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About Different Dream Living

Hi, I’m Jolene Philo! Thank you so much for stopping by Different Dream Living. I began this website in 2009 as a gathering place for parents of children with special needs and disabilities. Over the years, Different Dream has expanded to include those caring for loved ones of all ages: Dads and moms in the hospital with seriously or terminally ill kids, parents whose children live with mental disabilities or chronic illnesses, those supervising adult children with special needs, wives and husbands caring for spouses with disabilities, as well as for adult children caring for elderly parents.

If you’re a caregiver, Different Dream offers resources to equip you to be a confident advocate and encouragement when you need a boost. You’re invited to engage in the caregiving conversation by leaving comments about resources or advice you’d like to share with others. Special needs bloggers can contribute to the Tuesday link share. If you’re interested in becoming a guest blogger, read more about our Guest Bloggers below! Or if you’ve ever thought about writing your own book, check out our book coaching services through Literary Midwives!

My Story

Book Coaching Services

Through the years, more and more readers who are also writers have contacted Different Dream about the publishing process. In response, we’ve created a book coaching department called Literary Midwives. It offers services for fiction and non-fiction writers. You can learn more about those services at the Literary Midwives page.
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Different Dream Living Affiliates

DISCLOSURE

Blog posts and advertisements seen on this site may contain affiliate links to products that I recommend, which means that at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase from these links, I will receive a small commission that helps to support my family and this website. You are under no olbigation or requirement to make a purchase.

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EZ Socks

Our patented loop technology makes it easy for kids (we have socks for adults too!!) to pull up their socks. Our double reinforced loops are sewn with a bartack machine, which is the same process made for sewing jeans.

The Autism Site Store

The Autism Site offers 6 skill categories of toys to browse to help enhance the play and development of children on the autism spectrum.

Kozie Clothes

Kozie Clothes provides clothing designed especially for babies and kids with medical or sensory processing needs including onesies for G-tube fed babies, weighted vests and blankets, and more!

Fat Brain Toys

Fat Brain Toys breaks down their toys into 22 different special needs categories. Check out the post HERE, or click the image to go directly to the FBT Special Needs Category webpage.

Caring for a loved one with a chronic illness or disability? MyMed.com brings you all the medical information and tips on dealing with various health conditions and diseases.

Rebekah is mom to two precious boys; Tyler, who has juvenile diabetes, celiac disease, and an auditory processing disorder, and Blaine, who deals with a multitude of sensory issues that make up SPD- sensory processing disorder. She’s also caregiver to her husband, a wounded veteran who has PTSD. The last few years have been a journey towards learning how best to care for her very special family’s many needs. She often speaks to wives who are caregivers to wounded veterans and writes in partnership with www.faithdeployed.com and www.ladiesbydesign.com. Her personal blog is: http://justmemama.blogspot.com/

  • Her mission: to help families embrace the grieving process, and find hope as they heal.
  • Her motto:  prayer, prayer, and more prayer!
  • Her ministry: to share the hope she has in Jesus, her healer and sanity on the difficult days.

He is her strength daily as she cares for three specially wrapped gifts: her family.

Sarah Broady is a mother passionate about encouraging parents of children with special needs. She is married to her college sweetheart, Kyle Broady, who is in ministry at their church in eastern Kentucky as the Pastor of Worship, and they have three boys. Their second son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and although it turned their world upside down, God is using it for His glory in more ways they could have ever imagined.  Sarah blogs about her life raising a son with autism, whom she now homeschools, at Hope in Autism, as well as Key Ministry’s Special Needs Parenting blog.
Jared is empowering families with special gifts from God through writing, coaching, and speaking. The past 7 years, Jared has been in full time ministry and the past two, the Lead Pastor in Utah. But the Buckley’s special gift from God a few years ago, Fayth who was born with Down syndrome, started to reshape his passion towards special families. While Jared focuses on many aspects of special families, he has one unique conviction—empowering special dads. This conviction led him to release his promise letter to Fayth in a powerful ebook, A Special Dad’s Promise. Grab a free copy when you sign-up for email updates at his website. Visit Jared at Building SPECIAL Families. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.
Rebekah is mom to two precious boys; Tyler, who has juvenile diabetes, celiac disease, and an auditory processing disorder, and Blaine, who deals with a multitude of sensory issues that make up SPD- sensory processing disorder. She’s also caregiver to her husband, a wounded veteran who has PTSD. The last few years have been a journey towards learning how best to care for her very special family’s many needs. She often speaks to wives who are caregivers to wounded veterans and writes in partnership with www.faithdeployed.com and www.ladiesbydesign.com. Her personal blog is: http://justmemama.blogspot.com/

  • Her mission: to help families embrace the grieving process, and find hope as they heal.
  • Her motto:  prayer, prayer, and more prayer!
  • Her ministry: to share the hope she has in Jesus, her healer and sanity on the difficult days.

He is her strength daily as she cares for three specially wrapped gifts: her family.

Sarah Broady is a mother passionate about encouraging parents of children with special needs. She is married to her college sweetheart, Kyle Broady, who is in ministry at their church in eastern Kentucky as the Pastor of Worship, and they have three boys. Their second son was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and although it turned their world upside down, God is using it for His glory in more ways they could have ever imagined.  Sarah blogs about her life raising a son with autism, whom she now homeschools, at Hope in Autism, as well as Key Ministry’s Special Needs Parenting blog.
Jared is empowering families with special gifts from God through writing, coaching, and speaking. The past 7 years, Jared has been in full time ministry and the past two, the Lead Pastor in Utah. But the Buckley’s special gift from God a few years ago, Fayth who was born with Down syndrome, started to reshape his passion towards special families. While Jared focuses on many aspects of special families, he has one unique conviction—empowering special dads. This conviction led him to release his promise letter to Fayth in a powerful ebook, A Special Dad’s Promise. Grab a free copy when you sign-up for email updates at his website. Visit Jared at Building SPECIAL Families. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.
Rudy teaches music and Bible at the Christian school ministry of his church. He’s also church orchestra director. Rachel loves being Rudy’s wife and considers it a privilege to be a stay at home mom to their three beautiful children—Camelia, Lucas, and Sophia. Rudy and Rachel enjoy serving together in a variety of ways through the music ministry in their church, including the opportunity to play piano duets and sing.

Another large part of who they are involves that of raising their oldest daughter, who is visually impaired, along with developmental delays (a result of her extreme premature birth). They are humbled that the Lord saw fit to entrust her to their care and seek to praise Him for the abundant grace and love which He continues to extend to each of them throughout the journey of their life. You can follow their journey at www.thisjourneyourlife.com.

Sheri is a wife and mother of four, including a son with autism. When she isn’t driving kids around or doing laundry, she spends her time working as a Kindermusik educator and professional pianist. Her passion is helping others–especially special needs parents–find fulfillment, contentment and joy in everyday life. You can visit Sheri’s blog at www.sheridacon.com, or find her on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.
Kimberly grew up and went to college in the small town of Upland, IN. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2002. While at TU, she married her college sweetheart and so began their adventure! Ryan and Kimberly have three amazing kids on earth (Abigail, Jayden, and Cooper), and a baby boy waiting for them in heaven. Their daughter Abigail (Abbey) has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, hearing loss, microcephaly, and oral dysphagia. She is the inspiration behind Kimberly’s  desire to write. In addition to being a stay at home mom, Kimberly has been serving alongside her husband in full time youth ministry for almost fourteen years. She enjoys working with the senior high girls, scrapbooking, reading, and music. You can visit Kimberly at her website, Promises and Perspective.
Rudy teaches music and Bible at the Christian school ministry of his church. He’s also church orchestra director. Rachel loves being Rudy’s wife and considers it a privilege to be a stay at home mom to their three beautiful children—Camelia, Lucas, and Sophia. Rudy and Rachel enjoy serving together in a variety of ways through the music ministry in their church, including the opportunity to play piano duets and sing.

Another large part of who they are involves that of raising their oldest daughter, who is visually impaired, along with developmental delays (a result of her extreme premature birth). They are humbled that the Lord saw fit to entrust her to their care and seek to praise Him for the abundant grace and love which He continues to extend to each of them throughout the journey of their life. You can follow their journey at www.thisjourneyourlife.com.

Sheri is a wife and mother of four, including a son with autism. When she isn’t driving kids around or doing laundry, she spends her time working as a Kindermusik educator and professional pianist. Her passion is helping others–especially special needs parents–find fulfillment, contentment and joy in everyday life. You can visit Sheri’s blog at www.sheridacon.com, or find her on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.
Kimberly grew up and went to college in the small town of Upland, IN. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2002. While at TU, she married her college sweetheart and so began their adventure! Ryan and Kimberly have three amazing kids on earth (Abigail, Jayden, and Cooper), and a baby boy waiting for them in heaven. Their daughter Abigail (Abbey) has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, hearing loss, microcephaly, and oral dysphagia. She is the inspiration behind Kimberly’s  desire to write. In addition to being a stay at home mom, Kimberly has been serving alongside her husband in full time youth ministry for almost fourteen years. She enjoys working with the senior high girls, scrapbooking, reading, and music. You can visit Kimberly at her website, Promises and Perspective.