Sarah M
The Irritation of “Self-Care”
“Take care of yourself!”“What are you doing for self-care lately?”“How about taking some time for yourself.” “Prioritize self-care.”These are common refrains spoken by well-intentioned individuals. They are platitudes scrolling amongst the reels of social...
My Experience with Caregiver Fatigue
Understanding Caregiver Fatigue
I sat with my therapist a few years ago and tried to put into words not how I was feeling, but rather the unsettling absence of emotion that had crept into my...
Obstacles We Experience While Traveling as a Family Affected by Disability
We traveled home to Texas for Spring Break to spend time with grandparents and cousins. We rode public transportation, stayed in hotels, fought the crowds, and played tourist. My daughter Luisa, diagnosed with Rett...
“Enjoy them now. They grow up so fast!” :: Learning to Love the Stories...
I know what it is like to be the keeper of other people’s stories, to be the receptacle into which they deposit their memories. The storytellers are strangers, and it is my daughter who...
5 Things to Do {and NOT Do} When You Encounter a Special Needs Family
Any mother traveling with small children has experienced relief upon arriving back home. Once home, you can sink blissfully into your bed without a Pack 'n Play two feet away, confining the wide-awake toddler...
Encouragement for the Goal-Resistant Mother
Family Goal Setting
At the beginning of each year, my family of six gathers to make New Year’s resolutions, scratching them on 8 ½ X 11 white space under headings of each member’s name. This...
“Making Rounds” :: Staying Connected to Your Spouse
Most nights of the week, after the sun sets and the kitchen is cleaned, my husband says, “Well Sarah, it’s time to make my rounds.” Already in bed with my nose in a book...
Antique Shopping in Birmingham
Antique shopping is a creative outlet for me. While some might consider a spa trip to be the ultimate in “self-care,” give me an antique store to peruse and I will leave refreshed, with...
An Interview with Luisa’s Siblings
I say often to three of my children, “You are living a different life than I did growing up. I do not know what it is like to have a sister with special needs.”...
The First Empty Nest
With freshly applied make-up, I enter El Zun-Zun where I’m meeting three friends for lunch. Breezing past the brightly colored paper star lanterns hung at various heights from the ceiling, I make my way...