Welcome to Laughing through the Tears: The journey of a mom with a special needs son

The past few months have been challenging. I’ve experienced some personal losses, but they came from choosing to prioritize my mental health and removing myself from situations that caused more stress than joy. For so long, I’ve tried to put family and friends first—but in doing so, I realized I was losing parts of myself. Thankfully, I had the support of loved ones who encouraged me to choose me . That support gave me the strength to refocus and let go of the heartache. It h

Can you believe it's been 20 years since Hurricane Katrina? Back then, Patrick and I hadn't even been married a year. We were in the...

Caregiving is not just about physical support; it also demands emotional strength. Many caregivers experience what my friend called the...

What does grit mean? I have been struggling with my shoulder since the end of 2023 . I had steroid shots and physical therapy but as...

A friend told me, "thank you for always being here and for just being you," and it really had me reflect on who I  am and how I got...

I knew I could do it by myself but it sure is better with a partner. It isn't often that Patrick does something by himself. He doesn't go...

At diagnosis we were told that Wyatt would live into his late teens, soooo now what? He will be 18 on Thursday. I have been in a scary...

2 years ago on 4/19/22, Wyatt came home from school early because he was having a rough day since he did not take his medicine in the...

On Saturday I presented at the Jett Foundation Family Workshop. I wanted to post what I presented as my newest blog. It took me a long...

This weekend we chose living. Nashville and Upchurch did not disappoint. So many times I get worried about the future instead of living...

It's the start of the new year and like we always say, "how did the year go by so fast?" 2024 is going to be a big year for us. Wyatt...

Every year, at the end of October, I feel my emotions being all over the place. Some years I know exactly why and some years I don't...

Sometimes I feel like I put myself in other's lives because it's easier than focusing on the craziness of my own. Sometimes I feel like...

It's Duchenne Awareness Day 2023 and I need to share our story again to bring awareness to our nightmare diagnosis. We live everyday...

I feel like I'm failing because this blog has fallen lower on my list of priorities. I know I should write because it's cathartic for me...

Summer has come and gone in a blink of an eye. School started on August 9. It was a pretty low key few months with not much traveling....

It's been a long while since I have posted, in one way it's because we have been living and loving every moment and in another way it is...

It has been a while since I could get myself to sit down and express all the feelings I have had over the past few weeks. The last time I...

This weekend last year Patrick and I were in Fredericksburg celebrating our birthdays. We could never have imagined it would be the last...

I heard this question on TV yesterday and it is one I ask myself quite often. My answer is: I want to help others who feel the same way...