In the first post in this series you met Rose and Mary, two mothers who made a big difference in their small Iowa town. Their efforts began in the mid-1960s when they needed assistance caring for their special needs daughters, Brenda and Becky. Small Beginnings The solution to their puzzle came in three pieces. The first piece was in the shape of a house purchased at auction by Rose’s husband....

A few weeks ago, during a visit to Storm Lake, Iowa I toured Faith, Hope & Charity , a residential care facility for children with disabilities. This impressive facility serves 32 children, ages 3 – 18, in four homelike wings. Fascinating History But what fascinated me most was the home’s history, recounted on a wall display in the main entrance. It was a testimony of how two ordinary...

If you are the parent of a special needs child, you know how hard it is arrange for care so you can get away. Even if someone is willing to stay with your child, explaining the care giving routine is such a hassle, many parents decide it’s just easier to stay home. Care Giving Document for Special Needs Kids At a recent speaking engagement, I met a mom who created a document for her child’s...

Recently, a friend sent me a URL and a very short email. “Check this one out,” it said. “PLEASE WATCH: R. C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada talk about families & disabilities.” What Could R.C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, & Joni Eareckson Tada Have in Common? Since I wondered what those three people have in common, I clicked on the URL and began watching a...

A few days ago, I posted an article about www.SpecialNeedsBridge.com, the informational website developed by Julio and Ruthey Morales. At their website, I noticed the Nathaniel’s Hope/Buddy Break graphics sprinkled here and there. Curious, I dug around and learned about this wonderful organization. Buddy Break Buddy Break is a free respite service for parents of special needs kids. Nathaniel’s...

Since the release of A Different Dream for My Child, I’ve met some of the most interesting people. One of them is Julio Morales. Natalie’s Story Julio and his wife Ruthy are passionate about special needs kids because their second oldest daughter Natalie was born with a Chromosome 18 Deficiency. You can read more about Natalie, who functions at the level of a three-year-old, in this article...

Not long ago Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, asked me to take a shot at answering this question sent by a struggling mom. Heart-Wrenching Question I am a mom of a 2-year-old who was just diagnosed with autism. I also have had fibromyalgia for 5 years. I don’t know how I am going to get through this. I had assumed that, with my husband’s help, I could be a pretty good mom despite my illness....

Every now and then I update the progress of families profiled in A Different Dream for My Child, to give you an idea of what life is like for them on an ongoing basis. A week or so ago Scott, the father of seven-year-old Evan sent this link to a recent article about his son. Noonan’s Syndrome Evan has Noonan’s syndrome, a heart condition which typically includes a thickening of the heart...

A few weeks ago Lisa Copen, founder of Rest Ministries, a website for chronically ill adults, asked me to participate in her Invisible Illness Week Web Seminar. She wanted me to encourage chronically ill parents who have special needs kids. I felt a little funny addressing those parents since I don’t have a chronic illness. But since my dad was chronically ill, and my son had special needs,...

In the two previous posts in this series, I shared six commonalities observed in parents who live triumphantly with special needs kids. Today the last three ways will be discussed. As was mentioned before, don’t try to implement all of them at once. Select one, work on it until it is firmly in place, then choose another. #7 Triumphant parents get away now and then. Getting away takes forethought,...