Embrace the Blessing
Welcome to the Embrace the Blessing podcast—a source of encouragement and inspiration for parents of children with special needs. Join teacher and seasoned mother of five, Sandy Deppisch, whose youngest is a young adult with Down syndrome, Autism and ADHD as she delves into the joys, challenges, and triumphs of this journey. Each week Sandy chats with moms and dads who truly understand. If you need empowerment and encouragement to keep going, this show is for you. Let's walk the road less traveled together!
Episodes
59 episodes
ETB 58: Exploring Guardianship and Supported Decision-Making
ETB 58: What if the future of your loved one with a disability could be bright, secure, and filled with choices and alternatives? Envision a world where guardianship isn't the only path, where supported decision-making reigns supreme, and perso...
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24:16
ETB 57: Navigating Hospitalization ~ Thank God for CNAs
ETB 57: When your child is hospitalized, what means of comfort do you find? As a mother who's been down this road with my son Josiah, I will share how the power of pen helped me through those dark times. Transcribing our story and drawing stren...
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8:26
ETB 56: From Parenting to Publishing: The Story Behind the Creation of Eleanor's eXtraordinary Dreams with Carlee Ragains
ETB 56: Ready to journey into the heartwarming world of Carlee Ragains, a creative spirit, mother, wife, and mimi? Carlee's story weaves a rich tapestry of love, courage, and perseverance, as she shares the joys, challenges, and unimagina...
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36:47
ETB 55: Fostering a Community of Hope and Inclusion through Adaptive Activities and Sports with the Christina Sullivan Foundation
ETB 55: Prepare to be deeply moved by the remarkable journey of Josephine Sullivan, founder and CEO of the Christina Sullivan Foundation. This episode offers a powerful narrative of love, faith, and unwavering commitment as Josephine shares the...
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47:18
ETB 54: Chase's Story: Insights from a Resilient Mom with Heather Savoy
ETB 54: What does it really mean to be a parent of a child with autism? How do you navigate the challenges and celebrate the milestones? Join us on a deeply personal journey with Heather, a resilient mother who opens her heart about her experie...
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42:40
ETB 53: It's Your Job
ETB 53: What if you could turn the toughest moments of parenting a child with a disability into a source of strength and inspiration? Join me, Sandy Deppisch, as I take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions in the hospital stays that have be...
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7:38
ETB 52: The Adventures of Parenting Adrian: Balancing Anxiety and Homeschooling with Sweet Success with Susan Aguilar
ETB 52: Have you ever wondered what it takes to raise a child with Down syndrome? Embark on an intimate journey with Susan Aguilar, a mother who shares the honest truth about the joys and challenges she's encountered while raising her son...
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47:10
ETB 51: Writing as Therapy: A Personal Voyage into Resilience and Hope
ETB 51: Have you ever pondered over the therapeutic power of writing in dealing with overpowering emotions? Join me, Sandy Deppish, on this personal journey as I revisit an old blog post titled 'It's Not About Me.' You'll discover how documenti...
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7:11
ETB 50: Embracing the Struggles and Triumphs of Caring for Special Children: The Toenail Odyssey
ETB 50: Ever tried to trim a child's toenails? Now imagine that child has sensory issues that make the task as perilous and nerve-wracking as a high-wire act. Join me, Sandy Deppisch in this candid discussion on Embrace the Blessing podcast, wh...
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7:09
ETB 49: Unlocking the Potential in Children with Down Syndrome: Darcy's Mission and Brady's Journey with Darcy Day
ETB 49: I'm thrilled to introduce you to Darcy, a devoted parent and former teacher who's turned her personal journey into a mission to unlock the potential in children with Down syndrome. Imagine the heartache of knowing your child has thought...
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55:43
ETB 48: Empowering Families through Personal Support Networks with Jennifer Vincent
ETB 48: Have you heard about the positive impact of creating a personal network to support you as you care for your loved one with a disability? Our guest, Jennifer Vincent, brings her experience as a parent and network facilitator to hel...
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53:59
ETB 47: Embracing the Voyage ~ Navigating a Cruise Vacation with Special Needs Young Adults with Mary Ann Hughes
ETB 47: Ever thought of how daunting the prospect of going on a vacation with special needs children might be? Imagine being a single parent to two wonderful boys on the autism spectrum and deciding to embark on a solo trip. That's exactly what...
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Episode 47
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39:40
ETB 45: If You Believe It, You Can Achieve It! VK Girl Creations ~ Turning a Hobby into a Growing Business with Victoria De La Garza and Jennifer Gongora, Part 2
ETB 45: This is Part 2 of a 2 part interview. In this episode I talk with Victoria De La Garza and her mother Jennifer Gongora about their business, VK Girl Creations. Victoria started in her High School Life Skills class learning...
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31:36
ETB 44: If You Believe It, You Can Achieve It! VK Girl Creations ~ Turning a Hobby into a Growing Business with Victoria De La Garza and Jennifer Gongora, Part 1
ETB 44: In this episode I talk with Victoria De La Garza and her mother Jennifer Gongora about their business, VK Girl Creations. Victoria started in her High School Life Skills class learning to knit beanie hats on a round knitting...
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28:37
ETB 43: The BEST Product We Ever Stumbled Upon with Sandy Deppisch
ETB 43: If you have a child with a disability who likes to disrobe at night, I have just the thing for you! For years we would wake in the wee hours of the morning to find our son undressed and sometimes enjoying finger paining fun ...
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5:42
ETB 42: He Gave Me Purpose with Kathryn Kane-Neilson
ETB 42: In this episode I talk with Kathryn Kane-Neilson about her 19 year old son, Clark who has Down syndrome. She talks about her experiences raising Clark, through life in NYC, through divorce, through medical misadventures and...
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43:09
ETB 41: Embrace the Uncertainty with Beverly Parrish
ETB 41- In this episode I talk with Beverly Parrish about her daughter Hannah, age 28, who has Down syndrome. Beverly and her husband Chris learned that Hannah had Down syndrome in utero. Feeling a bit overwhelmed at their lack of...
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38:28
ETB 40: Finding Quality Care for Your Special Needs Child with Gerrie Bourque
ETB 40 - In this episode I talk with Gerrie Bourque, mother of 3 whose 26 year old son Tyler has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism, is medically complex and has rare disorders. Gerrie shares the various caregiving options they ...
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25:01
ETB 39: Plenty of Possibilities for Finding Respite Care with Mary Ann Hughes
ETB 39 - In this episode I talk with Mary Ann Hughes, mother of 2 young adults with Autism about finding quality care for loved ones with special needs. As a single mother managing her company, Special Family Transitions, Mary Ann h...
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25:40
ETB 38: From a Grim Prognosis to a Much Brighter Future; Never Give Up Hope with Sandy Deppisch
ETB 38: In this episode I share a few stories about Josiah from the past few years when he was walking through a very long, very difficult season. With so many challenges including aggression, destruction and self-injurious behaviors it w...
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17:59
ETB 37: Finding Caregivers "Nextdoor" & the Miss Amazing Pageant with Freida Bassham
ETB 37 - In this episode I talk with Fredia Bassham, grandmother of Heather Jo, age 26. Freida and her husband Joe have been caring for their granddaughter who has cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and is non-verbal, for 22 years. ...
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15:33
ETB 36: Special Strong; Inclusive & Adaptive Fitness with Mike Lutey
ETB 36 - In this episode I talk with Mike Lutey, owner of Special Strong - South East Houston. Special Strong provides science-based adaptive and inclusive fitness programs for children, adolescents, and adults with mental, physical and cogniti...
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45:55
ETB 35: Dashing About Town Making a Difference with Real Life Superhero, Dash Gordon
ETB 35 - In this episode I talk with Timothy Glover, corporate trainer by day and real life superhero, Dash Gordon by night. Initially created to raise some extra money for a vacation, Tim started having fun with the whole Dash idea and ...
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41:39
ETB 34: Living in the Present & Breaking Things Down into Manageable Steps with Beth Haas
ETB 34: In this episode I talk with Beth Haas, teacher and mother of 3 beautiful daughters about her oldest daughter, Annalee who has Down syndrome. During the 18th week of Beth's first pregnancy, she and her husband John were told...
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44:23