Parenthood is sacred. Not glamorous. Not always joyful. Often invisible. It’s setting boundaries others can’t see the purpose of. It’s holding firm when outsiders say you’re “too strict.” It’s being misunderstood by people who don’t live your life or know your child the way you do. When you’re raising a child with special needs (whether visible or invisible) your goal isn’t to just make them happy in the moment. Your goal is their survival. Their growth. Their faith. Their future. That means structure. Limits. Consequences. Not to be mean, but because it’s necessary. Because consistency is love in action. Because teaching accountability is a gift, not a punishment. If someone parents differently than you, that doesn’t make them a bad parent. It doesn’t make you a better one either. Parents know their children better than anyone else. They know what their child needs to succeed, even when others don’t understand. I don’t do this for praise. I do it because I LOVE my children. Fiercely. ...

I enjoy reading different versions of the Bible - just to get the best understanding I can out of things. I have a favorite version, which I’ve read cover to cover (highly recommend a chronological hardcover with large print (NLt)!)… Currently, though I’m reading from The Message and I appreciate this passage… This was from Luke 1… toward the end in Zechariah’s prophecy after he was given his voice back (after he said ‘his name is John’)… “God’s sunrise will break in upon us, shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace…”

Hi, my name is Lana… And I have Autism. Since I was a kid, I’ve always felt like I was either “too much” or “not enough.” Turns out… I’m just wired differently. And that’s okay! Autism isn’t just a label to me… It’s a lighthouse. It points me toward understanding myself better and becoming my best self. And it reminds me to be patient with my process as I go. To all my neurodivergent friends (and I know many of you are out there): I see you. I get it. And if you ever want to connect, I’m here. You don’t have to do this alone. Not less than—just unique. #unmasking #unique #autism (If this offends you for some reason… oh wait, sorry - I forgot I don’t care ) I’m not here to force myself into someone else’s tiny box of expectations… and neither should you.

High sense of justice: You need things to be acknowledged honestly. You want accountability, clarity, boundaries, & ownership of wrongdoing. If someone harms or shames others - your protector side kicks in. You don’t lash out to be cruel, you speak up because silence feels like complicity. Can become rigid or intense because you want things to be resolved appropriately. Letting things go and forgiving is especially difficult. High sense of fairness: Wants everything to feel “even” so your truth can’t be louder than theirs (you share how you were hurt and they spin it so you’re talking about how they were hurt worse). May see boundaries or truth-telling as personal attacks. Instead of facing uncomfortable feelings, can shift blame and make themselves the victim. Often seeks relational harmony, even if issues are left unresolved. May resent people for upsetting the peace. Justice says: This hurt. Please take ownership. Fairness says: You calling it out hurt me, so now you are the pro...

Have you ever explained to your kids “how” to forgive someone or to let go of an offense? How to tell if there are people they’re holding a grudge against? This is super important. It can all seem super abstract, even as an adult! It’s important to note that forgiveness is not saying that what they did was ok, and it does not mean they have to be allowed into your inner circle. It’s simply taking yourself out of the judge's seat and handing the gavel to God, where it belongs. “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die…” It only hurts you. Don’t let your kids get stuck with this. Also, research whether you have a high sense of “justice” or “fairness” - they are 2 very different things and affect how hard this can be for some people.

Zeke overheard Steve & I calmly disagreeing about something and said, “I don’t like it when you guys fight!” We both looked at him and said we weren’t fighting, just disagreeing about something. And then it hit me… the fact that he thought that was a fight? That’s because he has never seen us fight or be mean to each other. He has never seen yelling, cruelty, or cold shoulders between us. He sees love. He sees peace. He sees two people working through life together. That’s not just cute… that’s healing! That’s legacy work. I’m so thankful for what he sees. I want him to know that you can have a marriage without all the drama. When you disagree or are upset, you just work it out. You listen to each other. You grow together. You’re a team! Obviously, we have fought before and seen some dark days like anyone else, but it is incredibly rare and certainly not something we broadcast in front of our kids. We discuss with them how to treat others and how to handle conflict.

  No chains remain, no fear holds tight, The cross has turned my dark to light. Grace unearned, yet fully mine, A soul set free by Love divine.

Just a gentle reminder: My personal page is my space to process thoughts, share what I’m passionate about, and reflect… kind of like a journal with a revolving door. It’s not directed at any one person in particular, and it’s not meant to start debates or call someone specific out. Sometimes I just need to get things off my chest. If something I post resonates, that’s great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. Either way, this space is for me. This is my space for my voice - where I am allowed to feel seen and heard, where maybe elsewhere I can’t be. If you feel the need to clap back with a sassy or sarcastic comment because you’re personally offended by something I’ve said - please, save us all the drama and just scroll on by. No hard feelings. Life’s too short. I’m not here to make people feel comfortable by staying silent and only coloring within the lines of other people’s expectations. I’ve grown past that. Sometimes I’m sandpaper - I say things that others are thinking, but are too a...

I have been made abundantly aware that I just don’t work right without my husband. I just spent the past week without him across the country, and although we had a great time and were so blessed by the things we saw and people we spent time with, I was walking around with a hole in my chest the entire time. We had some stressful occurrences with turbulence, delayed flights (so bad we spent the night at the airport), homesickness, sunburn, an ER stay for me after clutching my chest for 24hrs, and wheeling Sarah around in a wheelchair at Seaworld. We all had colds and were missing Steve terribly. Ya know what though? I’m so grateful for the time we had with family and the exciting new adventures we experienced together. Everything didn’t go smoothly, but life often doesn’t. If all we ever focus on is what goes wrong, we’ll have a miserable life. If we can take things as they come and allow God to grow us through them, we’ll be able to experience the joy He has for all of us. I choose j...

This visual metaphor conveys someone who carefully curates an admirable public image: Confident, successful, even kind.. while privately mistreating + emotionally manipulating others and casting themselves as the misunderstood victim whenever challenged. (This drives me crazy, and we all fall for it. What we portray on social media is only ever part of the story. It’s a highlight reel. You want to know who someone truly is, ask their family. My kids/spouse would likely tell you nice things and that they, of course, love me, but also that I struggle with anger and get overwhelmed easily. I can be impatient, sarcastic, passive-aggressive, and have an inappropriate sense of humor. I love God, but I’m in as much need of His grace as anyone else. I’ve never tried to portray myself as better than anyone else, and anyone who tries to say different is trying to control a narrative in order to make themselves look or feel better. You want to know who I am? Ask my people. Heck ask me - I’ll tell...

I’m not sure if it’s an American thing or just an emotionally immature thing, but someone seeing things differently from you does not mean they hate you or are attacking you or are “against you” in some way. Literally the only person I’ve ever heard say that “it’s ok to disagree and still be friends” was a Canadian friend of mine. Coincidence? We need to chill out and quit being so reactive and easily offended. If you’re concerned about what someone thinks about you, you’re literally wasting energy. Everyone is free to believe what they believe. We all have our own convictions. Rejecting someone for having a different view from you is emotional manipulation. Research the Let Them & Let Me theory and chill the heck out. Life’s too short. It’s completely within your power to scroll on or unfollow, or even block someone if you can’t handle seeing what they post. #ibelieveinyou #wecandothis #quitstressing