Friday, September 20, 2013

Back from the Dead

Hello there everyone,
I took a little time off from blogging to focus on my schooling. I still have about 8 weeks left of school, then I will be done with my B.S. in Psychology. In the mean time,  have some very exciting news. I have started a new career that I have been wanting to do for about 4 years now. I recently announced my website Fylicity Life Coaching. It is an exciting time for me right now, and I will be able to start doing what I am very passionate about, helping others. I hope you are able to stop by my website or even LIKE my Facebook page

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

When Raising a Special Needs Child, Keep it Fun!


I recently was published on Cerebral Palsy Family Network and I am so excited to be able to share it with all of you. Here is a Link to the website so you can check it out in person. Please enjoy!
When someone becomes a new parent, having a healthy and happy child is the first thing on their mind. Being a parent of a child with cerebral palsy can sometimes make a parent question themselves or their abilities to raise someone with special needs. I know when I became a parent at the age of 21, I thought maybe I had done something wrong in my life to be given a child with cerebral palsy. It was not until a stranger told me that I was not being punished, but I was actually chosen to be this special child’s parent because I was also the special one. I was going to be the rock for this child and help them become the best that they could be. Looking at my baby at that time, I saw no disabilities; I only saw her love for me.

APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE

My daughter has taught me to appreciate the little things in life. Many parents take for granted the different skills that a child learns as they develop, such as putting on their socks, or brushing their teeth. In my house, if my daughter learns a new thing, we celebrate with a happy dance with a lot of hooting and hollering. It takes a lot for someone who has cerebral palsy, depending on the case, to learn a new task or skill.
Currently, I am trying to get my daughter to stay in her own bed all night long. Now mind you, she is very cute coming into my room in the middle of the night with her little doll in her arm and her pillow in the other saying, “Mommy, I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you?” That is just so precious. I need to be strong and put her back into her room and be stern with her, because a good habit is much easier for her to learn than a bad habit is to break.

MAKE IT FUN

When trying to teach your child with cerebral palsy a new skill or task, make it fun for them. Create a calendar with a box full of stickers that they can pick from when they reach their goals. Go shopping together to pick out the calendar or the materials to make a calendar. Let them pick out the different stickers that they will be using to put on their special calendar. This will be a great treat for them and this will help them become even more excited to reach their goals.
In our house, my daughter can put a sticker on the calendar when she goes potty on the toilet, when she brushes her teeth and when she stays in her own bed all night. After so many stickers, she can choose from a list of prizes, such as going shopping for a new doll or new clothes. Everyone likes to have something to look forward to, and it can be exciting and fun for everyone in the family. Make it fun and enjoy the little things in life.

Friday, March 1, 2013

My First Writing Gig

I have received my first writing gig...and I am so excited. I have another blog that I recently started up called A Parent's Precious Moments. It is about being a parent of a child with cerebral palsy. I submitted this to Cerebral Palsy Family Network on Google+ and they loved it. They asked if I would like to be a contributor to their website as a blogger. WOW! I received my guidelines for the CP Family Network Blogs and I sent my first blog submission to CP Family Network to review. They will review and let me know if it will be selected for publication on either their website, weekly email blasts, or shared on social media sites. I cannot share it or publish it for you all to see until it is first published on their website. Keep your fingers crossed for me. They only review each Friday, so I may have a wait a whole week before I will get a notification from them. Ugh, you all know how I am about being patient....ha ha

Once this is published I will share it with all of you. If you have time stop by my other blog and check it out. Keep it in mind that it is a newborn and still developing. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. 

Much love ~ Denise

Friday, February 22, 2013

I Think Too Much....

Many of you would agree that I think way too much and that I analyze too much. I need to just let go and have fun...and this is in regards to everything. I do not know why I am this way, it could be a curse...yes a curse, that is what I will say. I have accepted myself for who I am, but I know that there is always room for improvement and change is good...that is what they say..change...sigh...why, OK I will work on changing. 

Now mind you I am not going all radical and changing my hair, makeup and maybe start talking with different accent, but I am going to try and change the way that I think.

I know that I want to write; I know what I want to write about, but I keep finding ways to delay it. Recently I decided that I needed to take some English and Grammar classes so I understand writing even better.....really? I know that these classes will help me, but here I am writing...right? I am writing and expressing myself right now. 

I think I just need to let it all go and start writing. Deep breath..OK, well now I just had another thought or excuse pop into my head. I am waiting for my tax refund to come in so I can buy myself a new computer with a REALLY BIG monitor. I am very excited about it, but I cannot use that as an excuse to not write. I think I am just trying to discover my voice and my style of writing and this just may be it. 

There is parts of me who are comical and some that are very intellectual and another that is very deep...I can put that all together into one style. What do you think? Tell me how you found your style, how you just let go and started writing or doing something that you really wanted to do, but kept finding excused to not do it. 

~Denise

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The tears keep coming back.

Been working on my memoir of a certain time in my life where there was so many different emotions to deal with. There was pain, confusion, and even joy during that time, but the tears are the things that keep coming back. I know that writing about a difficult time in one's life can be therapeutic, and that is something I need to work on I guess. I have pushed this memory far back for over 20 years now and over the last two months, I have been resurrecting it back to life one word at a time.

The shame I felt at the time was overwhelming. I have flash backs, and I can see, hear and smell every memory. I know that it is just memories and it is all over, but the pain sometimes is too much to think about. I know that others have felt this pain before, and some have had it worse than I did - but that does not make it right or change the fact that I had to go through it.

I am thankful for everyone who has been there for me when I was dealing with this. I am grateful for my wonderful friends and family for always being there for me. I will continue to write and develop the story so I can share it with others and maybe help someone else like me. So tonight I wipe my tears away and know that it is all over and tomorrow is a new day.

~Denise

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Vulnerability

This evening I watched a video by Brene Brown talking about The Power of Vulnerability. This was an enlightening video for me since I have been struggling with the courage to write a memoir about my experiences I had when I went through an abusive relationship. After listening to Brown's video, I realized that I need to find the courage to be imperfect and to let myself be seen even if it is total strangers who do not know me at all or close friends and family who know exactly what I went through. Many of us deal with vulnerability that comes with shame and fear. We want to do things, but do not want to mess up or be laughed at. 

I know that I have been toying with the idea to write for many years, but just over the last couple of months have I really gotten serious about it and started jotting down ideas. I have been able to do some networking and made some new friends from creative writing teachers to editors. 

I know that writing my story would not only be good for me to write, but it may also help others who have the chance to read it. I want to allow myself to be vulnerable and to know that I am enough. 

~ Denise

Friday, February 15, 2013

Ah Spring :)

What is your favorite thing about Spring? Is it the flowers, the grass turning green, the leaves on the trees again, or the chirping of the birds?  I have to say that I love everything about spring, even the rain showers that show up from time to time. Living here in Idaho, we have had a a long winter full of snow, ice and an inversion that came with a bad air quality. This not only has reeked havoc on my allergies, but on my disposition slash "depression." I am sure I am not the only one who is ready for some continuous sunshine and pretty flowers to admire in everyone's yards. I am looking forward to working in the yard again and planting some pretty little flowers of my own. What are your favorite flowers to plant? My favorite spring flowers is the lilac, because they remind me of my grandmother.She had a little lilac tree in her yard that she let me pick off of and make little bouquets for her. Even though they only bloom for a short period of time, I love their fragrance and admire the purples they come in. One other thing that I am looking forward to this spring is doing some spring cleaning. Boy do I need to get some major cleaning done in this house that has been put off for holidays, weather and just plain "do not want to do it" reasons.   Hope you are all enjoying your three-day weekend with a bit of sunshine and thoughts of spring coming very soon.

Keep smiling ~ Denise