Welcome!
Me:
Introverted oversharer. Underslept and overcommitted parent, partner, friend. Writer. Liver of life to the fullest. Chicken fan. Traveler. Book nerd. Adoptee. Ashtanga. Vegan. Special needs parent, but not by choice. Disability and inclusion advocate. Decaf cold brew addict. More tattoos than necessary. Admittedly Type A geeky workaholic professional with mild attachment parenting tendencies. Not very funny. Too tired for date night. Still listening to music I loved in 1985 and still dyeing my hair (mostly) black. Sharing this journey with my best friend and life partner. Writing since I learned how. Blogging since 2010. Aging native New Yorker now living in semi-rural New England.
Teeny and the Bee: The nicknames we gave our daughters, Thora and Freyja. They are 19 months apart and the two most precious beings in my world. They gave my life a new dimension and new meaning. They are as different as night and day. From the way they came into the world - Bee by emergency c-section and Teeny by peaceful water birth at home - to their personalities to their needs. Teeny has a serious neurological impairment causing significant motor and developmental delays which require hours per week of therapies and medical care. Her prognosis is optimistic but uncertain. She is the hardest working, most determined person I've ever met. Bee is frighteningly and heartbreakingly precocious an the best big sister ever. They both make me laugh and cry and provide me with more to write about than I ever expected.
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Yeah, I got something from what I just read; a heart full of soul. I still listen to music I listened to in the 60s. It still makes me feel and rock...like your words. How lucky you are to have one another. I held Teeny once and will be in love and connected forever, same as you.
ReplyDeleteI remember that day so well, Arlene. So glad to know you and be able to learn from you as I do. <3
DeleteHi, thank you for sharing everything in your blog. I came across it somewhat accidentally. Your family is brave and beautiful, and your stories are touching. All the best to you.
ReplyDeleteI found this on Facebook. It really affected me. My daughter, born 44 years ago, is severely disabled. It wasn't until she was 8 months old that I first heard the words "cerebral palsy." They told me she was retarded because she couldn't pass a block from one hand to the other when she was 15 months old. but she couldn't use her right hand, and she was bright and verbal, and I knew better. I broke down and cried as the milestones passed by. I mourned not walking, not dating, not growing up. But then I realized she is so very brave and strong, and I love her more than life itself. She is why I am a rehab medicine doctor today. She is why her brother is so kind.
ReplyDeletePaperless Post Project
ReplyDeleteHi there,
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Best,
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helen@anagraminteractive.com