Happy Mother’s Day! It has been a rough year for most of the mom’s who are raising a child with Special Needs. I “tip my hat” to you and hope you feel honored–especially on this day.

For 36 days, our dear friends sat by their son’s hospital bed. Their son, who was born with multiple disabilities had been in and out of the hospital before during his 29 years, but this time he returned to his heavenly home and went to be with the Lord on October 30th.

Happy New Year! Can you believe that it is the year 2020? With a year named 2020, perhaps our New Year’s resolutions should be something like, “to have a clear vision, improved insight or balance in my life”.

Your marriage, given that you have a child with special needs, will, in reality, be harder than if you had a typical child. (Hence the title—“tell me something I don’t know”).

“Lord, I can’t do this!”. I don’t know how many times I have stood in my kitchen (or bedroom, or wherever) and have uttered these words. Perhaps it was when Mary had a meltdown in public or I had to clean up a mess she had made or when someone said something hurtful or dismissive to her.

Recently, Brian sent me this cartoon. We both found it funny — probably because it hit a little too close to home. Why is it so hard for both of us to say “I was wrong?” More importantly, why is it so necessary to say it when you have done or said something that is wrong?

This past summer, we had the opportunity to speak at several Joni and Friends Camps.  This camp was started by the ministry of Joni Eareckson Tada and is for families that are affected by disability.

Well, the Hallmark Christmas movie season is upon us.  Brian, who isn’t one for movies in general, has probably never seen a Hallmark movie; but I confess, that on more than one occasion, I’ve taken my box of tissues and watched a Hallmark movie.

Over the past several weeks, we talked about the unique and varied challenges that face a marriage when couples are parenting a child with special needs.  

For 36 days, our dear friends sat by their son’s hospital bed.  Their son, who was born with multiple disabilities had been in and out of the hospital before during his 29 years, but this time he returned to his heavenly home and went to be with the Lord on October 30th.

Often when we give our marriage seminars, someone asks a question about siblings: “Would they be resentful of all of the extra time we devote to our child with special needs?

Last week we wrote about the impact that having a sibling with special needs (SSN) has on our typically developing (TD)children. 

Sibling relationships are, well, complex.  Our siblings can be our best friends, confidants, rivals or pain in the necks and often all at once. 

When we were first married, a pastor told us to “Try to See our Differences as God’s provision for balance in our marriage.

One Bible verse that has been helpful to me, especially when I feel as though I am being tested or under fire is Job 23:10,

When we started our ministry to couples raising a child with special needs, our desire was to share truths or helpful ideas that we wished someone had shared with us when we were new to parenting.

Recently, we had the opportunity to watch a tape of the funeral service of the Rev. Billy Graham.  One of the speakers at the service shared a bit of advice that Dr. Graham had shared with him. 

Everywhere you look there is evidence that the Fall Sports season is soon upon us. High school students are waking up early for practice. 

Everywhere you look, we seem to be enticed by the possibility of perfection.  Eharmony.com can find you the perfect mate.  A certain facial cream provides perfect skin.