Friendship Spotlight

Ok, I am copying from my friend on this. I am sure she won't mind. I think this is a great idea. I don't have a picture though.

My first spotlight is going to be for my friend Karen Kiesel.

Let me tell you how we met.

We met when our two oldest sons were in Kindergarten together. While waiting to pick the boys up after school I would watch and be slightly envious of her having her two typical boys. We got to talking one day and she was saying how her almost 3 year old was not talking but she was not worried because her older son did not talk until 3 years old either. I really tried to foster this friendship because I really wanted be friends with moms of typical kids for Gabriel's sake. So that summer which would have been the summer of 2007 we began spending more and more time together and became friends and we both had two boys who were about the same age so it was nice. I just have to laugh because that summer Karen became the parent of a special needs child, or more correct her son was diagnosed, and she was brought into the world of special needs with me. Even though Evan and her son have different diagnosises I was so glad to be there to help her through the process of getting evaluations from Alta and the school district.

Fast forward to now and we are in a carpool together and most weeks we have a coffee or run errands together once a week. So here are the reasons Karen is a great friend and all around person.

1. She is always honest and straightforward
2. She listens
3. She gives ideas when I have a problem
4. She is always finding new ways to help her son
5. She always helps out with Gabriel in a pinch or just because
6. We treat each other for coffee every now and then
7. She makes me laugh
8. She understands my life
9. She is an awesome Mom
10. She finds ways to do things for her kids even when if seems impossible because of money or other reasons
11. She takes Taekwando

I am so grateful that when I tried to make friends outside of the special needs world I found Karen and now she has joined me in the special needs world we can be supportive of each other.

Stay Tuned to see who is in the spotlight next week.