June 13, 2017

My first vlog!!

I did my first video about Tourette Syndrome and our path to diagnosis. I posted it on Facebook because I couldn’t figure out how to upload such a big file on WordPress. Then I did some googling and it seems that it is not recommended to upload videos directly onto WordPress. So go over to my Facebook page and check it out. I plan to try to make weekly vlog posts. https://www.facebook.com/SpiritedBlessings
June 1, 2017
Life Saver By Pool

Get In The Pool

In 2010, our darkest of times as a family, I began to use an analogy of a swimming pool when trying to describe the difficult parts of our family’s journey and I wanted to share it here. I make specific references to adoption because that is the journey I have made but I hope the analogy itself might strike a chord with other parents of kids with complex needs as well. Back when my husband and I decided to pursue adoption, we never expected it to be easy. Not at all. But there was no real way for us to know how very hard it would be until we had experienced it for ourselves. Throughout the adoption process we were […]
May 30, 2017

WELCOME

Thanks goes out to my amazing big brother Christopher Muggridge of Lumin8 for creating this wonderful website for me. I will be working on importing more of my old content from the other site. The breathtaking family and individual photos were taken by Stephanie at Stesha Bella Photography  at The Old Mill in Harrow
May 22, 2017

Becoming a Self Advocate

Months ago my youngest, Jeremy, read a book called Beyond Ok by Susan Schenk. It resonated with him and he was eager to discuss with his tutor about his own learning and what works best for him. We had been trying for years to explain learning disabilities and how they affect him. We tried to determine what strategies would work best for him but he remained silent and reluctant to discuss it. We were at a loss. Then along came the book and he just opened up. I read it too and we had some good discussions about it. He was doing a book talk on her book so he reached out to Susan on Facebook and she was kind […]
May 16, 2017

To My Son’s Other Mother

I have another new post at Her View From Home titled To My Son’s Other Mother
May 9, 2017

Mental Health Awareness 2017 – Part 2

So I left off with Adam and I becoming a couple.  He came into my life at just the right time. I had a new found love and respect for myself and I believe that is what drew him to me (plus my flirting wearing a low cut sweater might have helped a little). We were engaged after four months of being together though we didn’t actually get married until two years later in 1995. Shortly after we got married we started to try for a family. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) so becoming pregnant is not easy. We eventually got in to a fertility specialist and even had an emergency round of InVitro fertilization (IVF) before we decided […]
May 8, 2017

Mental Health Awareness 2017 – Part 1

Mental Health awareness week is almost over . . . I have struggled all week with what to say. Here is part of my story: I have struggled with depression and anxiety most of my life. As a young child I felt anxious doing ordinary everyday activities like going to school or even playing with my friends. When I was 5, I was in Girl Guides and would get a migraine every time I went. I spent half the time lying on a gym bench waiting for my parents to come pick me up.  When I was 6 I struggled to print properly – it was the first time at school that I struggled with something. I had no idea […]
April 21, 2017

Graduation

The back of one of my Corbin’s graduation announcements. Jeremy is disappointed as I always said I would write a “Suck It” announcement. He thought I meant that I would literally write those words. He makes me laugh.
April 14, 2017

Into the Woods

I stood there and watched him run into the woods. I didn’t follow as I knew I would never be able to catch him. I was beyond exhausted. Behind me I heard walkie talkies going off as three staff bolted out of two buildings and ran into the woods after him. I found myself fighting back tears. The staff beside me put her hand on my shoulder and gently said “Don’t worry, we’ll get him” and I began to sob. “It’s not that” I said “it’s that I don’t have backup staff at home. I don’t even have one staff. How are we going to manage when he comes home?” I was standing outside one of the units for inpatient […]
April 9, 2017

What Matters – Giveaway

I was just doing some cleaning and realized I have 2 copies (one dog eared, one in pristine condition) of What Matters by Janice Fialka. It is an amazing book about raising her family and her son making his way in the world, fully included at every step of the way. Janice has been an inspiration to me since before we even adopted Corbin, and became even more important to me after. To win a copy of this book do one or all of the following (each one will get you a ballot in the draw):  Leave a comment here  share my facebook post Like my FB post Make sure you leave a message in the comments if you share […]