brenda

If you've ever wondered what it might be like to have a child with special needs, please read the poem "Welcome to Holland." Emily Perl Kingsley, the author, has graciously allowed me to place a copy of it on my website. Please click the tulips on the left.

Hi! I'm Brenda, aka "Mom". I'm a single parent after 20 years of marriage and enjoying my new found freedom! I love to do almost any type of crafts. I scrapbook, quilt, sew, tole paint, etc., and recently got into soap making. You name it, I've probably tried it! I'm big time into kids. What would I have ever done without them? I'm a former foster parent to special need kids and use to work at a local special needs preschool here in town. Daryl has played baseball on the "Challenger League" since he was 4 years old. The Challenger League is a special league for kids that can't play *regular* baseball. They have kids there that have Downs Syndrome, kids that are blind, autistic, in wheelchairs, etc. I'm a Make-A-Wish volunteer wish granter, also. My best friend's son received a wish and it truly was a trip of a lifetime. They got to meet Don Knotts (aka Barney Fife) and Mr. Knotts gave them THE bullet that he use to carry around in his pocket. (Rembember, he wasn't allowed to carry it in the gun!) When their son passed, they buried him with the bullet in his shirt pocket. I recently received my medical coding certification (C.P.C.-A.) and work as a Claims Processor for Blue Cross. Great job, horrible commute! I'm also on the Community Center board for the Village we live in, and I'm enjoying that. We plan all the fun stuff...food for mudslings, hayrack rides in the fall, etc. We recently relocated to Illinois and are all adjusting very well to life at a slower pace.

I love flowers and gardening, and since my relocation, I finally planted a garden this year, and loved canning the benefits from it. I've always wanted chickens, so GW (my "significant other") got me 4 California Gray Pullets this spring and I'm having a blast collecting eggs every day! I enjoy hanging out clothes (yes, people still do that these days!) and traveling. I lived in Okinawa, Japan for 3 years ('84-87) and loved most every minute of it. Took my first trip to Chicago this summer and loved the city. I can't wait to go back! Rode the subway, the "L", went up into Sears Tower, walked the "two blocks" from Sears Tower to Millenium Park (two blocks my butt!), toured the University of Chicago where GW's son is a medical student, went to Little Italy to eat, and just had an all around good time. I also enjoy yard sales, antiques and flea markets. I collect cookie jars, mostly McCoy and Shawnee. I use to collect wall pockets, but now I stick mainly with the cookie jars. Oh yeah, I have many Shawnee salt and pepper shakers too. I love ebay!!! I also like curling up with a good book, but I have to wait until everything else is completed. Once I pick up the book, that's all I do until it's finished!