My Kid Does It Too…
It happens in the life of almost every parent who has a child with a disability, at some point we share a concern with a friend over what our child is doing — or not doing — and we’re met with the well intentioned, “Don’t worry about it,...
Confession of a Special Needs Parent: She’s Just One of the Kids
Like comic books with floating bubbles showing what people say, I sometimes feel as if my girls were walking around with little floating bubbles that tout, “Down syndrome” or, ‘”cerebral palsy.” I really wish those little bubbles could...
Confessions of a Special Needs Parent: The Back to School Terrifies Me
Excitement is muddled with fear as a new school-year approaches. I’m ready for some quiet around the house but I have two kids with special needs and the back to school terrifies me. My youngest has Down syndrome and she thrives on routine. We had Kindergarten...
What You Should Expect When Your Baby Is Born With Down Syndrome
My oldest was two years old when I discovered the vastness of expectations I had placed on her. A discovery brought to light with the birth of her baby sister, who greeted us with an extra chromosome, a diagnosis of Down syndrome. A baby that without warning...
The Church and Disability
I consider it an honor to be a pastor’s wife. It is a privilege to be allowed into people’s lives: their hurt, pain, devastation, joy, celebration, transformation. This Church, this body of Christ – with all of its broken pieces along with its many...
Ellen Stumbo writes and speaks about finding beauty in brokenness with gritty honesty and openness. She's passionate about sharing the real – sometimes beautiful and sometimes ugly – aspects of faith, parenting, special needs, and adoption. Ellen’s writing has appeared on Focus on the Family, LifeWay, MomSense, Not Alone, Mamapedia and the Huffington Post.