Top 10 Most Unexpected Blessings From Holland

This is my post for David's Disability Blog Carnival with a Letterman style top 10 list coming to his blog on August 23rd. (Great idea for a carnival David!)


Here we go:

The Top 10 Most Unexpected Blessings From Going to Holland Instead of Italy:

#10. I got to read a lot of poetry dissing the Dutch.

#9. I have something to blog about.

#8. I now know who my true friends are.

#7. Because of the g-tube I can completely control her nutritional and caloric intake.

#6. I haven’t had to childproof the house.

#5. She won’t run away from me in a crowded public place.

#4. I have met the most amazing people from therapists to nurses to parents of other preemies and children with disabilities – I never would have met otherwise.

#3. I see disability now and instead of fearing it and I continue to expand my understanding of it so that I can advocate for my daughter and in doing so strive to make the world a better place.

#2. My marriage, having been tested to the most intense heartbreaking limits, has remained strong and wonderful. I have discovered that Dave and I are the most amazing team and are not afraid to face anything together – that’s nice to know heading into auld age which is probably scarier than everything thus far!

Drum roll please....

The number one Most Unexpected Blessing from Going to Holland Instead of Italy is:

#1. Holland is way less crowded and the lines are shorter.





Just kidding.

The best thing out of all of this is:

#1. I have the most wonderful, loving, spiritual, emotional, strong bond with my child. I appreciate every, and I mean every little thing she does, every single moment of her life, more than I am certain I would have, had I gone down the typical road - to Italy.

– Every little thing she does is magic and I have the eyes to see it.

First Years Reclining Booster - I think she likes it!

After Ellie's Physiatrist put the kabosh on using the bumbo seat we have been sticking mainly to the kid kart but that means Ellie can't be close to the floor and access her toys easily. But recently I purchased this little beauty at Target for $25. Worth every penny!

Thanks so much to Billie for this suggestion. Ellie loves her new seat and it allows her to go in things like kiddy pools and sit closer, on her own on the sand at the beach. Infinitely more important - it will allow her to sit at the table with everyone else - especially when we visit the relatives versus being in her kid kart away from the table. It's oh so portable too.