In honor of Father’s Day, I asked Beau 10 reasons why he loves his daddy so much.  Here’s what he had to say . . .

1. I love going to the movie theatre and sitting next to you.
2. I love going to the beach when you hold me in the deep water.
3. I love washing the car and spraying you with the hose.
4. I love playing tackle.  It makes me laugh.
5. I love when you make guacamole and chips.  You look handsome in your chef coat.
6. I love playing basketball and riding the tractor with you.
7. I love singing with you.
8. I love going to your office and sitting in your chair.
9. I love karate with you.  You’re funny when you bow.
10. I love when you put me to bed and snuggle with me.  You say “Goodnight Beau”

Almost eight weeks ago, we took a leap of faith . . . a leap that has taken our lives from the comfort of status quo to a state of limitless possibilities.  We chose to change the course of our lives by choosing a path less travelled while keeping a laser sharp focus on one goal.  We wanted to create a business that would provide employment opportunities to people living with intellectual and developmental disabilties and in doing so hopefully change other’s perspectives and attitudes toward a population of people that deserve to feel respected and valued.

What has unfolded since the day Dye Creek Capital opened for business has exceeded our expectations.

I couldn’t think of a better way to give you a glimpse into a day at Dye Creek than through the eyes of our 14 year-old daughter, Lillie.  With a servant’s heart, she has always looked out for those who struggle to overcome obstacles.  She believes in everyone’s potential to succeed and finds immense joy in watching the moments unfold as our employees strive to be the best that they can be.  And the moments are constantly playing out. 

Which is why Lillie jumped at the chance to be a “job coach” to one of our newest employees, Luke.  Luke is a survivor.  At age six, he was diagnosed with brain cancer.  Luke, like the other 2.5 million people in our country living with an intellectual or developmental disability, has struggled to find employment.  Now, at age twenty-nine he is an employee at Dye Creek Capital.

Neatly dressed in his uniform with his lunch tucked under his arm, Luke arrived for work Tuesday.  Lillie happily greeted him and the two exchanged a quiet conversation about their weekends.  And then it was straight to work.  As a “job coach”, Lillie is there to support Luke if needed and also help him strive toward complete independence at work.  Luke is a very hard worker with strong attention to detail.  Throughout his work day, he references a list that outlines his tasks.  But more importantly, Luke is in charge of extending hospitality to clients as they visit Dye Creek Capital.  And this is where the moments that really matter play out.    The moments when fear of the unknown is swept away and bridges are built between people with and without disabilities.  We believe that it’s in these moments that attitudes and perspectives change.

On this particular Tuesday, Dye Creek was visited by a woman that had also experienced the struggle of dealing with a cancer diagnosis.  And like Luke, she is a survivor.  Neither of them was aware of the other’s struggles, but within minutes of meeting and sharing conversation a mutual appreciation for each other had been formed.  As she parted from Dye Creek that day, Luke presented her with a loaf of bread he had learned to bake that morning.   The next day, she delivered Luke a note thanking him for his thoughtfulness.  

This is the kind of moment that is happening over and over again at Dye Creek.  When people spend time together, walls come down, attitudes change and mutual respect is established. 

I think Lillie summed up the day better than I could ever attempt to when she said “I want to do this for the rest of my life.”

The restaurant was buzzing with customers and conversation. Our family of six was tightly packed into a booth made for four and I was trying my best to keep Beau and Bitty happy by making tiny towers out of the jelly packs we had found on the table.  One, two, three, four…crash.  The jelly tower fell over and a roar of laughter erupted at our booth.  “Do it again, mama” Beau insisted.  How could I resist.  10 towers, 5 nursery rhymes and 30 rounds of peek-a-boo later, our waitress finally arrived to take our order. 

“Cheese-ba-gurger”, smiley fries and ketchup, please” Beau confidently stated . . . more laughter and lots of high-fives.  We all love the way Beau says “cheeseburger” and more importantly, we love watching him exercise his independence.  

But we’re not the only ones that love watching him. 

In this crowded, chaotic moment, I feel the stillness of stares and it makes me smile.

As parents, we’ve all experienced those moments in public when our children’s sub-par behavior becomes the focus of undesired attention.  The moments that test us, try us and leave us feeling beyond embarrassed.  And then there are the great moments.  The moments when our children are at their very best and we wish that everyone would stop to notice.

As the parents of children with special needs, we have discovered that these moments – the moments when people can’t help but stop and stare – are always happening.   

The grocery store, park, mall, beach . . . we feel the stares and we have learned to embrace them.  With each stare, we feel more hopeful that a sense of acceptance is growing in our world.  For us, the stares are an opportunity to educate others by showing them the great potential people living with intellectual disabilities have.  And perhaps more importantly, giving others a glimpse at the wonderful blessings we call our children.

The waitress delivers Beau’s “cheese-ba-gurger” and he gives her an enthusiastic “thank you”.  Bitty swipes a fry and reminds us all to bow our heads before she takes a bite.  I look up and find the couple sitting at the table next to us has ceased their conversation and has become fixated on the action happening at our table.  We exchange smiles.  Please keep staring at my child.

One of my favorite things about my husband, Ben, is his desire to live an authentic life. This philosophy has led him to the decision to resign his position at Morgan Stanley and open his own investment firm, Dye Creek Capital, Inc., where he will provide employment opportunities to people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an estimated 2.5 million people in the United States have an intellectual disability- approximately 1% of the United States population. Estimates also indicate that only 31% of individuals with intellectual disabilities are employed.  Dye Creek Capital is determined to change those statistics.

I am so proud of Ben and so excited about this next chapter in our lives.

Up until this past week, I’ve always thought that the “special” in Special Olympics referred to the fact that all of the athletes competing had special needs.  What I recently discovered, is that “special” describes everything about the Special Olympics.

Special are the volunteers who coordinate the details, motivate the athletes and make the experience memorable.

 Special is the community that comes together to show support and celebrate the human spirit.

Special are the teachers that encourage their students to be the best they can be.

Special are the family & friends who come to cheer from the sidelines.

 Special are the emotions a parent feels as they watch their child overcome obstacles.

Special are the teammates who realize that winning doesn’t have anything to do with coming in first place.

And special are the athletes who are always brave in the attempt.

When Deputy Dixon took his oath of office to protect and serve the citizens of New Hanover County, I’m fairly certain he had no idea his charge would lead him to a special education class, where he would do much more than protect and serve . . . he would demonstrate the unconditional acceptance of children who sometimes struggle to find friendship.

At first glance, Deputy Dixon might seem a bit daunting.  Standing over 6 feet tall and dressed in his uniform, many children might be intimidated by his presence.  But for Beau and his buddies, Deputy Dixon is a super hero disguised in a deputy costume.  With a smile that disarms and a heart that seems to know no bounds, Deputy Dixon has become a very special part of Beau’s class and his life. 

Time and time again, I have witnessed Deputy Dixon go above and beyond the call of duty to make the students not only feel safe, but loved.  He’s patient and kind and always seems to find a way to bring out the best in everyone – especially Beau.  When asked who his best friends at school are, Beau leads off the list with Deputy Dixon’s name.  Whether sharing a meal together in the cafeteria or a conversation in the classroom, Beau and Deputy Dixon are true friends.  And when I drop off my favorite little guy at school in the morning, I feel a little better knowing Deputy Dixon is looking out for him. 

It’s been a few years since these little bunnies hopped through our house,

but these pictures always make me smile.

Happy Easter!

Five months ago, I was inspired to write, “Be the One”.  My goal was to create a call to action for people everywhere to embrace our differences and celebrate the meaningful relationships that occur when we live this way.  What has transpired since then, has given me great hope that someday our children will live in a world that does not define them by their abilities, but rather accepts and includes them unconditionally.

While the song and video we are about to create will tell a powerful story, what has happened behind the scenes is the story that I am most proud to tell. 

Our story began when our family was invited to share our song, “It Starts With A Voice” at the Best Buddies DC Challenge last fall.  As we sat at a picnic table watching the tandem bike challenge, we befriended a gentleman who like us, had a child with Down syndrome.  We shared lots of stories and laughter before we realized our new friend was Lauren Potter’s father.  Lauren was a busy bee that day, cheerfully moving from interview to interview, but took time to come sit and talk.  Her passion for Best Buddies was contagious and her intelligence, charisma and compassion left a lasting impression on all of us.  We left the weekend feeling energized, having witnessed the difference Best Buddies had made in Lauren’s life and in the lives of so many others with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Days after we returned home, I began writing, “Be the One”.  I wanted the song to light a fire in people and to call them to action to “be the one” who makes a difference in someone’s life.  I wanted to encourage others to step off of the sidelines and to remind everyone that we all deserve a chance.  With the help of my friend, Steven Errante,  an accomplished musician, “Be the One” began to take shape and brought us to tears each time we heard it.  And while the tune and lyrics felt powerfully moving, we were determined to tell the story on screen, too. 

Producing projects with this much scope take great resources.  It was a few days before Christmas, when I received an email from an old friend.  He was a friend of my family’s when I was a little girl and thanks to my dad keeping in touch, he had heard about our family’s mission and wanted to help.  Through his generosity, we were able to engage our friends at Life Stage Films and began the planning process for creating a music video for “Be the One”. 

It was in those first few planning days that I reached out to the young woman who first inspired me to write the song.  With one conversation, Lauren Potter was on-board.

Momentum for our project has grown everyday since.  Hundreds of people have signed up to be a part of the video.  Volunteers have worked tirelessly behind the scenes.  Businesses have generously donated.   And our amazing film crew, under the direction of Matt Davis, are determined to make this project nothing less than awesome! 

Throughout this journey, we have felt an enormous amount of support and encouragement and we are most grateful.  “Be the One” has ignited a passion in us for doing more to encourage people not only to accept, but embrace our differences. 

We owe that to our children. 

Almost 9 years ago, I became the parent of a child with special needs.  I also became an advocate for the acceptance and inclusion of all people living with intellectual disabilities.

1 year ago, I put this bracelet on and everything changed.

Through the Special Olympics’ “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, I found a platform on which to stand and share my passion.  

Today has been a celebration for our family.  A celebration we have enjoyed sharing with our community.  A community that has surrounded us with so much love and support.

And so we have spent the day saying “thank you” to those that have embraced our mission as well as spending time with new friends and encouraging them to join the revolution.

Here are some of the highlights from our day . . . 

Make the pledge today and help us create more accepting attitudes and communities for all people. 

  http://www.r-word.org/