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Racism is Real
Racism is real. It is not imagined or fabricated. We have to deal with the effects of it every day. And the repercussions devastate our society.
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Adventuring Through America’s National Parks
We intently listened to Tom explain the tradition he had with his son. Visiting all of the major league baseball fields in the US seemed like quite the feat. We had never heard of parents doing something like this before, but…
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Back to School 20/21: Be The Solution
The school year is starting. Oh how I long to go school shopping, organize and lay out my curriculum, and prepare my classroom for students. I want to know the kids who were placed in my care this year, to…
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Lydia Part 8: Finding Support
We made a conscious decision to be there for Lydia and, after 20-25 years of teaching, officially became students again ourselves. Talking to whoever could speak from experience, reading every book ever published on the subject, we pursued wisdom and…
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Lydia Part 7: Evolving Diagnosis
She ran from us, ran from school, ran from friends and anything else that seemed to compound the problem. Her grades dropped. She was unable to care. This was difficult for me to watch especially when I didn’t know what…
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Lydia Part 6: Cutting = Addiction
It was at SHIELD that I got to know my daughter and all that she had been struggling through for the past four years. Lydia had attachment issues and a constant fear of abandonment. Dealing with bullies at school, and…
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Lydia Part 5: Understanding Mental Illness
When Paul got home from his Black-Friday shopping we put our heads together. The County Crisis Team was at our door in under 15 minutes. Talking to us and Lydia separately, they determined it was in her best interest to…
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Lydia Part 4: The Silent Struggle
“So you’re willing to consider anything?” Yes, anything except a history of severe mental health issues. We had considered our parameters carefully. We wanted a baby and were really open to whatever they could throw at us, except that. Having…
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Lydia Part 3: The Rest Comes Crashing Down
It was in the midst of this storm, when I felt I had nothing left to give, that more was demanded of me. More than I ever thought was possible. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I was about to…
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Lydia Part 2: Things Fall Apart
Our extended family was already fracturing at the seams. My parents got caught in the bursting of the housing bubble in 2006, and then they moved to Texas. In 2012, Paul’s parents separated and his dad (David) was diagnosed with…
