The week before an IEP meeting, my brain runs through every detail, my chest churns with anxiety, and I rehearse what I’ll say a hundred different ways. By the time the meeting starts, I’m already bone-tired — and yet, I know I have to show up fully for my child. Here’s what really happens behind every IEP.
Before there was Eli’s story, there was Aiden’s – & before I learned what being a mom means, I learned how to be one.💛
So, to keep sharing Eli’s journey, I need to tell you about the mom I was before him—and the little boy who made me one. 💫
What looked like a sweet baby photo on Instagram was really the start of a story I didn’t yet understand. Behind that grainy picture was a tired mama, a quiet whisper of worry, and the first glimpse of the road we were already on — one that would change everything.
The Nickel Jar isn’t a how-to guide or a picture-perfect mom blog — it’s a space born from the messy, beautiful chaos of motherhood, advocacy, and real life. Each story here is a “nickel” in our jar — a moment that shaped us, taught us, or made us laugh when we needed it most. Pull up a chair and stay awhile.
Every mom has her own jar — filled with advice, stories, and hard-earned wisdom gathered along the way. The Nickel Jar is a place to share those nickels: the moments that broke us, rebuilt us, and remind us we’re not alone.
