Home / Archives for May 2017
We arrived last night at our second home in Ireland. We were all delighted and relieved to be here. Traveling can be rough for anyone, but it can be particularly challenging when one of the passengers has special needs. This trip the airline staff at each location went out of their way to help assist
One of our dear friends, Martha Jones has been a caregiver for Nick for the past 20 years. As my kids will report, she takes care of all of us, not only Nick. This past week she fell and suffered a fracture to her ankle. She has a boot just like Nick did in March
This week has been more hectic than usual for us. Nick was sick, which is stressful, and we were trying to finish all the things on our lists before we left for Ireland. Throw in some birthday celebrations and friends visiting. It was a full week. Thursday we packed. Nick calls it “final packing day.”
Years ago a very wise woman taught us that Nick was experiencing anxiety. We had no idea. For a short period of time, Dr. Susan Alling was a part-time caregiver for Nick. She taught us to recognize when increased anxiety was the underlying cause of his acting out behavior. In addition, she showed us techniques to use
Today was a rough one. Nick was sick. It might turn out that he just has a cold, but that is the problem, we never know. He kept sneezing. I think that if I was watching our day today on a TV show, I might even think it was funny. It could be considered slap-stick
Today I was reminded of another great truth by Nick. Arden, Nick and I were watching a local figure skating competition this afternoon. The competitors were not elite level skaters. Most of the kids were pre-teens who were at the beginning levels of competitive ice skating. There were lots of mistakes and falls. I was
We all experience this. There is something that we need to do. We have agreed to it. Others are counting on us. It is looming and for many different reasons, we put it off and do other things instead. We know that there will be consequences that follow our procrastination, but we weigh those consequences against our choice
Back in 1997 when Nick was 18, all the other kids were playing Nintendo video games. Nick especially liked Super Mario Brothers. He kept asking everyone if he could play with them. The kids were very competitive and liked to see who could reach the highest levels, while collecting items and not dying. They didn’t always
Everyone needs to receive compliments, sincere compliments. In fact, Nick will often help us remember to compliment him. He will say, “I good, I got a hair cut. You see it.” or “you like my shirt, I handsome.” And then he smiles that big Nick smile when we agree with him. Sincere compliments can assist
Change is hard for Nick. He likes to be at home either in Carnation or in Carndonagh. He is happiest when both of his parents are with him – all day long. Well to be constantly surrounded by our loved ones is not realistic so he is often disappointed. Unfortunately this also leads to anxiety
Announcing that I have finished a book with the working title of “The Fairy Fort.” I am currently pitching it to publishers. Keep checking back to watch the progress of my newest novel.
Here is a quick glimpse of the story.
Sarah Doherty is an 18-year-old living in rural Ireland at the tail end of the Great War. Plagued by severe epilepsy, she is protected by her parents and lives a sheltered, secluded, lonely life. The Fae, local Irish fairies, interfere with her life. She falls forward a century in time through the local fairy fort of standing stones. She had a seizure in 1918 and woke up in 2020. The 21st century world includes life-saving prescriptions, physical comforts and the independence and freedom she seeks. The locals are welcoming and Andy Mclaughlin, a handsome young historian, is intriguing. She doesn’t want to return home.
Then a letter arrives from Boston divulging the story of Sarah and Andy’s lives that are deeply entwined in the previous century. They are not yet in love but as they seek to verify the letter through online resources, they feel a growing obligation to their unborn family and to each other. What would happen to their posterity living in Boston if they don’t return to 1918? Even if they do make it back, her parents can never know what happened to her or that would change everything.
This Young Adult time-travel romance explores the question: Do we have the freedom to make choices or is free will an elaborate illusion?
This is my third book. I love reading time travel romances. I am an advocate for epilepsy awareness because my 43-year-old son has intractable epilepsy. As a genealogist specializing in Irish research, I live part of the year in the village where the story is based. I wrote the book to help young adults understand that difficult situations can change your life. Sometimes miraculously.
