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The Pretzel Test
Fourteen years ago, I was in the thick of it…five kids under six. Two were just ten months apart. One had classic autism (level 3). Every meal felt like a battlefield, me at the center, clutching a fork like a soldier holding the last line of defense. Ten little hands would creep across the table,…
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Not Perfect, Not Graceful, But Fully
It was a beautiful night…chaotic, yes, but the kind that feels worth it. My oldest daughter had just been promoted to General Manager, and we all showed up to help her decorate for Free Tea Day. Her big brothers were there and her little sisters tagged along. Glitter. Balloons. Laughter. Smiles. It was loud, messy…
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Board by Board, Nail by Nail
Some people build houses. My husband builds dreams. I come to him with ideas…half-formed visions and whispered what ifs. “What if we opened up the space?” “What if the porch wrapped around?” “What if we made it feel like home?” And he listens. Then, one board at a time, one nail after another, he brings it to…
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You Are Seen
Sometimes you can feel invisible in the very space you create, the home you manage, the life you hold together. Have you ever felt alone in a crowded room? Not sad. Not depressed. Just…aware. Aware of how easily people pass by you. How often your presence is felt in what you do…but not always in…
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The Invisible Hero
Some days, I believe I could disappear and no one would notice…as long as the Capri Suns stayed stocked and the WiFi was stable. I move through rooms like a ghost with a messy braid, carrying armfuls of toys and mental to-do lists no one else sees. I pick up shoes that somehow multiply like…
Crumbs and Chaos 