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Magic Fairy Dust?
Dear Addie, For a long time, I wondered if life would just be a series of chaotic exhaustion from here on out. I wasn't handling this...
Leanne Menzo
Aug 3, 20232 min read


Until They Couldn't
Dear Addie, For me, it was dance shoes; for you, it is your swing. They both held days of joy and sadness. They gave us hours of calm we...
Leanne Menzo
Jul 27, 20231 min read


Hang Two
Dear Addie, When we received your diagnosis years ago, the thought of you "hanging ten" and surfing gnarly waves was the farthest thing...
Leanne Menzo
Jul 20, 20233 min read


The Lottery
Dear Addie, It has been six long years, but we finally hit the lottery! Crazy right?! Now while I wish I could say that we will be the...
Leanne Menzo
Jul 13, 20232 min read


America's Birthday
Dear Addie, The fourth of July – dare I say, the most overstimulating holiday of the year? Noises, lights, smells, and crowds all...
Leanne Menzo
Jul 6, 20233 min read


We Rocked It
Dear Addie, Truth - in the beginning, I wanted to have you somehow conform and melt into what I perceived was a normal life. Like there...
Leanne Menzo
Jun 29, 20233 min read


Exposure Is Key - Blackberry Edition
Dear Addie, This past weekend we were invited to the O’Brien Family Farm in Coats, NC, for a bit of fruit & farm education and some...
Leanne Menzo
Jun 22, 20232 min read


Exposure Is Key - Cheese Edition
Dear Addie, It is Summer, and our town will be bustling with street festivals almost every weekend from now until Christmas, I promise...
Leanne Menzo
Jun 15, 20233 min read


A Triggering World
Dear Addie, Exposure is key. Ah yes, the most complicated yet most valuable advice we were given as we entered this journey. Exposing you...
Leanne Menzo
Jun 8, 20232 min read


Seven Years
Dear Addie, It’s been seven years today, my dear, since I started documenting our story and sharing my thoughts. I hope one day you will...
Leanne Menzo
Jun 1, 20234 min read


6th Grade - Check!
Dear Addie, …And that is a wrap on 6th grade, and what a year it was! A lot of big changes happened. A new house, school, environment,...
Leanne Menzo
May 25, 20231 min read


The Christmas Plate
Dear Addie, It is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I had the honor of using the Christmas plate this weekend. Now before you think I...
Leanne Menzo
May 18, 20233 min read


The Rise And Fall
Dear Addie, It's Mental Health Awareness month, and I thought I would touch base on this a bit, or at least from my perspective of being...
Leanne Menzo
May 11, 20233 min read


Vision Of Hope
Dear Addie, This past weekend we participated in the VisionWalk. VisionWalk is a signature fundraising event of the Foundation Fighting...
Leanne Menzo
May 5, 20232 min read


A Zen Year
Dear Addie, There are many different mamas out there, but the one that can schedule well visits on time or even close to their children's...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 28, 20234 min read


Hi Mom
Dear Addie, Parenting. It's an endless realm of joys and fears that nobody can prepare you for. Whether you are a biological parent,...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 20, 20233 min read


Snap Back To Reality
Dear Addie, And just like that, vacation had ended, and we headed full throttle back to reality. Sad for us all but incredibly upsetting...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 13, 20232 min read


4 Years In The Making
Dear Addie, Four years. We’ve been coming to our beloved NC beach for four years and finally seeing what we had hoped for all those years...
Leanne Menzo
Apr 7, 20232 min read


The Diaper Days
Dear Addie, I overheard a conversation in the Target checkout the other day between a young mom of a toddler and newborn and a woman...
Leanne Menzo
Mar 31, 20232 min read


Share The Love
Dear Addie, This week I was reminded of the all-important wisdom of “all behavior is communication.” Now having said that this reminder...
Leanne Menzo
Mar 24, 20234 min read
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