The feeling was warmth. The feeling was inclusive. The feeling was as if arms were wrapping around us in an eternal hug. St. Timothy Lutheran Church, our church, brought to us a night of warmth, inclusion, and hugs as they hosted a Bingo Fundraiser for Ella. Young and old came from near and far to sit for an evening of white elephant gifts, candy and popcorn, pizza and pop surrounded by the infectious sounds of the classic bingo game.  A night that is etched not only in the memories of our family, but in the minds of so many who were involved. A parishioner approached me the day after the fundraiser to express her exhilaration about the event.  She knew that the Bingo Night was successful simply by the attendance therein, yet she marveled at the young people who took a part in it. She was thrilled by the fact that compassion was experienced by these young people first-hand rather than them simply being told to be compassionate.  She called it their "witnes...

The decision to put our house on the market actually took quite some time.  We had to first ascertain whether or not our current house would be able to accommodate not only Ella and her needs but also the needs of Ava and Henry; not to mention us, and of course our beloved dog, Sasa and our now single cat, Doublestuff. From that distant thought the list of accommodations, remodeling, use of space, and storage is a list that seemed to grow as we were making the decision.  And while Ella is a phenomenal driver of her power wheelchair, the space she had to work within often presented challenges; repairs here and there were cropping up more frequently.  The kids were growing and the house, in contrast, seemed to be shrinking. Yes, it took quite some time to finally pull out the stops and put our house on the market. Many months ago, when we first planted the seeds of our plans,  a church member who is also a realtor, stepped forward and offered us her services. ...

Pastor David Miller of St. Timothy's Lutheran Church (Naperville, IL) with Ella Sabine Casten on her baptism day. He sat in our family room, a rather tall man, legs crossed, relaxed in the chair, the dog with her head upon a resting place on his leg.  He scratched under her ear as he spoke with us. The conversation took many turns.  It resonanted of individual pasts, collective consciousness, and rituals dictated by those whom came many years before us.  It contained laughter, tears, and stoic contemplation.  It was both comfortable and uncomfortable as it dug deep into what beliefs were held by three people. As he shared his experiences, spoke elequoently about Christian traditions, and listened with an ear that devoted itself to the one speaking, his eyes never lost their twinkle; never wavered from his soul. It was that conversation that brought Lindsay and me to St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Naperville, Illinois.  It was that conversation th...