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If you ask Nick, today is the best day of the year. It is even better than Christmas or Easter, or anything. It is his birthday. Born in 1979, he is 38 today. Each year, he is so excited as he anticipates the arrival of the 19th of August. There are so many facts and
If you ask my cousin in Ireland how he is doing, the reply often is “Keeping the bright side out.” He explained this to me as when he is under pressure, he finds is easier to smile through the day, while working on keeping his thoughts moving toward the brighter side too. It is a
In the early 1980’s there was a dessert place in Seattle, that had the marketing slogan, “Eat Dessert First, Life Is Uncertain!” Arden and I adopted this as a family motto. Circumstances always remind us that life is uncertain. It is important to find enjoyment in life and don’t put off things that you want
Ancient Greek philosophers taught us “The only thing that is constant is change.” It seems that just as soon as I get used to the current changes in our lives, we are facing a new normal. Nick has fallen a couple of times this past spring, one caused a broken ankle, the other caused a
Nick and other people like him can teach us profound lessons, if we are aware and paying attention. One of the easiest things to notice about Nick is that he finds joy in simple pleasures. He loves it when people are laughing. He loves to hug others and receive hugs. He loves to blow bubbles.
Don’t worry this picture of Nick was not taken recently. It is from a few years ago. However, lately I have been reading posts and queries from parents of newly diagnosed children with epilepsy. My heart breaks for those families over and over. As I read their stories, I can remember all the swirling emotions of
Nick’s first 4th of July was life changing. He was 10 1/2 months old in 1980 and although he didn’t cry all the time like he had as an infant, he spent most of his waking hours just looking around. He didn’t really seem to respond to any outside stimuli. We had been living in Tacoma for
Over the years, Arden and I have often heard the comment, “I don’t know how you guys do it. I couldn’t do it.” I believe the secret to our success in caring for our Nick all these years, is that God has placed people in our life that have given us support and love. Some
Nick was first officially diagnosed when he was about a year old, which was about the time that I realized I was pregnant again. I calculated that Ryan would still be 2 when the baby arrived and Nick was not accomplishing normal developmental levels. I couldn’t imagine how I was going to manage my life.
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.
