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Parents of Special Needs Children:

Are you the parent of a child with special needs?  If so, this blog was written with you in mind. 

The Three Keys to Living with Ease and Grace:

Below is a story illustrating how the Three Keys to living with ease and grace work in daily life.  I learned that life doesn’t have to be difficult, when I applied these keys to an important State Department of Education (DOE) meeting about my daughter’s education. 

The Three Keys are summarized in the footers below this blog post. * 

Developmental Delays:

My story begins when my daughter Erin was an infant and we noticed that she didn’t meet developmental guidelines important to our doctors.  Hearing this stressed me significantly, until I awakened to the idea that Erin was whole, perfect and complete just as she was.

Guiding Your Child’s Soul Development:

As her parent, I viewed my role as supporting and guiding her Soul’s development.  As a result, I invested seventeen years advocating for my daughter’s educational needs and navigating the complexities of the education system.  We worked with our State DOE to ensure that Erin had opportunities to learn and become her best self.

Two Approaches to Advocating for Special Needs:

One of the most valuable things I learned along the way, from an education attorney, is that there are two ways to approach advocating for a special needs child.  You can pay for and demonstrate that the child needs a service and then get reimbursed.  Or you can advocate for that service in IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings and when your agency starts the service, they will pay for it.  We found it necessary to use both approaches.

Lindamood Bell Learning Processes:

During my daughter’s early school years, we were fortunate to discover a learning program called Lindamood Bell Learning Processes.  Erin thrived when this program was used in her classroom.  The teachers in her school were trained in this approach.  

Regression Happens:

Each summer though, we noticed that Erin regressed, and lost much of what she had gained during the previous school year.  Her teacher recommended summer school to minimize her regression.  Because Lindamood Bell worked so well for her, we found a summer learning camp at a local private school.

Learning Camps:

Before the service was approved by DOE, we refinanced our home to pay over $50,000 for Erin to attend several Lindamood Bell learning camps.  It was the only thing we found that enabled her to reach her potential. With this training, she learned to visualize and verbalize what she was learning and experiencing. 

Legalities Involved:

We hired an attorney to ask our State DOE to reimburse us for this expense.  Our attorney recommended filing a hearing request, with the understanding that we would first attend a settlement meeting with the DOE.

Solutions from Meditation:

When we were about a week away from the settlement meeting, I scheduled time to prepare.  As I usually do, I was beginning my day in meditation.  I noticed deep heaviness about the hearing come through in my thoughts and feelings; my monkey mind was very active.  I focused on my breath, relaxed, and let all the thoughts and feelings go. 

A voice from within declared, “Do a vision board for the meeting.”

My ego mind immediately responded, “I don’t have time for that!”

My inner voice replied and said, “Keep it simple.  Do it on 8 ½” X 11” paper.  Spend no more than an hour.”

“Okay.” I replied. “I can do that.” 

And I did.  In the center of the paper, I placed this vision statement: We have an easy, graceful, generous settlement, where ALL parties benefit.

I showed it to my husband and daughter, and they replied negatively, “Yeah right.”

My usually positive daughter even said, “You know DOE, Mom.  I don’t see how that can happen.” 

Releasing Negative Thoughts: 

In response to them, I countered, “I will entertain no other thought than We have an easy, graceful, generous settlement, where ALL parties benefit.’’

Over the next week, anytime I had any thought misaligned or out of kilter with this vision statement, I simply repeated my reply to myself, “I will entertain no other thought than We have an easy, graceful, generous settlement, where ALL parties benefit.’’

Silent Unity:

For additional support, I reached out to Silent Unity (silentunity.org) and prayed with a prayer associate.  They pray with people of all faiths and hold you and your situation in prayer for 30 days.  If you like, they also follow-up with a letter or email re-affirming what you prayed about. 

The morning of the hearing arrived, and my husband Dan and I drove to the meeting site.  We arrived a little early and sat for a moment in the car before proceeding to our settlement meeting with the DOE officials.  Our attorney, Elaine, was standing by for the meeting and we checked in with her to make sure our phone connection was good. 

Serendipity at Work:

After talking to Elaine, just before I turned my phone off, I heard an email ding on my phone.  It was Silent Unity affirming that indeed the highest and best was coming forth in this situation.  I repeated our Vision Statement and we walked to the meeting room. 

As soon as we walked in the door, Lynn, the DOE official holding the meeting, asked us, “Would it work for you if we write you a check for $52,000 to cover your cost for services from Lindamood Bell and you pay for your attorney’s fees?” 

The Power of Prayer:

Dan and I looked at each other with wide eyes, almost in stunned disbelief.  How could this be?!   Here we were receiving answered prayer and being lifted to a higher vibration.  It was just like my Vision Statement—real evidence of how readily ease and grace flow when we trust in the highest and best outcome.  How could this NOT be?!    

A Miracle in the Making:

As I was taking in a slow, deep breath to allow this miracle to register, Dan replied, “We promised our attorney we would check in with her before accepting any settlement.  May we have a moment to call her?”

“Of course.” Lynn replied.  “While you are doing that, I will draw up a settlement agreement for us all to sign.” 

And we did sign the agreement, right then and there.    

Synchronicity at Play:

It turns out that Lynn’s daughter was getting married in a few weeks.  She was in the processing of clearing everything she could from her work calendar, so she could enjoy her daughter’s wedding.  I love how this worked in our favor.  Synchronicity is always at hand.

The Art of Ease and Grace in Action:

Remembering this experience reminds me that the Three Keys are at work in our lives, whether we are aware of them, or not.  I hadn’t yet birthed or become conscious of the power of the Three Keys to living with ease and grace!  [Note: The Three Keys are summarized in the footers below this blog post. *]

As shown in this story, when we…

• maintain our focus on our Vision,
• step into the Vibration of that Vision, and
• turn things over to a higher power (Grace),

…miracles unfold in our daily lives.

 This is the art of ease and grace in action.

What about you?  Have you had moments of ease, grace and flow that resemble these Three Keys?  What miracles have you experienced lately?  Are you open to receiving daily miracles?  I would love to hear about your experiences. 

I invite you to continue exploring The Art of Ease and Grace with me in future blogs.  

• If you would like to get an email notification when future blogs are posted, please click HERE to join my mailing list.  At this time, my audio blogs are available by email OR by scrolling to the end of this web page. 

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~ Carol McNulty-Huffman,

Best-Selling Author & Inspirational Speaker

artofeaseandgrace.com

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A Peek at My Next Blog Post:

Topic: Vibration

• Vibration is our topic next month.  Once again, the title (and content) of the post will reveal itself between now and then!  LOL

• Vibration is powerful in so many ways.  I look forward to seeing how my words flow around this topic in the next few weeks. 🙂   

*Summary of the Three Keys: 

• The three keys to living with ease and grace are Vision, Vibration and Grace.  Vision is about setting a Vision for the long-term or an intention for the short-term.  Vibration is about stepping into the Vibration of that Vision, so that it can easily manifest.  Grace is a wind that is always blowing — a power flowing through our experience more and more as we open to receive it.  

• The fact is these keys are already at work in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not!  Noticing these keys allows us to access them more consciously and use them to create a life of greater ease, grace and flow.

• To learn more about Vision Click HERE
  
  
• To learn more about Vibration Click HERE
  
  
• To learn more about Grace Click HERE
  
  
• To learn about the Birth of this Blog, and releasing regret, click HERE

We are continuing our conversation about the art of ease and grace, between blog posts, in my private Facebook group (Art of Ease and Grace).  Click HERE to request entry.  You can also email me at carol@theartofeaseandgrace.com or send a message through Messenger to make that happen.

If you would like to get an email notification when future blogs are posted, please click HERE to join my mailing list.

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