There was a time I worried my kids would always feel overlooked because of their disabilities and differences. Now I get to watch their stories open hearts, change classrooms, and remind people that every child deserves to belong. 🤍 Our differences were never the problem. The lack of underst

That’s me on the left and my neighbor Tammy on the right as kids. 🤍 What most people didn’t see was how much I struggled in school. I sat in special reading classes because I just couldn’t read like my peers. And somewhere along the way, I started believing the lie: “You’re not enough.” I

Praise God I am cancer free after battling cervical cancer while pregnant with Russell. But cancer changes you. You never quite walk into a doctor’s appointment the same again. Every strange symptom, every scan, every test can bring back fear and memories you thought you had healed from. Sometim

There are moments as a special needs parent that quietly break your heart. And then there are moments that remind you why this work matters so much. A conversation between a few little girls at a birthday party changed everything for my kids that day. I wrote about the grief, the beauty, and

Sometimes the hardest battles are the ones happening quietly in our minds. The lies that say we’re not worthy, not lovable, not capable, not enough. And often… those lies started years ago. But healing begins when we stop agreeing with the lies and start believing what God says about us in

Join me for the ribbon cutting celebration with the local chamber of commerce for East Tennessee Sweet Stuff! 🎉🍭 One of my favorite things about this community is how supportive everyone is of small businesses, local families, and each other. We are so blessed to live in a city that rallies arou

Sometimes inclusion starts with something as simple as letting kids ask questions. What happened at this birthday party reminded me that children are capable of incredible compassion when we teach them not to fear differences. I shared the full story on Substack today. Read it at the link in

Watching my kids sit off to the side at a birthday party brought up that familiar grief again as a special needs mom. But then one little girl started explaining disabilities to her friends with so much compassion that everything shifted. Within minutes, my kids went from sitting alone to fee

Today I had the privilege of touring an incredible facility in McMinn County, Tennessee that serves adults impacted by disabilities. The staff were so kind and it was clear they truly have a heart for the people they serve. You can feel the compassion, dignity, and joy woven into everything they

At a birthday party this weekend, I watched my kids sitting off to the side while the other children played together — and that familiar grief hit me again. But then something beautiful happened. A little girl who had attended several The Hazelnut Movement programs began explaining disabiliti

Can I be super honest with you? I wasn’t excited for Mother’s Day this year. Not because I don’t love being a mom… but because burnout is real. The kind of burnout that comes from carrying so much for so long. The appointments. The therapies. The invisible mental load. The constant car

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#SpecialNeedsMom #RareDiseaseMama #MotherhoodUnfiltered #DisabilityAwareness #CaregiverLife

I used to imagine Mother’s Day differently. Homemade cards. Tiny voices saying “I love you, Mom.” Little hands carrying flowers picked just for me. And if I’m honest… sometimes I still grieve those things. Because special needs motherhood holds both deep love and deep grief at the same t

This Mother’s Day looks different than I once imagined. There’s grief here… but there’s also so much beauty and joy. To every special needs mama carrying both at once, this is for you. Read the full story on my Substack — link in bio. 🤍 #SpecialNeedsMom #RareDiseaseMama #MotherhoodU

Spend a day with me as a mom to two kids with the rare genetic disorder NKH 🤍 Today looked like: 🏥 A trip to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to get Russell’s vision checked 🩺 Followed by pediatrician appointments for both kids 🙏 And ending the day thankful because everything looks good

This Mother’s Day, my kids won’t make me a card or buy me flowers. They won’t say “Happy Mother’s Day,” and because it’s also my birthday, there won’t be little voices singing to me either. And if I’m honest… sometimes that grief hurts more than I know how to explain. But special needs mot

#greenscreen Never in 1 million years did I think I would see the day when People Magazine wrote an article about our family 🥹🤍 Truly one of those “is this real life?” moments. So grateful for every single person who’s supported us from the beginning. #PeopleMagazine #FamilyJourney #Bless

I thought being “easygoing” was a personality trait… turns out I was just terrified of disappointing people. 😭 Learning that boundaries don’t make you difficult — they make you honest. #PeoplePleaser #HealingJourney #SelfGrowth #BoundarySetting #InnerHealing