Coop’s Troop Changed My Life

A few years ago I created a space…a space that I needed. A space for families like mine to come together online. We chat, laugh, cry, and support each other. Coop’s Troops has changed my life. I’ve made so many friends and met the coolest kids. And tonight we had our second family meet up at edinborough Park. It was so fun to watch our kids play and be themselves and for the parents to relax without worry. Because we all get it! Thank you to everyone who came. I…

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Being a Light for Others

This newspaper article has been hanging on my fridge since my son E was five years old. And it will stay there forever. It is the fourth interview I did with our local newspaper and has my favorite title: “Autism doesn’t change children’s core”. This aged paper, changing with time, is part of us. We age and change along with it. To me it is a reminder of where we were and how far we have come from the darkest times of our Autism journey. The times of loneliness and…

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I Will Sit With You in the Dark

Hello! I see you down there. You must be a fellow special needs mom. We can recognize each other you see. I know where you are right now because I’ve been there, and I’ll be there again. I know that the hole you are in is deep, and it’s dark and it’s scary. I know it feels like you will never get out, like you will never feel the warmth of the sun on your face again. Never feel joy. Hope. I know that you are trying to figure out…

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Even in the Dark, You Are Not Alone

I’ll sit with you in the dark, when you know, but you have to wait. Wait for others to believe you. Wait for insurance approvals. Wait for evaluations. Always waiting to hear what you already know. I’ll sit with you in the dark when you feel alone. When others tell you they’ll pray for you. When they tell you stories of how they know someone who knows someone. When they tell you that God gives special kids to special people. When they tell you, “but they’re so cute” or “they’re…

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Awareness Days Shouldn’t be the Only Days We Talk About Disabilities

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. I am going to make a statement that I know is controversial. People may come at me in the comments. But anyone that knows me knows I am honest, sometimes to a fault. I hate disability awareness days. Wait. Before you take your shock and disgust to the comments, let me explain. I have built my career, my character, who I am and what I stand for, on advocating for those with disabilities. All individuals with disabilities. Not every disability has an awareness day.…

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Coop’s Troops: Friends You Haven’t Met Yet

I’m a firm believer in finding your tribe. For me that is the autism parenting community. In the middle of pandemic this has been an extra challenge. But I never imagined that I’d find my tribe all across the country. I wasn’t in a great place last year when Covid happened. So many things were happening and then all of a sudden the world stopped. During that time I enjoyed the extra hands of help that my husband brought. But being unable to go anywhere made life hard. Luckily, while…

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Why Special Needs Mom’s Need to Find Their Tribe

I remember being in college and hanging out with friends all the time. You had your education friends, the friends you made during Freshman orientation. If someone was walking down the hall talking about Skyline Chili or LaRosa’s Pizza you’d hop in the car with them and go. Those were the good old days. The fun days. Then you get married and have kids and all of sudden your life is so unrecognizable and somehow during labor you forget how to make friends. It becomes this awkward thing. Where you…

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