During my first pregnancy, I dreamed of having a little girl. In my imagination, she wore a pink tutu and a sparkling smile. She was always dancing. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl…” I told God. But whenever I’d pray, there she was again. The daughter …

The emptying nest. I have dreaded this era of my life since June 2, 1993. It was the day I became the mother of my lovely 19 year old daughter Gabriela Maria. My mother had often repeated the idea during my life that our children are just loaned to us …

Editor’s note: Today, I am very pleased to share a guest contribution by Kelly Doman. I believe what Kelly has shared here is crucial for our families, and request that you share her column broadly with your friends and loved ones. LMH   God, why did you do this to …

From the time they were very young, my kids have been drawn to soft fabrics. Christopher wears his footie pajamas on the hottest summer nights. Sarah’s retinue of stuffed animals requires so much space I often find her hanging off the bed at night. (Getting her to sleep under the …

Recently, while listening to the radio in my car,   I heard a news report that took my breath away. The radio host reported that a couple from the west coast was recently awarded three million dollars for the “wrongful birth” of their Down syndrome daughter.  The family sued a health …

One of my favorite ways to engage the Gospel is to imagine that I am a peripheral character in the story. In this week’s Gospel,for example,  we encounter a man who is both deaf and has a speech impediment, who is brought to Jesus for healing. We read: He [Jesus] took …

  The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a Lifetime Original Movie available on DVD. It is based on the best-selling novel by the same name by Kim Edwards. Starring Dermot Mulroney, Gretchen Mol, and Emily Watson, it offers a very positive portrayal of a girl with Down Syndrome.  In a world …

  Editor’s note: Today, we continue our two part series with another wonderful excerpt from Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs by David Rizzo. David’s book is a fantastic resource for any family blessed with a child with special needs – he offers not only tremendous inspiration, but also practical considerations …

Editor’s note: Today, I am thrilled to share a guest post excerpted from the fantastic book  Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs by David Rizzo. David’s book is a fantastic resource for any family blessed with a child with special needs – he offers not only tremendous inspiration, but also …

In some ways I was fortunate. We received the diagnosis that my son has Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of Autism, after we had already been homeschooling for two years. Therefore, I never had to wonder if I could homeschool a child on the autism spectrum – I was already …

I often think how much fun it is for the ladies whose babies are being born in the Facebook age. They have a vast audience to oohh and aahh at their baby’s first photos, an instant birth announcement. I never sent out birth announcements for my children, nursing a new …

Editor’s Note: Perhaps you’ve had the good fortune of reading The Lily Trilogy and are already in love with Sherry Boas and her inspirational and compelling brand of fiction. If not, I hope today’s guest column by Sherry will help you discover her work and share it with your loved …

Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum Karen Santorum SRP: $12.95, Paperback, 136 pages Reprinted by Ignatius Press Setting the Record Straight about Gabriel Santorum I was mourning my third miscarriage and seeking a book which would offer me comforting words from a another Catholic mother who …

It is a mother’s fear, a mother’s concern; that my son Paul is three and does not speak.  He’s social. He smiles. He says some things. He dumps oatmeal on his head if I’m not vigilant.  He will open the drawers in the kitchen until I give in and give …

Those children with special needs are a gift from God.  In the new book by Catholic writer, Leticia Velasquez, called A Special Mother is Born, Leticia shares stories from Catholic parents as they tell how God has called them to the extraordinary vocation of parenting a special needs child. In …

How many times have you heard an expectant mom say, “I don’t care if it is a boy or a girl, as long as the baby is healthy?” But what happens when the baby isn’t healthy? How does one’s world change when a child is diagnosed with major health issues, …

A Palm Beach jury just awarded a couple $4.5 million in damaged in a wrongful birth suit. Their son Bryan was born in October 2008 without arms and with only one leg. Their suit was against the mother, Ana Mejia’s obstetrician and sonographer, saying if they had done their jobs …

Among the groups honored by an audience with the Holy Father during World Youth Day, was a group of sick and disabled youth from St Joseph’s Hospital. Like the seminarians, university professors, and women religious, the Holy Father wanted to remind them of their vital importance in the life of …

My son is two and a half. He has blue eyes, a mischievous smile, loves dogs, balls and chugging my diet coke if it is in arm’s reach.  He dances to any music, applauds at mass at the end of every song and will shake his head “yes” when you serve him cake.  …

My two year old woke up on the wrong side of bed yesterday. He woke up ravenous and angry about that physical fact. He slumped at the top of the stairs and cried until his brother picked him up and carried him down. Once in the kitchen, he grabbed onto the high chair …