Shelby Rose came into our lives through adoption when she was just six weeks old.  Shortly after her arrival, our adventure took a turn when the seizures started, followed by other related obstacles... but also our journey of hope and JOY into the world of Special Needs.

We relied on our faith, warped sense of humor, family, a handful of solid friends from our past and a massive group of new friends and support team we met along our journey, all whom we lovingly refer to as "Team Shelby."

Sadly, we lost Shelby after a long battle with pneumonia shortly after she turned 13.  Still grieving, I started to journal as part of the healing process.  I was always pulled to share our story with others, well-intentioned to start a blog, but often too tired to follow through.

Throughout Shelby's life, I often thought to myself, and even shared with our younger daughter that we have so many things in our life that are not easy... and we can choose our attitude about life, whether it be anger, frustration, sadness or joy.

My vision is for this to be a living tribute to Shelby. I absolutely grieve over her loss every. single. day. But I strive to live most of my days in honor of Shelby's carefree, sunny disposition...

Why Not Joy?