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ETB 41- In this episode I talk with Beverly Parrish about her daughter Hannah, age 28, who has Down syndrome.   Beverly and her husband Chris learned that Hannah had Down syndrome in utero.   Feeling a bit overwhelmed at their lack of knowledge about Trisomy 21 they began to research, trusting that God had his perfect plan in place.

Beverly is a mother of 7 with 9 grandchildren and has been married for 40 years.  She homeschooled the kids for 30 years and currently works with dyslexic children and adults as a facilitator in the Davis Dyslexia program.  Beverly also tutors struggling readers.  In her free time, she published a book, Beyond the Diploma – Homeschooling with the End in Mind.  See link below.

As the only girl, sandwiched between 6 brothers, Hannah is a cheerful, engaging young lady who brings joy and seems unaffected by circumstances that impact many of us.

Beverly believes in embracing the uncertainty.  Instead of having your expectations dashed or unmet all the time,  she recommends just embracing the idea that you don’t know.  It’s not a race and it’s not a competition.  Embrace the uncertainty and don’t compare your situation.

Davis Dyslexia Program
https://https://learnyourway.biz/

Beyond the Diploma – Homeschooling with the End in Mind by Beverly Parrish
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Diploma-Homeschooling-End-Mind/dp/1946629456

The Gift of Dyslexia
https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Dyslexia-Smartest-Revised-Expanded/dp/0399535667

Welcome to Holland
https://www.dsasc.ca/uploads/8/5/3/9/8539131/welcome_to_holland.pdf

Connect with Beverly
beverlyparrish.com
www.beverlyparrish.com
www.learnyourway.biz
281-638-0297

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 38: In this episode I share a few stories about Josiah from the past few years when he was walking through a very long, very difficult season.  With so many challenges including aggression, destruction and self-injurious behaviors it was easy at times to lose sight of hope.

As a mom desperately trying to figure out how to best help my child,  it was heartbreaking to watch him struggle so much.  There is nothing like watching someone you love suffer and feel powerless to alleviate it.  Even after all the interventions, it was discouraging to see little to no improvement.

But I’m here to tell you, things drastically improved.  Despite the daunting forecast from a psychiatrist who told us Josiah would spend the rest of his life in a long-term psychiatric facility because he was too combative and self-injurious to live at home,  Josiah has become a different person.  He has made remarkable progress and continues to amaze me with his growth and abilities.

Don’t give up on your kids!  If you are in a difficult season and can’t imagine how things could ever get better, hang in there!  Pray without ceasing, reach out to others, seek support from those who has been where you are,  get respite if you need it but don’t ever give up hope!

Respite Care:
https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/family-support/respite-care-for-children-with-disabilities

Support Groups for Parents of Children with Special Needs:
https://blog.bayada.com/be-healthy/eight-support-groups-for-parents-raising-children-with-special-needs

GHFEDS – Galveston Houston Families Exploring Down Syndrome
http://ghfeds.org/

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 36 – In this episode I talk with Mike Lutey, owner of Special Strong – South East Houston. Special Strong provides science-based adaptive and inclusive fitness programs for children, adolescents, and adults with mental, physical and cognitive challenges.

Mike believes giving up his corporate job to become the very first franchise in Special Strong’s history, is his calling.  The franchise was founded in 2016 by Daniel and Trinity Stein. Daniel Stein was diagnosed with a learning disability, mood disorder and autoimmune issues at an early age and used specialized exercises to overcome his challenges.

Mike noticed with his sister Melissa, who has Down syndrome that after high school there were no real outlets for activity, fitness or even social outlets.  That’s one reason he puts a big emphasis on group classes.  Melissa was a big inspiration for Mike making his career move.  He saw so much growth when she was just part of a group.

Along with the group classes, Mike also offers one-on-one classes for anyone who needs that extra attention or maybe just needs to build up a trust factor before joining group activities.

Currently,  his class offerings include Boot Camp, Kickboxing, Bounce Camp, Adaptive Aquatic Fitness and Adaptive Dance.  Special Strong – South East Houston offers  a 7 day free trial.  Mike invites people to come in for a week and try all the classes. He says, “Come and try them out.  See what you like, what works, what doesn’t work.  We also have a free session for our one-on-ones.  Come and try it all.  We welcome that. ”

Special Strong has a non-profit scholarship for services for anyone who may need it.  See the link below.

Connect with Mike:
Email:  Mike.Lutey@specialstrong.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/specialstronghoustontx
Cell:  832-338-4861

Special Strong Champions Foundation Sponsorship Application
https://form.jotform.com/specialstrong/sschampions-scholarship-application

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 34:  In this episode I talk with Beth Haas, teacher and mother of 3 beautiful daughters about her oldest daughter, Annalee who has Down syndrome.   During the 18th week of Beth’s first pregnancy, she and her husband John were told their unborn baby had hypoplastic left heart syndrome and was probably not going to be compatible with life.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart. As the baby develops during pregnancy, the left side of the heart does not form correctly.  Without surgery, hypoplastic left heart syndrome is deadly, usually within the first few days or weeks of life.  With treatment, many babies survive, although most will have complications later in life

When they learned at birth that Annalee’s diagnosis was Down syndrome, not hypoplastic left heart syndrome, it was a miracle.

Annalee was in the NICU for a while and had open heart surgery at 23 months.  She also was unable to have thin liquids without aspirating them into her lungs, so initially she had an NG tube.  All of her liquids needed to be thickened for years, but with therapy and training and the right kinds of straws, Annalee eventually learned not to aspirate.

Now at age 17, Annalee is included in general education classes, participates in student council and was also invited to be a part of the Groundbreaker’s Leadership team at her high school.

She takes classes at the Kennedy Dance Studio, has choreographed her own dances, going all the way to the national level in the PTA Reflections Annual Art Contest under the category of Dance Choreography and brought home a bronze medal this year.  She has her own Youtube channel where you can see her perform some of her dances.

Annalee will be in the TET (Teacher Education Training) Class at high school this year,  teaching classes in the same elementary school where her mom teaches.  TET provides high school students with teaching experiences to determine whether or not they would like to pursue a career in public education.  The goal is for Annalee to get a certification to become a teacher’s assistant.

Teaching Your Child with Special Needs To Ride A Bicycle in 4 Easy Steps
https://twominuteparenting.com/how-to-teach-your-child-with-special-needs-to-bike-in-4-easy-steps/

Kennedy Dance Theatre:
https://www.kennedydance.com/

PTA Reflections
https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections

Connect with Annalee
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQrw1d2I2ShE0tcecHJBQbA

Connect with Sandy
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/

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ETB 33:  In this episode I announce a brief break as we quarantine, then head out on a family vacation.

I will see you on July 6th with another amazing parent to inspire and encourage you.  Until then, here are some things to keep you entertained:

Play Wordle
https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html

Become a Lego Sculptor (and leave your Law Degree behind)
https://youtu.be/8CP9hzSm60Y

Learn to Frost a Cake – A Beginner’s Guide
https://youtu.be/OxcWDrPAeWM

Play the Harmonica
https://youtu.be/ddM5RlWSJ4E

Start Your Own Podcast
https://youtu.be/Q8pfZna6H6Q

Connect with Sandy:
IG: https://www.instagram.com/sandydeppisch
Embrace the Blessing Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/ETB4ME
Website: http://www.embracetheblessing.com/