CJ Miller has autism. And he also has a whole network of caring adults around him. His story has many chapters and many characters, even though he is only six years old. Christopher Lee Miller, Jr. was born in Springfield, Mo. in November 2013. He entered foster care at the age of six months because […]
Elizabeth Bocka, Thrive Correspondent
Posted inWellness
Eugene McNeil: Mowing Grass, thanking God, and watching racism shrink in Mansfield for over 50 years
You know those people who always seem to be in a good mood? Always smiling, positive and hopeful, even in the face of difficulty? Eugene McNeil is one of those people. At 74 years old, Eugene never left Mansfield. He was born in Jackson, MS, moved to Mansfield as an infant and has been here […]
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Mansfield woman values each moment after Deep Brain Stimulation to treat Parkinson’s
MANSFIELD – The first surgery was done under partial anesthesia. She could hear people talking almost the whole time. They had just shaved her head. She didn’t realize that the whole front of her head would be cut open. She will always have a bump in the back of her head where the electrodes go […]
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Rescue dogs, Makayla Weixel and gifts we don’t know we have
We just found out my son’s rescue dog is a purebred! 100% American Staffordshire Terrier. Yes, Gomer is a rescue. He was a stray, possibly left to the streets because of health issues and saved from euthanization. And he is most definitely the absolute sweetest dog I’ve ever known. I have lots of superlatives here, […]
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How Julie Rabquer Builds a Stronger Mansfield
Good news! If you’re still peopled out from the holidays (or your everyday life), or if you’re an introvert, or even if you feel a low-key pressure to “be in community,” staying connected could be easier than you think! Waving to the neighbor whose name you don’t know, saying hello to the cashier you recognize […]
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Live with expectancy instead of having expectations
It was Christmas, 1991, Leonia, New Jersey. My family from Ohio accepted an invitation from my husband Joe’s family in New Jersey to experience New York City at the holidays. It was magical. We saw the lights and the window displays and the tree at Rockefeller Center. We went to FAO Schwarz and ate knishes […]
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Insider tips for giving
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for bargains! Isn’t it amazing? So many products, colors, discounts and options. So many things I didn’t even know existed. All the things I already love, but improved. And the regular old standards, but on sale. I don’t know about you, but I am really good at […]
Posted inWellness
How to up your Thanksgiving game
Happy Thanksgiving month! As I was growing up, this holiday was one of my favorites. Mainly because of the menu and the “kids table”. There was plenty to eat and my siblings and cousins and I were not monitored as usual. It was awesome. We rolled home a few hours later, stuffed full, feeling our […]
Posted inWellness
What went right? A shift in the right direction
I did a really dumb thing yesterday. I am still in such disbelief I did it, that I haven’t told anyone about it. I am embarrassed. I’m wondering about my thinking processes. I’m trying to gather the courage to tell you, but not sure — I’ll check my word count at the end and see […]
Posted inWellness
Living from a place of thankfulness takes perspective change, daily reminders
Whenever someone would ask my grandpa, “How are you?” his answer was always the same: “thankful.” He’d have this huge grin on his face but his eyes would be fixed on yours, checking to see if you were tracking with him. Honestly, my teenage self thought he could have come up with something a little more […]