50ish with a Full Nest has been a dream of mine for a long time. I actually started it as a website a few years ago, but it died a death of slow neglect when paid writing gigs started piling up faster than I could write them.
And then there was COVID, and making sure three teens were keeping up with their work from home slowly edged my content marketing business off the edge of my ad-hoc desk at kitchen island.
And then my vision went kabloeey, thanks to Sjogren’s Disease (something I hope to provide a lot of information about, because it takes most people years to get diagnosed). Not only was I seeing double (for distance vision), I also couldn’t see well enough to write without my nose pressed against the screen. So I worked with a few select clients who were patient with typos (I still have trouble seeing the difference between a comma and a period), and that was that.
Finally, my eyes seem stable enough to try getting new glasses (Sjogren’s causes extremely dry eyes, and my vision changes throughout the day depending on how dry they are). I don’t have them yet, but I hope they’ll allow me to get back to what I love (and what I’m good at).
So why 50ish with a Full Nest?
Why should you subscribe just because I’ve been around the sun 50+ times? Because (hopefully) I’ve learned a few things that may make your life easier … or just more entertaining! Here’s what you can expect to find:
I have a child on the autism spectrum, and I’ve learned a lot.
I’ve learned a lot about the importance of getting the right diagnosis. I’ve also learned a lot about IDEA and getting the IEP your child needs. I’m passionate about sharing what I’ve learned, because children whose parents don’t understand the law usually don’t get the accommodations they need. Special Ed services are expensive, especially when you’re talking about things like occupational, physical, or speech therapy, or an individual aide to accompany your child throughout the day. Schools have extremely tight budgets, and few will offer things you don’t ask for. I’m committed to helping parents of special needs children through this process.
I’ve been through the deaths of both of my parents, and I learned a lot from that, too.
Just as I’m an older parent, I was also the youngest child of older parents. My mom was 41 when I was born, which was unheard of back then. So just like I’m older than my kids’ friends’ parents, my parents were older than my friends’ parents. They lived long, full lives — married more than 50 years! — but they both suffered from dementia before they passed, and the things I wish I had known could fill a whole book, especially concerning finances. I plan to share those hard lessons so that those of you who haven’t been through this process yet can avoid my mistakes.
I had three kids in under three years.
And the younger two were born January and December of the same year. At one point I had a three-year-old who, from the time he was an infant, was never comfortable in his own skin (later attributed to autism), a one-year-old who had to have breathing treatments every four hours because he’d start wheezing every time he got a sniffle, and a newborn. By necessity, I came to some conclusions about what’s important and what to let go. And I also have some pretty hilarious stories to tell, names withheld to protect the now-teenagers.
And then there’s Sjogren’s Disease…
Even if you’ve heard of Sjogren’s, you probably think it’s all about dry eyes and dry mouth. It is those things, and they’ve impacted my life in huge ways. But Sjogren’s is a systemic disease, and I want to share things I’ve learned (as a patient, NOT any kind of medical professional!) in case they can help anyone else get a diagnosis or manage their condition.
I also like to do a lot of pointing at naked emperors.
I’m not trying to be political; it’s just that we all tend to take ourselves way too seriously sometimes. Because I promise you, for the love of all that’s holy, that if you let your kid go to bed without brushing their teeth one night, or give them a cookie before dinner (seriously…has a cookie actually ever “ruined” someone’s dinner?), it’s not going to make one tiny bit of difference in their life a year from now.
This is one of my favorite things to write about. Just call me the Mommy-Guilt Slayer!
So pull up a chair and grab a glass of sweet tea (or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc) and let’s chat. And if you enjoy yourself and don’t want to miss out, don’t forget to subscribe! Invite your friends, too! Everybody’s welcome.
Finally, please give me some grace when it comes to typos. Once upon a time, I was the kind of editor who could spot an extra space between words. It was my super power. But, alas, it deserted me. I promise I know the rules of grammar, but I can’t always see them in action. So if you see a typo, please gently point it out so I can fix it!
