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

We headed back to Ohio for Wyatt’s annual hospital visit—our most important check-in of the year—and this time we brought an extra set of hands and heart with us… Ava. ❤️ We have been making this trip every August since 2008, and it’s always a bit of a “hold your breath” moment. I know what I see in Wyatt’s physical abilities. I know he has progressed some, but it never feels like much. So getting confirmation that he only declined minimally on one of the upper-limb tests was

It has been a while since I shared an update on Wyatt and our family. Since school let out for the summer, we’ve been filling our days with trips, making memories, and bracing ourselves for a major milestone: Wynston’s senior year. I’ve been meaning to write this for a few weeks now, ever since Tropical Storm Arthur came through Luling. It brought endless rain, roaring thunder, blinding lightning, and an exhausting string of tornado warnings. That night was terrifying for all

Lately I’ve struggled with a question people ask with the best of intentions: “So what’s Wyatt going to do next?” or “What has Wyatt been doing since he graduated?” I see the looks sometimes when I answer. The head tilts. The wide eyes. “Well… he’s mostly been hanging out with me at home. He plays video games. He loves cleaning things with his Dremel.” And I can almost feel people trying to make sense of that answer. What I wish more people understood is how exhausting Duche

It’s been harder and harder to make myself sit down and write a new blog post. Sometimes the days feel so full — physically, emotionally — that by the time I have a quiet moment, I don’t have much left to give. But then Wyatt will look up at me and say, “Mom, I just love you.” And somehow, that’s enough to steady my heart. Some days are heavier than others. His needs can feel like so much. It’s exhausting in ways that are hard to explain unless you’re living it. There are mom

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....