Category Archives: Grandparents

Mildly Concerned

I’ve just about decided I don’t like the word mild – except as it relates to cheddar cheese and salsa. Mild should come with a warning label… I believe I recognized the signs of “mild” cognitive decline due to dementia in my mother-in-law a couple of years ago. Although I did what I could to…

Just Venting…

For the first time since writing for 5 Minutes for Special Needs I am at a bit of a loss of what to write. Often I know days in advance what I will write, and it becomes a finely crafted piece before I hit publish. Usually at some point on Tuesday inspiration will strike and…

When she won’t hug Grandma

We flew 8 hours with 4 kids and umpteen bags across the country to visit Grandma. Within 2 minutes they’d already hurt her feelings. It’s always been stressful to balance the expectations of extended family and the needs of my two older girls, adopted as toddlers from foster care. Both their difficult history and their…

Reports from Inside the Sandwich

It’s hard to say when, exactly, we became members of the “sandwich generation.” If I had to guess I would say it started around the time that my husband flew to his mother’s home in order to drive her back to our home so that she could meet our twins. This was about six months…

Learning to ride…one step at a time…

A Cowboy Needs a Horse Johnny lives in a big city, but has everything a cowboy could want (Everything, everything) He has a place to pan for gold (Panning, panning) And he has time to shoot a buffalo everyday (Shooting, shooting) And every night, he dreams he’s a cowboy riding the rangeFinally found the words…

The “Ick”

We have been part of the “Ick” people.  We try SO hard not to get anything.  To not be exposed to any others that are sick, have been sick recently, or that have been exposed to sick.  I know impossible.  But we really do try to stay germ free.  Then it HIT and it didn’t…

New Groove

I need a sabbatical.  I know from time to time we all need a break.  I’ve taken to calling this much needed break a sabbatical.  You see life got turned upside down in August.  My mom entered the hospital with what we thought was going to be pneumonia but spent 2 weeks inpatient getting a…

Going to the Movies

Traditionally on extended holiday breaks, one (or both) of the grandmas suggest taking the kids to a movie.  It is one of those activities that makes me cringe inside because I’m never quite sure how Will is going to behave once we get there.  Sometimes I opt out all together or just send the girls….

Our Bustenhalters

Did the title catch your eye?  Ok well welcome, come in and lets talk   I want to talk about support systems.  Do you know who your is?  Have you ever depended on them in a moments notice?  I guess you don’t know who they are till you need them the most.  I’ve always been…