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Welcome to the Embrace the Blessing podcast—a source of encouragement and inspiration for parents of children with special needs. Join teacher and seasoned mother of five, Sandy Deppisch, whose youngest is a young adult with Down syndrome, Autism and ADHD as she delves into the joys, challenges, and triumphs of this journey. Each week Sandy chats with moms and dads who truly understand. If you need empowerment and encouragement to keep going, this show is for you. Let's walk the road less traveled together!
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ETB 58: What if the future of your loved one with a disability could be bright, secure, and filled with choices and alternatives? Envision a world where guardianship isn't the only path, where supported decision-making reigns supreme, and personal rights are preserved. This episode offers a detailed dissection of guardianship and its alternatives, shedding light on the game-changing Right to Make Choices supported-decision making toolkit - a Texas-based initiative.We take you on a journey thr...
ETB 57: When your child is hospitalized, what means of comfort do you find? As a mother who's been down this road with my son Josiah, I will share how the power of pen helped me through those dark times. Transcribing our story and drawing strength from those lines, I found a way to navigate the painfully frequent hospitalizations. The silver lining we discovered in this storm cloud was the round-the-clock care provided by CNAs. Their gift of caregiving brought the serenity our family needed, ...
ETB 56: Ready to journey into the heartwarming world of Carlee Ragains, a creative spirit, mother, wife, and mimi? Carlee's story weaves a rich tapestry of love, courage, and perseverance, as she shares the joys, challenges, and unimaginable fulfillment that come from parenting her 16-year-old daughter, Ellen, who was born with Down syndrome. Carlee paints a vibrant portrait of Ellen, a high functioning, verbal, independent, sensitive, and personality-packed young woman - an inspiring b...
ETB 55: Prepare to be deeply moved by the remarkable journey of Josephine Sullivan, founder and CEO of the Christina Sullivan Foundation. This episode offers a powerful narrative of love, faith, and unwavering commitment as Josephine shares the story of her daughter Christina, a vibrant soul who was born with severe brain injury, cerebral palsy, and a seizure disorder. Listen as she chronicles how her unconditional love for Christina spurred the creation of a foundation that has since then sp...
ETB 54: What does it really mean to be a parent of a child with autism? How do you navigate the challenges and celebrate the milestones? Join us on a deeply personal journey with Heather, a resilient mother who opens her heart about her experiences raising her son, Chase, who was diagnosed with autism at a tender age of 2.5 years. Currently a stay-at-home mom who transitioned to homeschooling Chase after working as a para in schools, Heather offers unique insights into the world of children w...
ETB 53: What if you could turn the toughest moments of parenting a child with a disability into a source of strength and inspiration? Join me, Sandy Deppisch, as I take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions in the hospital stays that have become an all too frequent part of our lives. You'll learn how to communicate your needs effectively to your support network, and understand the importance of asking for specific help, whether it's a warm blanket or home-cooked meal. Staying awake through...
ETB 52: Have you ever wondered what it takes to raise a child with Down syndrome? Embark on an intimate journey with Susan Aguilar, a mother who shares the honest truth about the joys and challenges she's encountered while raising her son, Adrian. From the ease of his younger years to the hurdles of his adulthood, she paints a vivid picture of their undying resilience.We unravel the secrets of her success in homeschooling a child with Down Syndrome, with Susan sharing her experiences of...
ETB 51: Have you ever pondered over the therapeutic power of writing in dealing with overpowering emotions? Join me, Sandy Deppish, on this personal journey as I revisit an old blog post titled 'It's Not About Me.' You'll discover how documenting the highs and lows of raising a child with a disability has helped me process my feelings and paved the path for resilience and hope.This episode is also a heartfelt tribute to my son Josiah, and all children living with disabilities - the true heroe...
ETB 50: Ever tried to trim a child's toenails? Now imagine that child has sensory issues that make the task as perilous and nerve-wracking as a high-wire act. Join me, Sandy Deppisch in this candid discussion on Embrace the Blessing podcast, where we navigate the choppy waters of personal grooming for children with disabilities, specifically, trimming toenails. We share my personal struggle with my son Josiah's toenail trimming, a task that ended with exhaustion and frustration, yet also high...
ETB 49: I'm thrilled to introduce you to Darcy, a devoted parent and former teacher who's turned her personal journey into a mission to unlock the potential in children with Down syndrome. Imagine the heartache of knowing your child has thoughts, ideas, dreams locked away in their mind - simply because they struggle to communicate. Darcy, all too familiar with this struggle, has dedicated her life to tearing down these barriers using the unique and highly effective Speller's Method.Darcy's so...
ETB 48: Have you heard about the positive impact of creating a personal network to support you as you care for your loved one with a disability? Our guest, Jennifer Vincent, brings her experience as a parent and network facilitator to help answer this crucial question. Jennifer shares the importance of personal networks in empowering families and individuals with disabilities. She introduces us to the book, A Good Life for You and Your Relative with a Disability by Al Etmanski, a practi...
ETB 47: Ever thought of how daunting the prospect of going on a vacation with special needs children might be? Imagine being a single parent to two wonderful boys on the autism spectrum and deciding to embark on a solo trip. That's exactly what my guest, Mary Ann Hughes, courageously did. Mary Ann's incredible journey of managing a cruise vacation with her sons is filled with insightful experiences and practical advice. We talk about the pre-journey preparations, making dining and accommodati...
ETB 45: This is Part 2 of a 2 part interview. In this episode I talk with Victoria De La Garza and her mother Jennifer Gongora about their business, VK Girl Creations. Victoria started in her High School Life Skills class learning to knit beanie hats on a round knitting loom. She held her first pop up market at age 18, selling beanies to her fellow classmates. Now, at age 24, Victoria's hobby has blossomed into a growing business. She currently sells handcrafted beanies, bra...
ETB 44: In this episode I talk with Victoria De La Garza and her mother Jennifer Gongora about their business, VK Girl Creations. Victoria started in her High School Life Skills class learning to knit beanie hats on a round knitting loom. She held her first pop up market at age 18, selling beanies to her fellow classmates. Now, at age 24, Victoria's hobby has blossomed into a growing business. She currently sells handcrafted beanies, bracelets and T-shirts online and a...
ETB 43: If you have a child with a disability who likes to disrobe at night, I have just the thing for you! For years we would wake in the wee hours of the morning to find our son undressed and sometimes enjoying finger paining fun with the contents of his full pull up! When we discovered THIS product, it was a game changer! I have 8 of these in larger sizes looking for a good home. Reach out to me if they would make a difference in your life too and they are you...
ETB 42: In this episode I talk with Kathryn Kane-Neilson about her 19 year old son, Clark who has Down syndrome. She talks about her experiences raising Clark, through life in NYC, through divorce, through medical misadventures and fresh beginnings in Texas.Kathryn shared, " At 22 years old, I was aware of the fact that I was carrying a child with Down syndrome and it absolutely changed my paradigm. it changed my brain. Clark is the joy of my life. He gave...
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 dy...
ETB 40 - In this episode I talk with Gerrie Bourque, mother of 3 whose 26 year old son Tyler has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism, is medically complex and has rare disorders. Gerrie shares the various caregiving options they have explored over the years. Tyler has a Texas Medicaid Waiver which provides services for him including a support staff to care for him as needed. Initially, Gerrie's husband/Tyler's dad was the first paid caregiver. They have also h...
ETB 39 - In this episode I talk with Mary Ann Hughes, mother of 2 young adults with Autism about finding quality care for loved ones with special needs. As a single mother managing her company, Special Family Transitions, Mary Ann has had to stretch her comfort zone most recently when she sent both of her boys for the very first time to a week long summer camp. Mary Ann believes as special needs moms and parents we don't spend enough time taking care of ourselves. She notes ...
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