Posts by: Mary Kay

Mary Kay

Mary is a blogger with a mission. She wants to make the world bigger for her nonverbal daughter, Jessie. She writes about their Angelman syndrome journey and how their life changed when they found her AAC voice.

October 16, 2020October 13, 2020

What to Know During AAC Awareness Month This October

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

Because people rarely see an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device in action, they don’t recognize it. Most assume Jessie carries an iPad for entertainment. Though talking is amusing, to ... Read more

September 25, 2020September 22, 2020

I’m Thankful for Angel Advocates

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

When my daughter, Jessie, was 2, she saw a balloon while we were waiting in line at the market. I pulled it closer for her to see, then let it ... Read more

August 21, 2020August 18, 2020

Summer Challenges and Zoom Adventures

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

As of this writing, 140 days remain until 2021 — but who’s counting? Within two weeks, my husband had two ER visits, one resulting in a hospital stay. A tropical ... Read more

July 24, 2020July 21, 2020

Negotiating With a Manipulator

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

It was 5:30 a.m. and Jess needed to use the bathroom. Instead of returning to her room, she exited stage right. The sun was rising and that was all the ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 17, 2020

This Is What Keeps an Angel Mom Up at Night

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

Three things keep me up at night: worrying that my daughter’s seizures will return, thunderstorms, and a waning gibbous moon. This past month, we hit the trifecta and experienced all ... Read more

May 22, 2020May 21, 2020

This Year Has Gone to the Dogs

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

Since 2020 has gone to hell in a handbasket, it’s necessary to step away from the 24/7 news cycle. I don’t want to focus on the virus. Instead, I declare ... Read more

April 17, 2020April 15, 2020

Keeping Your Angel Busy

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

Captain’s Log, Stardate 04.14.2020: This is our 34th day of self-quarantine. To survive, we’ve had to adapt to new restrictions and find distractions to prevent ourselves from losing our marbles. ... Read more

March 20, 2020March 19, 2020

Cooking Helps My Daughter Develop Daily Living Skills

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

I learned to cook by my mother’s knee. We baked cookies and kneaded dough. She even would give me cake batter for my turquoise Easy-Bake Oven. Sometimes, Mom would pull ... Read more

February 21, 2020February 20, 2020

My Angel Is Becoming More Independent

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

For the longest time, my daughter’s motto was, “I may not know where I’m going, but I want to get there fast.” Jessie wore overalls as a kid, which gave me ... Read more

November 15, 2019November 18, 2019

With Our Daughter at Camp, We Rediscovered the Joy of Date Night

Columns, Raising an Angel - a column by Mary Kay

For many kids, September typically means it’s time to go back to school. But for my daughter, Jessie, it was a continuation. Jessie was fortunate to have a year-round program, ... Read more