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…

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…

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…

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…

“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…

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…

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…

“You should be a teacher so we can have the summers off together.” While I understood that Paul’s suggestion was somewhat selfishly motivated, he did have a point. Teaching was not only a noble profession, but it also had the…