“Purplicious Courage”, the annual Ohio MPS (mucopolysaccharidoses) Family Gathering, was held Sat., July 9. 2011, from 12-4pm. Â 16 families with children affected by MPS and ML disorders came from Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Tennessee and Ohio to celebrate the children and encourage one another. Â Northwest Bible Church in Hilliard, OH…
The sea of purple boxes and bags  that filled my dining room has diminished significantly since yesterday has passed.  But our hearts are full and overflowing because our family had the privilege of hosting the Annual Ohio MPS Family Gathering for the 10th time.  Purple has always been Taylor’s favorite…
Sometimes you have to stop what you are doing and remember why you’re doing it.  This  is one of those moments. This Saturday, about 20 families will join together for a day of fun and sharing. All have a common bond: a child with a terminal illness, MPS (mucopolysaccharidoses). So…
Have you been there? The words aren’t coming to your mouth.  They aren’t even formulating in  your mind in cohesive sentences.  Just a swirl of ideas and thoughts and phrases …and run-ons. Your brain won’t form words because the depth of your soul is just so anguished.  The possibilities…
Last week, Taylor, my daughter who has MPSIIIB, caught a cold.  Not a problem. At least it seemed that way.  Then over the next couple days, she was not herself.  Made it through the last day of school and then a  little extra sleep.  Saturday, she seemed to be a…
A Groucho Marx classic, two of my kiddos recently chose a prize of disguise from the dentist’s treasure box. My kindergartener fell in love with the prize. So much so, that he decided to sleep with it. Â Not unusual for him, but Daddy caught him, sleeping incognito. The next morning,…
Imagine what it would be like to have the  loss of one of your senses. Imagine a silent world. No laughter or music. Missing the glorious sound of the Hallelujah Chorus. Imagine a dark world. No rainbows. No lush, green meadows. Not knowing your favorite color. Imagine the inability to…
I can’t believe it. This week we celebrated Tarah’s birthday and already, she’s two. Her birth story is such a blessing to tell and here’s why: In 2007, Matt and I discovered that I was pregnant and we were thrilled to anticipate the sixth addition to our merged, growing family….
The first week Tessa was home, one morning as I was making oatmeal, I caught myself with one eye closed and barely avoided using chili powder in place of the cinnamon. I can only imagine the look Taylor would have given me for that one. Easter weekend, I was supposed…
Ok, so I’m a huge fan of sweet n salty snacks. Â Can devour a bag of chocolate Chex mix like no other. (Can we say “Made to Crave?” ) Â But Mother’s Day! Does it have to be sweet and salty? Sweet because I spent a wonderful morning with two precious…
This past Sunday, a very generous compliment was afforded to me.  “You were made to have babies.” Wow, I guess you could interpret that many different ways.  And I chose it to say “You make having babies look easy.” 🙂  But how?  If you ask my husband and he doesn’t…
Since Tessa Grace has arrived, the one question I’ve heard frequently is: Who does she look like? For our sweet T, I originally thought she looks like our almost two yr. old, Tarah. Â And Tarah is sooo much like her big sister, Taylor. But then over the days, I began…
