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A Box Of Macaroni
Dear Addie, It might seem like this began with a box of noodles, but the truth is, it started long before that. It's no big secret that a...
Leanne Menzo
May 303 min read


First In Line
Dear Addie, There we were, first in line at the car wash as it started to rain. A scene that maybe didn't make sense to most, but it...
Leanne Menzo
May 221 min read


A Journey Of Their Own
Dear Addie, In September 2010, you got your first tooth. At the time, I was still thinking about what the tooth fairy years would be...
Leanne Menzo
May 165 min read


A Season Of Calm
Dear Addie, As far back as I can remember, you have always loved to swing. You discovered how to find balance and pump your legs early...
Leanne Menzo
May 92 min read


We Walked
Dear Addie, This past weekend, we walked. After years of therapy, trying to find our place in a world that can often feel unwelcoming, we...
Leanne Menzo
May 22 min read


No Fank You
Dear Addie, It was a great day. On Easter morning 2025, I woke up around 6 AM, drank about a pot of coffee alone, then went to the...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 242 min read


Music, Dancing & Salsa
Dear Addie, I will never pretend that we don't face challenges on this journey, but most days we simply exist in "our" normal. This...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 182 min read


I can't
Dear Addie, "I can't" – it's something I’ve embarrassingly said a million times on this journey, starting from day one. TMI alert! During...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 102 min read


When Did You Know
(Originally posted in 2019 - edited to adjust age) Dear Addie, It’s no secret that this journey was something we had never “planned”, but...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 35 min read


Memory Lane
Dear Addie, Last week, I had an errand to run in a town where we used to live, so I decided to swing by our old house while I was there....
Leanne Menzo
Mar 272 min read


Joy
Dear Addie, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend a lot of time worrying and stressing about the unknown. It keeps me awake at night, a...
Leanne Menzo
Mar 202 min read


A House Guest
Dear Addie, This past weekend we had a very special house guest. A guest a much younger version of myself would've never entertained the...
Leanne Menzo
Mar 133 min read


Circling (A Parking Spot - Part 2)
Dear Addie, I never imagined I would lead a life of advocacy, but the more I journey through it, the more I notice that there are always...
Leanne Menzo
Mar 65 min read


Never Lose Your Joy
Dear Addie, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this journey has more than its fair share of challenges, but it also reveals the...
Leanne Menzo
Feb 272 min read


35%
Dear Addie, Just a few weeks ago, we celebrated Groundhog Day, when the famous Punxsutawney Phil, a world-renowned groundhog, saw his...
Leanne Menzo
Feb 212 min read


Phone A Friend
Dear Addie, ...and there you were, sitting on the couch, staring at me from across the room, settling into yet another episode of "Name...
Leanne Menzo
Feb 131 min read


The Art Of Communication
Dear Addie, Fun fact: You don’t ask questions. Often, there is a time in a child's life when they thirst for knowledge and ask their...
Leanne Menzo
Feb 74 min read


Just Like Mama
Dear Addie, It's common for parents to say, "Oh, he/she gets that from me," when talking about specific traits their child inherits. For...
Leanne Menzo
Jan 313 min read


A Drop Of Water
Dear Addie, This week, we celebrated the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., a social activist and Baptist minister who led...
Leanne Menzo
Jan 242 min read


The Hamster Wheel
Dear Addie, I remember the day you were born as if it were yesterday. It happened so quickly, and you were remarkably calm. You didn’t...
Leanne Menzo
Jan 172 min read
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