I remember when I was 19 years old, I commented to a friend “the story of my life could be contained in a pamphlet.” What I didn’t realize then is that one day I’d be sharing those chapters through an authentic lifestyle blog.
Fast forward more than 30 years, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. College. Marriage. Child-rearing. Volunteer work. Divorce. Marriage. Volunteer work. College. Part-time job. Full-time job. Self-employed. Two states. Five counties. Eight towns.
My beautiful adult daughter lives with my husband and me. She was born with an “unnamed” chromosome abnormality and requires care around the clock. You’ll read more about her here. Much more. She’s the catalyst that got me to where I am now, the teacher who shapes my perspectives, and the bringer of sunshine into our household. Through Sincerely Teresa, I share stories of caregiving, family, and Appalachia. It’s my way of creating an authentic lifestyle blog that’s honest and real, not polished perfection.
So, if you’re interested in tagging along on our journey of caregiving and cooking and gardening and writing and reading and pets and travel and…life….we welcome you. Feel free to reach out—let me know where you’re from and how you landed here. I love meeting new folks!
Sincerely,
Teresa
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Waivers Pt. 7: Why Does This Bother People So Much?
Before anything else, I want to say this clearly. I know there are people working in this system—case managers, service facilitators, providers—who have seen situations where a parent being paid to care for their adult child wasn’t the best setup. Situations where things didn’t work the way they should. I’m not speaking to those situations. Those need to be addressed. That’s not what this is about. …
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The Donut Bush
Last night, I dreamed I was back at the house where I grew up in Princeton, West Virginia. Everything looked the way I remembered it. Britni was sitting in a lounge chair on the sidewalk in the front yard, enjoying the sunshine while I was over in the side yard meeting our new neighbors, who apparently…
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Waivers Pt. 6: Behind the Scenes
Taking the Face Off the Clock This is a behind-the-scenes look at consumer-directed waiver services in the Commonwealth of Virginia based on my personal understanding and lived experience—not legal or policy advice. I want to be clear from the beginning that this isn’t a manual, textbook, or official policy guide. It’s simply my perspective as…