Welcome to Holland

“I am different, not less.” 

Temple Grandin

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it and to imagine how it would feel. This poem was given to me when my girl was just eight years old and it changed my entire view of what I was given. In time this poem made more and more sense to me as I learned to not only accept the challenges that we had but also see that she was literally the little spark of goodness that opened so many doors for me to heal, and as a result it led me to do the magical work that I do with people with brain injuries and other disabilities in my community.

Today, I am proud to say my girl has grown into a sweet, kindhearted and somewhat independent young woman. She enjoys her volunteer job at the local animal shelter and loves caring for her dog, Emma. I was able to renovate my house a few years ago so that she has her own make shift apartment in my home where she lives with her dog as independently as possible. It has been my goal and focus that she become as self-sufficient as possible, not just for her own well-being but also because the reality is I will not live forever and I want her to either have success in supported living in the community, or be the least big of a burden to one of her brothers should they choose to have her live with them.

She has surpassed so much more than what anyone ever thought she’d be able to do. Of course, this came with decades of advocating, teaching and patience on my part and her willingness to do hard things.

This poem was the game changer for me and our life together navigating one of the hardest forms of parenting. Please feel free to pass this along to another parenting navigating this strange, yet beautiful experience.

Welcome to Holland

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

Photo by Michal Knotek on Pexels.com

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Inclusion Yoga

Inclusion Yoga is a dynamic form of living and sharing the true essence of Yoga that embraces as its main focus the principles of inclusion.


This was the day.  

The dim lights of the Yoga space were easy on my eyes.  The wood floors were cool to my feet that padded along in eager anticipation for the arrival of Yogis. The voices of fellow Yoga teachers whispered around the room.  The candles flickered with shared excitement as I knelt on my mat.

The energy itself was touchable.

As I knelt on my mat prior to the first arrival I softly closed my eyes and went inside my heart. I witnessed in myself an acknowledgement of what brought me to this day.  With sweet tears, I first saw my beautiful daughter.  Images of her sweet life from birth to this day.  Without her being in my life–exactly as she is–I would not be sitting on that mat preparing to meet my vision.

Next, I remembered my first Yoga class where I was the student.  I remembered my first teacher gently planting seeds that I would soon discover about myself and about Yoga.  I remembered my first Yoga conference when I was eager with excitement and driven to be doing it “right”.  I remembered being told to just be yourself and teach from your heart.

I remembered the letter I wrote seeking an opportunity to teach to people with disabilities.  I remembered meeting with them.  I remembered them saying yes.

I remembered the classes I have taught where I have been humbled by the willingness of people to reach into their hearts and be vulnerable.

I wiped the tears as I blessed this moment. I knew that this moment was indeed divinely guided.

The room filled and people settled in.  Mats were placed in a circle; a circle of inclusion, of equality and of acceptance.

I dropped to my knees and felt the tears sting my eyes as I saw my friend in her wheelchair arrive.  She was the exact reason my heart knew that this calling was not to be ignored.  I thanked her for her inspiration and I proudly helped her to the mat.

As the class began, I scanned the room.  I saw old friends.  I saw new friends.  I saw a family that brought their daughter.  I saw fellow Yoga teachers.  I saw courage, love, peace, and… I saw joy.

At that moment, I knew that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

I spoke my truth.  I taught from my heart.  I witnessed the inclusion and the acceptance.  I witnessed the willingness and the courage.  I witnessed the love.

I closed the class in complete wonder for what just occurred and with a reading of how it began.  I closed the class in deep gratitude for the faith people have in me, for the support from others and for the opportunity.

Fast forward fourteen years and I am proud to share that my teachings have evolved and yet also have the foundation of inclusion at their essence. I am blessed to bring adaptive yoga into long term care centers, assisted living setting and group homes. To learn more about my services, check out this gorgeous webpage that explains it all.

DIY Bubble Bath

I am a gal who takes a bubble bath soak everyday…it is part ritual of letting my day go and part soaking my tired bones.
That store bought bubble bath has so many things that are harsh to skin and as we know, our skin absorbs everything.
Check out this easy and fun bubble bath! My fave essential oils to add are lavender and siberian fir.

DIY Bubble Bath

Ingredients

1 cup unscented castile soap

½ cup vegetable glycerin

2 tablespoons water

15 drops preferred doTERRA essential oil

Instructions

1 Combine castile soap, glycerin, and water into glass bowl

2 Add essential oils

3 Stir until well combined

4 Pour into glass container.

5 To use, add ¼–½ cup of the essential oil bubble bath mixture to warm, running bath water.

Note: These bubbles are not going to provide big fluffy bubbles that last a long time since it doesn’t contain the synthetic ingredients that create the high amounts of lather or foam. However, this chemical-free bath will provide enough bubbles for a relaxing and therapeutic bath you will enjoy even more.

Blue Magic

See ya later chronic pain and inflammation.

??yarrrow/Pom. (It’s the prettiest blue)

?? tumeric

?? copaiba.

? boom!

If you don’t have a wholesale account, it’s super easy to get! You get wholesale pricing for one year! You get either pay the $35 for the account (like Costco) and choose your oils, or if you grab a starter kit that comes with your membership!

1) Go to my.doterra.com/staciewyatt

2) Click Become a Member

3) Fill in your personal information (If needed, my enroller/sponsor id is 1200119)

4) Choose a Starter Kit or select the Wholesale Membership Fee option

5) Add oils and products

6) Complete payment & process

7) Message me and I will get your welcome gift in the mail