A Reminder of the Adventure

In 2016, our church produced a video with Jocelyn’s story of our early journey with Julia. Watching it ten years later, I was reminded again that, though I’ve learned a lot, there is so much more…

Beyond Awareness

My daughter Julia – who you probably already know – has Down syndrome. Consider yourself aware! I humbly invite you into an adventure beyond awareness and into something far more life-giving. Wanna go?

Ella Knows a Better Way ~ an addendum 

I got a response to a recent blog post on empathy from a long time and respected friend. He has a good heart and a perspective likely quite different from mine. It was an exercise in self reflection and keeping a conversation going while trying stay respectful.

We have to keep talking to each other – even when it’s hard.

Far More to Teach Us…

A recent conversation on leadership turned quickly from abstraction to something deeply personal – and reminded me of a long-held conviction.

Christmas Greetings

A hard reality came into focus for me this year that will be difficult to live out without a lot of help from above. The Christmas season reminds us that, despite evidence to the contrary, we are not alone in making the world more beautiful. But first, we need to be thrilled by Hope.

Julia’s Summer OT

Julia has never really had a “summer off“. We are always working on something; and this summer it’s occupational therapy to help her do things that typical kids take for granted.

What follows is a small vignette of what she’s been working on with her OT, Miss Courtney…

World Down Syndrome Day & What Julia Does for Me

As a dad, I have spent the last 13+ years teaching my kid as best I can. But what I found is that she has a heck of a lot more to teach me. Here are the latest ways she’s been taking me to school…

Hope Gets a Facelift

Despite the ugliness that happened on the east end of the National Mall three years ago, an opportunity for healing is still at work on the west end…

Christmas Greetings

In a hard emotional season, I was reminded of a heavenly paradox: the journey from “fitting in” to experiencing real belonging in my life is in the direction of my teenage daughter with a condition that unenlightened society relegates to irrelevance.