Help for Special Needs Families: Grants, Programs and Services

September 25, 2017 hospital stays, Jennifer B., Parenting Special Needs, speech therapy 1 Comments

As parents to children with special needs it can be difficult to find the best resources for kids, especially if we are in the midst of a difficult time or new diagnosis. Hoping to make the task a bit less daunting here is a list of links to various grants, programs, and services for individuals …Read More

Being a Mom to Special Kids

September 15, 2017 autism, cerebral palsy, Megan, Parenting Special Needs, siblings 2 Comments

All of our children our special, but some of us know just how hard it is having extra special kids. Anyone who has adopted, whether your child was listed as having special needs or not, knows what it’s like to parent an atypical and often difficult child. Sometimes it is just plain hard. Whether your …Read More

Medical Mama-Ness: Sorrowful Yet Always Rejoicing

March 21, 2017 Hillary, Medical Momma, Parenting Special Needs 1 Comments

One foot here, another foot there.   How we walk — it’s a bit of a balancing act, isn’t it? A bit of an awkward dance in a minefield. Jolting, yet fluid. Slippery, yet steady. Unexpected potholes, but given with Sovereign purpose. The sun rose with a crying little girl in my lap, her alligator …Read More

Adoption – The Beautiful Paradox

September 15, 2016 adoption realities, books, Family Stories, Parenting Special Needs 5 Comments

I just flew back from South Carolina. I went there to reunite my daughter with a friend that she had not seen in almost four years. The last time the girls saw each other, they were in an orphanage halfway around the world. The nannies who had raised them pressed the bewildered little girls into …Read More

What exactly is “smart parenting”?

June 27, 2016 Attachment, Kelly, movies, Parenting Special Needs 9 Comments

I figured when I shared here on NHBO about our decision to wait to see Finding Dory on DVD that it would be a well read post. The movie had just come out which meant that there were a whole lot of mamas and dads perusing the web for reviews and the like before a …Read More

An Uncertain Journey with a Certain Guide

September 27, 2015 Carrie, China trip, Gotcha Day, Parenting Special Needs 2 Comments

I’m writing this to my fellow Jesus-followers who are adopting. I understand and respect that might not apply to everyone, but I have to take a moment to speak to those of you who share my fundamental faith.   “Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who …Read More

Stepping Out in Faith….God’s Call to Adopt

October 3, 2014 Parenting Special Needs 1 Comments

How many times have you been surprised by God’s plan for your life? Have you ever been shocked by His plan? Have you ever thought, seriously, Lord, surely you don’t mean me? Wait, you want me to do what? That’s not my plan, God. Are you sure? __________________________________________________________________________________ “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for …Read More

Communicating through ASL

January 31, 2012 ASL, attachment activities, cl/cp, Nicole, Parenting Special Needs 0 Comments

This has probably been a familiar scene at some point in your home … your young toddler child is sitting in the middle of the floor throwing a temper tantrum. Tears are streaming down her face, her nose is running and her hair is matted to her face. She’s kicking the floor and screaming … …Read More

Ming bai

September 21, 2011 a father's perspective, Adrian, foster care, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

I love this word in Chinese:  明白, or, if you do not have Chinese fonts installed on your computer, it is “Ming bai”. Little Lukai whom will arrive in Canada on Nov 24th! Now, why do I love it?  Because it means “to understand”.  Or, to “see clearly”.  Literally, I think it means something like …Read More

Why Hello Spinabifida…

August 21, 2011 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Adrian, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

Ping:  Dad!  Dad!  DAD! Me:  What’s up baby? Ping:  Can you take my picture?!Me:  Of course!  Let me get the camera. Ping:  YAY!… a few seconds later … Me:  Okay baby, smile for Daddy! Ping:  What?  No.  I no smile. Me:  But you gotta smile for the picture.  You gotta look cute.Ping:  I want you to take a picture of my …Read More

I am a Coward

June 21, 2011 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Adrian, Parenting Special Needs, spina bifida 0 Comments

Hello, my name is The Yeti…… and I am a Coward. Ping enjoying a horse ride, even with Spina Bifida Now, I’m not ALWAYS a coward.  There are many many things in life which I face bravely.  I can wrestle with bears wrapped in bacon… but for the life of me, children scare me. Now …Read More

Jubilee Promise

February 15, 2011 Linny, Parenting Special Needs 0 Comments

Miss Jubilee has been home a little over a year now. This is the place where we write about special needs and our children with special needs.  Way back when we began pursuing kids with special needs my husband, Dw, and I came to one conclusion:  The only true special need any child has is …Read More

Sink or Swim

January 21, 2011 a father's perspective, adoption realities, Adrian, older child adoption, Parenting Special Needs 0 Comments

Our daughter Ping has Spina Bifida.  Normally her Special Need doesn’t impact her day to day activities.  There have been the odd emergency trip to the Spina Bifida Clinic… and the numerous check ups, and test, and MRIs, and neurology type things… but other than that… her Spina Bifida has not been on the forefront …Read More

My Denial Envelope

October 15, 2010 cognitive delay, developmental delays, Developmental System, Parenting Special Needs 0 Comments

When we found Jubilee and requested her file, we were well aware of her diagnosis of  “Lower Mental Development”.  In fact, it drew us even more to her.   Somewhere in there though, I wondered if maybe Ch*na had it wrong.  I mean, “Lower Mental Development” could be just learning delayed, right?  We already had …Read More

Just your average mom

September 20, 2010 Kristi, Parenting Special Needs 0 Comments

Since I’ve become a mom to a child with a visible special need, I’ve noticed something interesting about the way some people perceive me. Many people, from our guides in China to friends who know our schedules with various specialists to random strangers in grocery lines, want to promote me to sainthood. They say things …Read More

Whoever Said Adoption Is Easy?

July 27, 2010 Parenting Special Needs, Wife of the Prez 7 Comments

The 27th day of the month. It is the day I am supposed to post. Stefanie may fire me if I don’t. 🙂 Seriously I have so much I want to say and yet I can’t find the words, and even more I am so not ready to share so much. I know those who …Read More

I Can't Be Her Voice

May 25, 2010 cl/cp, Parenting Special Needs, Wife of the Prez 15 Comments

As much as I’d like to put a protective cocoon around her and be her voice among other things, I can’t. Let me preface this entry with two things: my heart is in my throat these days as we wait for our final piece of paperwork to travel to China for our sons, and our …Read More

Parenting Special Needs – Real Life

May 15, 2010 Parenting Special Needs 13 Comments

Recently our family had an experience that will forever be etched in our lives. It involves an adult with special needs…..and since we who parent children with special needs are raising children who will grow into adults with special needs, I feel strongly that this must be shared here. I don’t feel I can share …Read More

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