As the afternoon beckons, I am reminded once again that my children are my Greatest Teachers. As a Mom, I am called upon to Applaud their Accomplishments and share Aretha’s Message with All.
 

 
Having spent the last several days in Christiansburg, Virginia, I witnessed first-hand Greg’s calm confidence, his powerful mind and his steadfast determination to pursue his heart’s desire. He knows what he wants, marches to the tune of his own drummer and wins the race with a steady pace. At 25, he is living with his soul mate and Great Dane in a home they bought together, in an area far from his birth place and has been totally independent for the last four years.
 

He trusts himself, throws off negative influences, loves unconditionally, knows what brings him joy and moves toward it day by day! He is managing an organic restaurant, has honed his cooking and managerial skills, works 12 hour days, 5 days a week and greets each guest with a smile. Never asking for approval, never seeking an alibi, always treating others with kindness, answering only to himself, Greg gains my Appreciation and Respect!

 
Seeing Christy in action, I am struck by the self-confidence that has emerged in the last few years. Clearly, she has blossomed in love. She completely planned the wedding, bought her dress, shoes and arranged for both food and entertainment. At the reception, she reigned as a Queen, fully composed as she posed for pictures, danced, cut the cake and made appreciative remarks to those who helped her. Christy commands Respect!
 

I also appreciate Linda Sowers, J.R. Karr and Preston who have welcomed Greg into their family and appreciated his presence in Christy’s life. My great appreciation is also extended to John Reeder and Mary Brun who took time off from work to make the cake, prepare the food and drinks.
 
Greg and Christy met, fell in love, found a way to combine their strengths and energy, buy their first home, get married, and surround themselves with those who love and support them.
 

 
As a Mom, living far from her first born, I am forever grateful to those around Greg and Christy who have supported their dreams, desires and visions. I appreciate my husband John, Greg’s Dad; who was a great role model and at every game and event offering advice and encouragement. I also appreciate Sandra and Robert, Greg’s sister and brother, who competed for my attention and gave Greg a chance to explore his own interests.
 
I appreciate Mikie Moser for giving them the chance to work together; for hosting Christy’s bridal shower, for giving birth to Belle, who was the cute flower girl, and for arranging for their wedding, reception and stay at the Nesselrod. We appreciate both Brett and Becky who helped up celebrate the evening before the wedding. I also appreciate Robbie Stewart, who delivered a touching toast to their long lasting friendship and served as Best Man.

 
The big day would not have been nearly as bright without the presence of Wendy Fore, who was the best lady-in-waiting, I’ve ever seen! She remembered the nutribar, the curling iron, the hairdo, applied Christy’s makeup perfectly and signed the guest book with good friend, Laura Rose Smoke.
 
Wayne and Betty are also very much appreciated for their good counsel and support over the last several months leading up to their wedding. It meant so much to both Christy and Greg that Wayne officiated and blessed the union with a special prayer. Special thanks is also extended to Mark Gordon who ensured that everything at Nesselrod was picture perfect.

Greg and Christy are making great strides forward with the support of friends and family. They are moving in the direction of their dreams with focus, determination and commitment not often seen in young adults their age. I see their gentle spirits, their consistent actions, and their dedication which is awe-inspiring. The results are magical and their future beckons brightly.
 
I thank God for giving me these fine teachers! I encourage Moms everywhere to recognize that your children have gifts! While their gifts are not always apparent in academic circles or by those racing in multiple directions, these special attributes warrant gratitude, respect and appreciation. While neither Greg or Christy exceeded expectations in school, they are exceeding expectations in life!

It is my deep pleasure to introduce you to Sandra Pearson, a wise woman, a wonderful mother, and a visionary with a vibrant dream to support special families with resources, tools and community. Sandra created OUR SPECIAL FAMILIES VILLAGE knowing that family members needed support, resources and recommendations.

This organization is an outgrowth of Sandra’s own needs. She has created the Village that she needed when her son Matthew was first diagnosed with Autism at 3 years of age, 16 years ago. Sandra launched this new venture, announced its creation via social media tools and came into my life as this new year began.

While I was regaining my equilibrium after learning of my daughter’s engagement from my husband’s brother who had heard the news from Aunt Jean, who had learned of this announcement via Facebook, all BEFORE my daughter had shared the news with her father and I, Ms. Pearson entered my life and I met a kindred spirit.

We immediately hit it off; Sandra Pearson got it! As a mother of two young adults, Elizabeth and Matthew, she immediately identified with my disappointment and frustration. She applauded my coping skills and I was happy to share my experience with her village. You can watch as I share my story with Sandra.

As many of you know I have been focused on helping Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs for quite some time. I put together a telesummit and created the Finally, an IEP for Mom Experience because I knew first hand how lonely I felt as I confronted challenges in the world of special needs. Knowing that Moms need support if they are to continue to support their children into adulthood, I made it my mission and vision to create an Oasis of Hope and Support for Moms who are weary, worn out and in need of rejuvenation and respite.

Like the Village that Sandra has created, my Oasis, seeks to support Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs. At the Oasis, I fortify Moms and help them to develop their own Individualized Empowerment Plans, while letting them know of resources, tools, and other Moms who have walked in the Desert, survived and learned to embrace the adventure. I love connecting Moms with other Moms who know what it is like to get regular emergency calls, to attend countless IEP meetings, to advocate for services and support and get positive results.

So, with the goal in mind, I interviewed Sandra and asked her to share her vision and Village with you. With hopes to inspire you to move forward with hope, determination and focus on the road to becoming the role model you were meant to be. Enjoy Sandra’s vision and join us at the Village, http://www.ourspecialfamiliesvillage.org and at the Oasis of Hope and Support, http://www.iepformom.com. You will be glad you did!

Please share your hopes and dreams with us. Keep the conversation alive, meet other Moms and gain strength, support and community at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/believeinarayofhope

Brenda’s inspirational journey and transformation is sure to refresh, refuel and recharge the hearts of those lucky enough to hear her story.
Listen to her interview now and hear Brenda describe her early misfortunes, her heart-felt desires and how she moved from a poor coal mining town to an affluent community in Maryland while following her heart and making many dreams come true!

Listen to Brenda as she transitions : from being a Heart-Broken Child, to a Single Mom,

from being a Mom of a Young Adult with Special Needs to a Mom with a Mission!

Sign up today so that you won’t miss Brenda’s interview. It is only available for free for the next 36 hours. Over the next three weeks, I will be interviewing 14 other guides, mentors and educators and sharing information that sustained me during my darkest hours in hopes that you will not make my mistakes.

You can listen live to every call via phone or via webcast for up to 48 hours for Free. It is our hope that you come to OASIS of Hope and Support as we know that it is frustrating and lonely to wander in a Desert alone. Register, Listen,and Enjoy the Abundance of the OASIS!

I am committed to giving voice to the unspoken dreams of young adults with special needs and find that I am most successful in my quest when I empower their moms first and foremost! An empowered Mom can move mountains and inspire her children to take action. A mom without power can barely get out of bed in the morning and does little to motivate her young adult.
I Believe:

If Mama Ain’t Transitioning, Ain’t Nobody Transitioning

and

“If Mama Ain’t Empowered, Ain’t Nobody Empowered!”

With these beliefs and commitments in mind, I created a telesummit for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs. While all Moms have stressful jobs, the mom of a young adult with special needs has the most stressful job of all! While most moms can see a light at the end of the tunnel as their child goes off to college or to a job, the mom of the young adult with special needs, may not see an end in sight.

I know what that journey is like, I have seen first-hand, how lonely and tired I became while seeking appropriate educational and medical attention for my youngest son. I became thirsty for hope and support and nearly collapsed in frustration. Thanks to the support of my family, friends, and divine intervention, I found an Oasis in which to rest and regroup.

As I grew stronger, I heard the voice within me grow louder. As the months turned into years, I heard the command clearly: “Doreen, you must help those Moms to survive, if you want to give voice to unspoken dreams.”

When I retired from my government position in March, I simply did not have the energy to plunge into this endeavor. Instead, I nurtured my garden and soul, knowing that I would be ready when the time was right. In July, I felt better…and became more determined than ever to make a difference.

In early August, I learned that a Mom of a Young Adult with Special Needs grew so weary and distraught that she took her own life and the life of her 13 year son, choosing death rather than a continual battle with authorities on what was an appropriate educational setting for her son.

This sad story compels me to work on this project every day. Every day, I think of her and the unspoken dreams of her son, and I know why I am driven to do the work I am doing. I do not want these special moms to give up. I want to give them hope, support and the resources to refuel and refresh their spirits for the long journey.

Join me for the Finally, an IEP for Mom! Telesummit which I developed for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs and please spread the word. No one should wander through the desert alone. Together, we can provide the hope and support Mom needs.

Tell her:

It’s Free,
It’s Worthwhile, and
She is Worthy!

Tell her:
Finally, an IEP for Mom! begins October 10th and ends on October 28th!

It is Designed to be: An Individualized Empowerment Plan for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs

Learn more about this free telesummit

This telesummit is all about empowerment and collaboration, creating a win-win-win situation for You, for our Young Adults with Special Needs and for their Moms, and ultimately for their Families.

We want You to help us spread the word for the benefit of our Young Adults with Special Needs and their Moms who love them dearly. I am looking for partners to help us to get the word out about our upcoming Telesummit. Many of you are doing this anyway, so why not participate in our Affiliate Program which could be mutually beneficial to all of us.

How does it work?

For every person you have referred who buys the upgrade package using your unique affiliate link, I will pay you or your favorite charity a significant commission. 10% of every sale will be donated to the year round camp and respite center which Nancy Battye is developing for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs!

And the drawback? There is none. You don’t have to commit to anything. You don’t have to purchase anything. With your help, we hope to create an ever-growing community of Moms who are Empowered, Renewed, and Refueled to lead their Young Adults with Special Needs by example.

If you would like to offer your support and be in collaboration with me on this project, please click on the following link in order to register into my affiliate program and then spread the word!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at: Doreen@believeinarayofhope.com
I would love to have you as a Partner!

With Hugs, High Hopes, and Belief in YOU!
Doreen

Doreen G. Fulton,
Speaker, Author, Certified Dream Coach®
Founder, Believe in a Ray of Hope, LLC

Visit my telesummit site to see how I am helping Moms now!
http://www.iepformom.com

Visit my blog for inspiration:
http://believeinarayofhope-doreen.blogspot.com/

Visit my website for encouragement:
http://believeinarayofhope.com/

Email me:
Doreen@believeinarayofhope.com

My purpose and passion is to give voice to unspoken dreams of young people with special needs. I feel that I am most successful when working with Moms. When Moms are supported, they can move mountains and pave the way to success. When they give themselves permission to dream, they give their children permission to dream. When they take action, their children take steps forward.

Unfortunately, many Moms are very familiar with Individualized Educational Plans and Special Education. Many are angry, frustrated, and ready to throw in the towel as they confront the unsuccessful launch of their adult children with special needs. They are exhausted and feel that they are running out of time.

To respond to these emotional challenges and lack of energy, I have created the Individualized Empowerment Plan for Moms with Young Adults with Special Needs. I will be launching this Free Telesummit beginning October 10th. I plan to encourage collaboration and facilitate a community of support, so Mom can finally rest easy and sleep at night.

Having mothered 3 children with unique learning challenges, I know how important a community of support is to each of us. When I have collaborated with others, I have been energized and have had much energy to share with my family, my friends and community.

I now coach moms who want to launch their young adult children into independence and a life of meaning and am interested in expanding my reach via this telesummit.

I have conducted workshops and training events with educators and parents. My most successful presentation was entitled, “If Mama Ain’t Transitioning, Ain’t Nobody Transitioning.” I believe that the IEP Summit for Moms, will be well received as the needs of Mom are great and everyone benefits when Mom has an Individualized Empowerment Plan!

To learn more about my new telesummit and sign up for this Free Series of interviews with my favorite mentors, visit my new telesummit site. Visit this new site: http//iepformom.com and recieve 3 Free Bonus Gifts to get you geared up and ready to enjoy this Oasis of Hope and Support!

What keeps you awake at night? What are you waiting for. Sign up now!

• you must constantly prove your worth by giving, giving and giving?

• overwhelmed by the stress, pressure and demands of being a superwoman?

• that, you are overworked, overstressed, and under appreciated?

If so you are not alone. I’ve been there, now I’m heading out for a Virtual Retreat – I am Healing the Superwoman Syndrome, once and for all!

Join me! It’s Free and it Starts Today! Register Here!

It’s time to awaken to the Wonder of You and this Virtual Retreat will get you ready for your Individualized Empowerment Plan! It is a wonderful way to get refreshed, rejuvenated and renewed! by a spirit-led community of phenomenal female visionaries.

I am humbled to be among these phenomenal women and I am sure to learn much from them on this Virtual Retreat!

I will be interviewed by Becky McCleery on September 22nd.

My Topic: “Finally, an IEP for Mom!

Who is Overworked, Overstressed and Overloaded!”

If you can’t make it to the live call on September 22nd, sign up anyway, the call will be recorded and you are free to listen to it anytime within the next 48 hours.

If you are available, sign up and you’ll be able to get your questions answered and your needs met. YOU are Worth It!

It is time to GIVE, GIVE, GIVE TO YOU! When your VIRTUAL RETREAT is over, you will have even more to GIVE to Those You LOVE!

to lead a good life;

to lead by example; and

to leave a legacy.

I encourage you to read the 10 Commandments/Manifesto which is linked below. Please come back to this blog posting as I have another fun commandment to add and a very funny video for you to watch!

Ten Commandments for Turning 50: A Manifesto for Any Age (Are You Listening President Obama?)

While I am sure you will agree that this is a great list of commandments, I would like to add yet another Commandment to the list:

Find a reason to laugh every day!

I have found that laughter is the best medicine for a joy filled life. It not only refreshes the body, it refuels the soul and rejuvenates your heart.

Pause for a moment, take an instant vacation from your to do list, and watch this great video. Be prepared to laugh, feel better and take action!

With this food for your heart and soul, I would like to encourage you to do one more thing for yourself today.

Join your Sisters and Moms in moving forward, provide support, and sign up for your Individualized Empowerment Plan today!

Learn more about it at http://www.believeinarayofhope.com and remember you are never alone!!

I’ve got a question for you….

How do you respond when your young adult says he’s finished with school, isn’t interested in college, wants to tour Europe, and hang out on the street?

Choose from the responses below. Will you:

a) Put your foot down and kick him out?

b) Wish him the best and send him on his way?

c) Say good-bye and start counting the days, fully expecting him to land on doorstep a few weeks later, with an apology.

d) Bid him a fond farewell and applaud his audacity?

Click on the link below and find out what happened to one billionaire who said no to college and then reconsider what you might say….

Here’s Guy Laliberté’s story!

Now that you know the rest of the Guy Laliberté’s story…

What life lessons do you wish to impart?

What legacy do you want to leave?

Is it time to sign up for your own IEP?

Learn more at Finally, An IEP for Mom!

Who has the most stress filled job in America?

Is it the astronaut?
Is it the air traffic controller?
Is it the firefighter?

No, it is Us!

Yes, it is Mid Life Moms!

Like you and me, these Mid Life Moms, strive to balance the needs of our young adult children, our husbands, our aging parents, our jobs and a healthy life style.

While I agree that all Mid Life Moms have stressful jobs, I believe Moms with Young Adults who have Special Needs, have the most stressful job of all! While Moms with Young Adults can often envision a time, when their adult children will be grown and gone, the Mom with a Young Adult with Special Needs, may not be able to see an end in sight.

While juggling elephants and carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, who is caring for us???

Check this short video clip out and learn what we typically juggle and what we can do to fortify ourselves!

If you are like me, your days can be difficult and it sometimes we feel overwhelmed. At such times, is tempting to crawl into a ball and shut the world out. While we all need rest and alone time, when we have succeeded in feeling a bit better, we must reach out to our circle of support.

It is for this reason, that I have created the Individualized Empowerment Plan (IEP) for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs! This telesummit is coming at the end of September and will help you to:

Create ME Time;

Learn from Self Care Experts;

Develop Self Care Practices;

Tear Down Barriers;

Access Services to Enrich the Life of your Young Adult;

and

Form Circles of Support!!

For more info on the upcoming free telesummit: Individualized Empowerment Plan ~ for Moms of Young Adults with Special Needs , follow this link and contact me at 703 371 5682 today to secure your place in the circle of support.

You are worth it! Your families are depending on you and looking to you to be around for the long haul.

In the meantime, let’s begin today to:

Make Me Time,

Tear Down the Walls Between Us;

Pause to Reflect on What You Need; and

Form a Circle of Support!

In the end, I leave you with additional questions.

Do you need additional support?

What else do you need?

What works for you?

What do you do to keep showing up?

Please leave your comments and suggestions below.

With Hugs, High Hopes and Belief in YOU,
D

P.S. If you know experts that have programs/services designed to help Moms for the long haul, I want to hear from you as I am still adding to my speaker line-up. Thank you so very much!!

* watching your young adult with special needs struggle in life?
* suffering with your child?
* feeling helpless?

If so, I would like to recommend that you listen to a special interview with Peter Tongue. Peter offers a message of hope and the interview is free for the next 24 hours and is powerful!

You can listen to it, by signing up for the Telesummit series at the following link:

What the Experts Know. You can find out more about Peter at the website and see his special offer there too.

There is absolutely no obligation and you need not purchase anything.

The telesummit series is designed to empower us to listen to our children, to question the status quo and to lead by example. Peter’s message complements the IEP for Mom summit that I have designed for you.

As the interview is about to end, Peter offers us a special offer at a very reasonable cost. As part of the special offer, you can secure a 1 on 1 counseling session with him and special audio recordings that are designed to help you get into the flow and sleep soundly.

As I was listening, I thought of you all. Astrid has lined up some wonderful educational experts and I look forward to hearing them over the next couple of weeks for free.

Join me by signing up now. Simply click the link below, provide your name, email address and learn from the Experts for Free!

What the Experts Know.

Let me know what you think.

Do you now have:

More information?
More options?
More hope?