Highs
- Garth Brooks: When I was 9-years-old my parents took me to Nashville. We stood in line for 8 hours so that I could see Garth Brooks in concert. I was a mega fan – like knew every word to every song, owned every cassette tape, and several t-shirts that I wore proudly to school. For Christmas last year my Dad bought my mom, sister, her husband, and I tickets to see Garth in Tulsa. Imagine my surprise when one of Garth’s people walked up to the nosebleed section where we were sitting and offered us tickets to sit on the second row. We were so close I could see Garth’s spit! For three hours I sang all the old songs, screamed like crazy, and felt like that 9-year-old girl again. It was a dream come true…
- Apraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder Diagnosis: You’d think this would only be listed on my lows, but to finally have an answer to so many questions was a good thing. Getting a diagnosis meant we could move forward and get Jackson all that he needed to succeed!
- Our Trip to Destin: The beach is my happy place. I love everything about it – the sand, the salt, sticky, sun-kissed skin. Watching the waves, I realize just how big God is; it’s where my worries fade away. To say Jackson loved the beach would be an understatement. The endless white sand and emerald water created the perfect haven for my sensory-seeking boy. He jumped waves, rolled in the sand and chased seagulls to his hearts desire. I found sand in his pockets for weeks.
- We Were the Top Fundraising Team at the Apraxia Walk
- My Children’s Book was Released
- Jackson’s Language Exploded: from hearing him finally say his name, to telling us what he wanted Santa to bring him. He has made so much progress this year! He can pretty much find a way to get his point across these days and each new word is a cause for celebration.
- Jackson Started Equine Therapy
- Our Trip to Eureka Springs: After a rough week of dealing with insurance drama and the weariness that sometimes comes with parenting a child with special needs, we decided to load up and drive to Arkansas to find Fall. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year and it was the perfect way to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. We were greeted by a crisp 52 degree morning and golden leaves fluttering down. It was perfection!
- New friends who get it and are always up for a late-night pie date: Krystal and I both have little boys with CAS. We sat in the waiting room together each Monday and Wednesday for several months while they got speech therapy. We talked and shared the challenges and the joys of this journey. We cried over Mexican food one night and the rest is history. I’m so thankful for the friendship that has formed between Krystal and I (and our boys) this year.
Lows
- Apraxia and Sensory Processing Disorder Diagnosis: Even though we are glad we have answers, it doesn’t mean receiving the news (and living with these disorders) is a piece of cake.
- Grief
- Insurance Hassles: Our insurance company began denying Jackson’s speech and occupational therapy in August. We weren’t completely shocked when we found out; but the thought of having to pay for all of the therapies out of pocket caused a tad bit of anxiety. We were told our therapists can request additional sessions and they would be granted if they could prove medical need. They requested and we were denied (three times). We finally received a glimmer of hope in late December when one of our claims was finally approved! We are praying and believing the rest of the claims will be too!This whole fiasco has reminded me that God is my provider. My security is not found in my bank account, in an insurance plan, or in my ability to fix the mess. God has been beyond faithful and has provided for all of Jackson’s therapy needs since he was 18-months-old. I have no doubt He will continue to do so.
- Parenthood Ended: I said goodbye to the Braverman’s on January 29th along with millions of others. There’s no telling how many tears were shed as Parenthood ended it’s six season run. This show captured my heart from the first episode. I connected because the story lines were real – I saw a glimpse of myself when Joel and Julia faced infertility and ultimately chose adoption. I understood both the struggles and joy Adam and Kristina experienced raising Max. Watching Max’s character develop gave me hope. There were tears of sadness and celebration as Kristina battled and beat breast cancer. All these story lines touched a place deep in my heart because in some way I’d lived them, too. Thursday nights just aren’t the same.