On The Inside

I rarely share deeply personal things on PPF – it was an intentional decision I made early on, in an effort to keep my family/private life protected & separate from the work I do.  My site isn’t a “lifestyle blog” & I know that many of you come here specifically looking for fashion ideas, deals & shopping tips.  Which is why I’ve gone back & forth about whether or not I should write this post…but I ultimately decided it was too important not to share.

Two weeks ago, we found out that my 5-year-old son has Tourette’s syndrome.  We had suspected that something was wrong for a while, but I kept telling myself it was allergies (though I knew deep inside there was more to it).  This diagnosis sent us reeling head-first into a sea of emotions…would it affect his ability to play sports, would he get teased at school because of his motor tics, would it get worse with time or better?  A million questions, with no answers to be easily found.  I quickly launched into researching all-natural treatments, supplements & dietary changes we could make to help him.

Since this discovery, we have slowly been adjusting to our “new normal” as a family.  Our faith has played a tremendous role in us coming to terms with his diagnosis & we are confident that there will be good to come from this, even if we can’t see it right now.  My research for different therapies led us to a few things that have worked for other families; so we are starting him on new vitamins & avoiding certain food additives & sugar.  Our main concern continues to be that he feels special, loved & accepted just the way he is – the path he has to walk may be a little more difficult, but we are determined to reinforce his value every step of the way.


I share this with you not to gain sympathy, but as a way to say thank you.  In the midst of finding all of this out, there was a sudden influx of emails & encouraging notes from so many of you that flooded my inbox, Twitter feed & Facebook page.  You couldn’t have known what I was dealing with at the time, but your kind words were exactly what I needed to push through, keep going & stay positive.  I can’t thank you enough for supporting me when you didn’t even know that I needed it most.  

If you are facing something that has you feeling hopeless or discouraged, you are not alone.  Chances are, there is someone else who has gone through the same circumstances & has come out victorious on the other side. Many people have struggles they are confronting that aren’t visible on the surface – I hope this serves as a great reminder for us all to show compassion & grace to those around us.  You never know what that friendly smile or hand-written note could mean to someone who is hurting.  Yours has meant the world to me & I am so grateful. ♥