
Though you might think that you’re different
I made you the way that you are
So you could discover the God who made you
And find out all I am

And though you might think you have limitations
There are no limits with me
When you turn your eyes to my salvation
Finally you will see



In Me, you have all that you need
In Me, you have all that you need
In Me, you have all that you’ll ever need.

And I’ve heard each prayer that you’ve called out
“Why did you make me this way?”
You may not completely understand now
But there will be a day
When I make everything known to you
And what you don’t now understand
You will see that I”m wise and I’m mighty and good
Just like all my plans
And if you trust in the work of my Son
One day you will see
That I’ve made you the way you are
To draw your heart to me
To draw your heart to me.

BElieve in YOUrself!

"It is easier to build strong children
than to repair broken men."
~Frederick Douglas

I think one of the most, if not THE most, important lesson you'll ever teach a child is self-confidence. The activities, people, careers, entertainment, and almost everything we fill our life with is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. Therefore, it is a gift to your child to teach them to feel PROUD of who they are! To be comfortable in their own skin! To be authentic!

To me, this picture from Cassie of Beyond Measure says it all. Her son, Caleb, ASKED his mom to take this picture. It screams of a young man who knows who he is and is proud of it! I wish everyone, with special needs or not, felt this happy to be who they are! (Thanks for letting me share, Cassie!)




I've compiled a board on Pinterest (kidz ~ building self esteem) with quotes & thoughts about building self esteem. Here are just a few, but check all of them out when you have a chance! (Images linked to sources.)





What do you do to build your child's self-esteem?