KATHRYN R. BIEL: AUTHOR

I'm grateful for this beautiful fall day, and for my children who laugh and play. I'm grateful for this house that I designed, this roof, this building, the things I call mine. I'm grateful for my dad who cooks me dinner, but need to stop worrying about being thinner. I'm grateful for all the skills Mom taught me, they help me to be all I that I can be. I'm grateful for my friends who make me laugh and smile, and are always there for me, going that extra mile. I'm grateful for every laugh, every giggle, even the ones that make my belly jiggle. I'm grateful that I get to be someone's wife, as it has given purpose to my life. I'm grateful for my husband, who is my best friend, and will share each day with me until THE END.

With gale force winds whipping outside, and the mention of frost and snow, you think this post is going to be about the wintertime cookie, right? Nope.  It's not even about gingerbread lattes, which are completely and totally wonderful in and of themselves and a reason to celebrate fall. This story is about what happens when you don't follow the rules.  While Jake has presented with and continues to present many challenges in parenting him, one of the easiest things about him is his NEED to follow rules. So, if you tell him that something is a 'rule,' expect him to follow it. But, then, there's Sophia.  I often say (and really, really mean) that it's a good think they look alike, otherwise we'd be convinced that one of them got switched at the hospital.  Because they are nothing, and I mean nothing alike.  Pretty much polar opposites. So, to Sophia, a rule is not a hard and fast thing.  It's flexible and malleable, and made to not necessarily be ...

As a school physical therapist, a large part of my job is about adapting the environment so that a child can access his or her education.  This includes things like stair climbing ability (or access to elevators), using more supportive chairs with arms, modifying the desk by using a slant board.  I "come up" with these adaptations to bridge the gaps where we cannot help a child adapt to his or her environment.  For example, a child with CP who is non-ambulatory and will never be ambulatory needs seating and access adaptations made.  We do our best to help the child gain the skills necessary, but sometimes we rely on external rather than internal adaptations.  I think it is a job I'm fairly decent at.  I think I do well with the out of the box thinking that it requires. I've been having the discussion lately with many people about whether it is best to adapt to the environment or have the environment adapt to you.  For example, it has come up when dis...

Last spring, we got two male kittens. Some point during July, I (with the kids in tow, of course) had to take them to the vets for shots, etc, and to find out when they can be neutered.  I had prepped the kids that the kittens would be having surgery so they cannot become dads.  On the way to the vet, Sophia told Jake that they were having surgery so they can't have babies. Jake, being precise as always, had to correct her that they cannot have babies because they are boys.  Sophia agreed and said, "Well, they are having an operation so they can't become dads." After a momentary pause, Jake asked, "Mom, what part  helps them become dads?" Ok, quick thinking here.  What do I say?  If I mention penis, Sophia will say penis to everyone she meets, everywhere.  Ok, think quick.  How can I say it so Jake gets it, but she doesn't? "Umm, their franks and beans." Silence from the back.  Crisis averted, kudos to me. The silence was processi...