Hunter’s Hope

05/18/2026

“There is only one way to look at things until someone shows us how to look at them with different eyes.” -Pablo Picasso

We live in a world where most toys are designed with typically developing children in mind. For families like ours raising children with additional needs, that can make something as simple as playtime feel inaccessible. While adaptive toys and equipment do exist, they often come with a hefty price tag because of the modifications needed to make them usable for children with disabilities.

One of our biggest goals is finding ways to create inclusive opportunities for our boys to play and meaningfully engage with one another. Sometimes all it takes is a little creativity and an open mind. Today, we were able to use items we already had at home to meet Hunter where he was so he could laugh, splash, and play right alongside his little brother.

Here’s how we made it work:

• Bird bath — used as a riser to elevate the water table so Hunter could access it while supported in his Kidwalk

• Chair umbrella — clamped directly onto the Kidwalk to provide extra shade and support Hunter’s vision needs

• Picnic table — removed one of the bench seats so Hunter could access the table in either his Kidwalk or Rifton chair

The boys had an absolute blast, and our hearts were full watching them play side by side together.

In a perfect world, Hunter should be standing and playing independently next to his brother without all of these modifications. It is hard to fathom how the actions of others changed the course of his life in such a profound way. Nonetheless, we will continue pushing forward, adapting, and finding ways to make the world more accessible for the little boy who deserves nothing less than everything.

I cannot wait to see what we come up with next. 💙🦈💙

05/15/2026

Happy birthday to the little boy that loves his brother endlessly and always finds ways to include him -our sweet and salty Tater boy!

God knew exactly what he was doing when he chose you to be placed with your brother. May you always have kindness and love in your heart and advocacy in your soul.

We love you to the moon and back!

05/09/2026

“If you’re scared to do it, do it scared. Just don’t give up.” 🤍

Our foster care journey was far from typical. We didn’t get a call like most families do — we made one. When we learned Hunter needed a foster home, we knew medically complex placements are often some of the hardest to place. There were so many unknowns, so many “what ifs,” but we both agreed we had to at least try. I’m forever thankful we did.

Now, we cannot imagine our lives without our two littles. Their journeys into our family looked completely different, but both changed us forever. The tears, sleepless nights, endless appointments, advocating, court dates, testimonies, and learning to pivot at a moment’s notice — every single bit of it has been worth it.

Because kids deserve to feel safe.
Because kids deserve stability.
Because kids deserve unconditional love.
Because kids deserve to simply be kids.

Foster care will change you — in the best ways. It teaches you how to love without conditions or guarantees. Sometimes it’s the easiest hello and the hardest goodbye. And sometimes, like in our case, fostering becomes forever family.

If you’ve been on the fence about fostering, this is your sign. Even if you’re scared, do it scared. Every child is worth it. 💙

May is Foster Care Month, a time to recognize the families who open their hearts and homes to children in need. Foster parents provide a critical support system for some of Delaware’s most vulnerable youth, offering love, stability, and guidance. They are an essential part of the village working to protect, nurture, and strengthen families. Their compassion helps children thrive emotionally, academically, and socially.

This month, we honor all foster families and everyone whose lives have been touched by the foster care system. The unwavering commitment that foster families have continues to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families every single day. Thank you for all the love you share and the care you continue to provide.

05/05/2026

If you met Hunter 3 weeks ago you may not believe what took place tonight. He began to a decline with his assisted mobility so his PT recommended that we incorporate his bike into his daily routine to help him. Hunt has biked every day at school with adult support. He absolutely loves his bike and so do his friends.

Tonight we met a different Hunter. He sat in the propped position for over a minute by himself and he also decided to take some very meaningful and intentional steps on his own with both feet!!!

Another milestone achieved! Praise God!

04/29/2026

National Superhero Day may have been yesterday, but today we’re celebrating the littlest hero of all—our sweet (and very spicy) Tater Tot. 💙

Hunter could not have been given a better little brother. While he may be wild with the rest of the world, Tater has a way of meeting Hunt exactly where he is—always finding a way to include him, always making space for him. In Tater’s world, the sun rises and sets around his “Brudder.” He asks for him constantly and lights up the moment he sees Hunter waiting in the car at pickup.

Tater doesn’t see Hunter’s additional needs as limitations—he sees possibility. He sees his brother. And he loves him in a way that is pure, instinctive, and unwavering. The kind of love that doesn’t need to be taught—it just is.

We fought hard to make sure Hunter would have the chance to grow up with his brother—whether it was for a month, a year, or a lifetime. We were told, more than once, that it wouldn’t matter… that Hunter “wouldn’t know the difference.”

But they were wrong.

Because this—this—is what knowing looks like.
This is connection.
This is joy.
This is brotherhood.

God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave these boys to each other. And we cannot wait to watch their bond grow stronger with each passing year.

04/29/2026

Get your tissues 🥺🥺🥺

In honor of National Superheroes Day, we are recognizing two women who didn’t just make a difference in Hunter’s life—they helped change the trajectory of it. Their capes may be invisible, but what they have done for Hunter is nothing short of heroic. 🤍

There was a moment in Hunter’s life when everything felt impossible—when the future was uncertain, when fear outweighed hope, and a 6 1/2 week old baby was placed in a helicopter with an outcome unknown. In that moment, Ms. Brandy stepped in.

Social workers like her are rare. She didn’t look away. She didn’t stay silent. She stood up and became a voice for a little boy who could not speak for himself. She advocated when it mattered most—when Hunter wasn’t even expected to make the flight to Hopkins. Because of her courage, her urgency, and her refusal to let him be overlooked, Hunter was given a chance.

A chance to live.
A chance to fight.
A chance to be here with us today.

And that is something we will carry in our hearts for the rest of our lives.

And then, in a completely different season of life, came Ms. Stephanie.

Where Ms. Brandy helped give Hunter a chance at life, Ms. Stephanie has helped show him what it means to live it.

Paraprofessionals like her are one in a million. She sees Hunter—not just his diagnosis, not just his challenges—but him. His strength. His potential. His voice. She meets him with patience on the hard days, celebrates him on the good ones, and never stops believing in what he is capable of.

Because of her, Hunter doesn’t just go to school—he feels safe there. He feels seen. He feels valued. He loves learning. He asks for more time on his eye gaze device. He engages. He grows. He shines.

After everything he has endured…that joy is something we once didn’t know if we would ever see.

We are beyond grateful that these two women came into Hunter’s life at completely different times—but at the exact moments he needed them most.

As Rita Pierson said, “Every child deserves a champion.”

We have been blessed to witness what happens when a child doesn’t just have one—but two.

Two women who have stood in the gap.
Two women who have spoken up when he couldn’t.
Two women who have refused to give up on him.

Because of them, Hunter is here.
Because of them, he is growing.
Because of them, he is becoming everything he was meant to be.

And because of them…we get to keep watching Hunter’s story continue to be written.

💙🦈💙

04/23/2026

We see the local agencies on the Eastern Shore speaking up for Child Abuse Awareness Month—and we see where it’s still quiet.

Child Abuse Awareness Month is being actively recognized in many surrounding communities, but we have not seen the same visible outreach or community education efforts from Accomack County agencies.

When agencies speak up, survivors feel seen. When they don’t, that silence is felt too. For our family, that silence has been part of a longer journey of seeking justice for Hunter over the last 3+ years.

Awareness saves lives. Education matters. And silence leaves families feeling alone.

Child abuse doesn’t stop at a state line, and awareness shouldn’t either.

Hunter’s life, and the lives of so many other children, show what happens when abuse is not fully addressed and when systems do not fully respond to protect and support them. Behind every case like his is a child, a family, and a lifetime of impact that doesn’t disappear when the attention fades.

These children are living with the consequences every day. That is why awareness cannot be symbolic—it has to lead to real protection, real accountability, and real change.

These children deserve more than awareness. They deserve to be seen, protected, and fought for—consistently and without silence.

04/20/2026

(Said in an Elmo voice)

Today’s letter of the day is “H” for happy 😊

Sesame Street always makes the boys happy. Hunt loves Elmo and Tater loves (Big) “Bird” as he calls him. Sharks, Sushi, Crabcakes and Boat Rides are high up on their list, too!

What about you?!?!

What’s something that makes you happy?!?

04/19/2026

A little bike therapy 🚲

Tomorrow he takes his bike to school 💙

04/19/2026

If you have not invested in a Copper Pearl blanket yet, let this be your sign.

Hunt struggled to settle down tonight. What followed was over an hour and a half of everything—repositioning, stripping him down to just a onesie, gas drops, turning Alexa on and off, closing the bedroom door to block out the gazillion EMS scanners, back and leg rubs… you name it.

His body language basically told me to go pack sand.

Then I remembered our beloved Copper Pearl blankets.

I turned the bedroom upside down until I found one because bayyybeeeee—these things are pure magic. They have a slight weight to them and are the perfect thickness. We use them year-round and even gift them to friends, young and old. They come in three sizes, too.

They’re a little pricier, but with a coupon code or when you catch a style on sale or clearance, they are absolutely worth it.

I swaddled Hunt up, and within a minute he was fast asleep in my arms.

Copper Pearl blankets are LIFE.

Go get you one.