by Whitney Barthel posted in Parenting

I don?t know if my deep appreciation for the little things in life are a result of just getting older and seeing just how much we Americans have, or if it?s a result of being a special-needs mom. Maybe it?s both.

Anyway, as a person who has always been too proud to accept help from anyone for anything, I haven?t always been the most grateful person. I could do anything and all by myself, thank you very much. I may have even been quite bitter at one time. Can you imagine"!

*There I am, Little Miss Independent. No attitude here.
Like I was saying, whether a result of maturity or other life circumstances, I have learned a couple of things about gratitude. First, accepting help from someone does not mean you are weak or incapable of doing things for yourself. Second, the appropriate response to someone's offer for help is probably not anger. And third, through lots of practice, I have learned to give and receive help with an incredibly happy heart. I am so very thankful for everything and everyone I have in life. Here are a few in particular.
1. The lady who paid for my burrito at Q'doba. This might sound silly, but this was major. Charlie was still very little and I had Daniel with me. We were all very tired and emotional after working with Dan's speech and feeding pathologist for two hours.
As we got to the front of the line to order, I realized I had no idea where my wallet was. I had a million bags for Dan, baby, and myself a...