“I’m so excited,” Ella kept saying the afternoon before her first rehearsal with the Young Naperville Singers. When it was finally time to leave, we loaded her and her manual wheelchair into the van. (The broken door on the ramp side means we…
For most people, lifting weights is a suitable form of physical exercise. For me, successfully turning just one page of a book makes me feel like I’ve run a marathon. It’s a special kind of feat if I manage to flip through a thick paperback on my own.
Last weekend, my cousin, sister-in-law, and I had a girls’ night out. We picked a spot in a cute, historic town, ordered espresso martinis, desserts, and cheered a summer well spent and our not-so-little cousin turning 21. I cherish moments spent with my family, for I understand how blessed I…
2018 was my best year in a long time. I acquired a JACO robotic arm, got more work, and made a little more money. This January also saw a couple positive developments: I spoke at church and began “Ryan’s Robotics” for the SMA News Today YouTube channel. Things seemed…
Deciding on a column topic isn’t always a simple matter. Sometimes, I’m shoved into a new direction with a thud. Other times, the nudge is light as a feather. In this case, it was a feather. Angelic intervention. A gift of love Many years ago my…
Our brand-new accessible van has a broken door — the door on the ramp side. For now, we cannot take Ella’s power wheelchair when we go anywhere. Fortunately, she has a manual wheelchair to use. We pull out the van, lift Ella onto the back seat, and place…
My parents recently went on a trip and left me to fend for myself. I’m kidding. My sister was with me. We’re perfectly capable of fending for ourselves and survived purely on junk food, takeout, sugar — and caffeine. (Just kidding, Mom.) My parents need to travel on their own…
It’s Sunday night, and I’m surrounded by an assortment of books, comics, DVDs, Blu-rays, action figures, and other items that one might find in a 5-year-old’s room. The only outlier is my framed college diploma, which hangs right next to a giant Batman poster. Indeed, this…
The first day of fourth grade was wonderful for Ella. She woke up early and I got her dressed and ready to go. Along with her brother and sister, Ella posed for the annual first-day-of-school photo before leaving. Henry, 10, Ella, 9, and Ava, 12. (Photo by…
Three days from now, on Aug. 23, I will be doing my first book signing. As I previously have mentioned, my first book, “Witchcraft and Monsters,” was published in January. I now have this amazing opportunity to see what a book signing is like. My…
