If You're Thankful And You Know It
Had to post these videos from our Community Meeting at Christian's school yesterday. About 90% of Christian's school are typically hearing kids, and 10% are kids with hearing loss, many with Cochlear Implants. As I looked around the gym and saw all our CI kids sprinkled around the room, I couldn't help but tear up. They were singing, laughing, and dancing. My heart was so full of joy as I listened to one of the older boys in the school who uses a CI recite a poem with his class of hearing peers perfectly. I am so glad that Christian has been able to attend such a wonderful school.*Be sure to disable the music on the right before playing**You'll notice that there is an ASL

Like Clockwork
It wouldn't be the holidays without some sort of drama with Christian's CI. Last night while at his grandparent's house, his CI was turning off for no reason. His Gram and Poppa have become quite the troubleshooters with his equipment, and when Chuck and I got the call (we were out running errands with Lily) that they were having some trouble with it, we knew it couldn't be good. They reported that they turned the system on and off again, took the battery out, and then even dismantled all 4 pieces, and it still was acting funny. When we arrived, I tried everything, and it still wasn't turning on. I finally ran out to the car and got our "emergency kit", which includes a battery

Nucleus 5 Activation
Just wanted to post this link to a news story that not only features a sweet baby girl with bilateral Nucleus 5 implants, but also Christian's 1st SLP, Mrs. Spies. She is a very special teacher, and we are so proud of her!

Start Making Your Christmas List!
Even though AJ's Momma beat me to the punch this year, I am still SO EXCITED TO SHARE TOYS R US' DIFFERENTLY-ABLED TOY GUIDE. Once again, the guide is broken down into categories so parents, grandparents and even SANTA can chose appropriate toys that reinforce and build skills for our little ones. For those of us with kids who are differently abled, we know that toys aren't just for playing with, but they are also important pieces in our therapy puzzle. Believe me, our playroom is stocked with toys that aren't just for "fun", but they also serve a very important

You Gotta Have Faith
I grew up in a traditional Catholic home, attended Catholic school, and was raised in a family where our Church was a center of not just my community, but of our family. I never doubted my faith, and always felt firm in my beliefs. That is, until we heard the words "Your son is Deaf". I grieved, and took my anger out on my faith, and on my Lord. I cried and asked God why HE would do this to my family? Why did this happen to us? I mean, if YOU REALLY LOVED ME, WHY would this happen? I became angry. I neglected to look at all the blessings in my life, and instead was so angry with God. Underneath all my anger, my faith still glimmered. While I was angry, I wasn't ready to abandon