A Pocket Full of Sunshine: One Momma’s Journey to Contentment

Your Momma Goes to College

To say that Andrea Tharpe was my closest friend as a little girl would be an understatement. We traveled back and forth to each other’s houses so frequently that it killed the grass and left a dirt trail in its stead; our mothers would also travel the trail to share coffee and conversations while the two of us used a camcorder to record videos of our teddy bears singing to *Milli Vanilli, choreographed dance routines, or raked entire communities out of pine straw. We both lived in those houses until we each left for college and eventually got married. Looking back I see how our mother’s friendship was not just a hot drink and conversation but a lifeline of sorts: community.

My mom and Mrs. Rhonda weren’t caught up in the comparison game that has become motherhood. They shared recipes and ideas and advice and encouragement. I think the world would be better if more women had the type of friendship they faithfully cultivated all those years ago. More specifically, I believe that moms would not struggle with depression as severely if they just had one or two really good mom friends in their lives.

But that isn’t what this podcast is about, exactly. It’s about my friend Andrea’s journey as a special needs parent and how she’s raising awareness and teaching women that we need each other. One marriage and four kids later, Andrea has some wisdom for those who will listen about having a child with Down Syndrome, adopting a special needs child from China, and navigating the realities of being an advocate for both. She is the real deal (whispers: pickle) and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

Discussed in this episode:

The DSDN: Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network which may be a helpful resource for new moms looking to connect with others, ask questions, and gather vital information.

The Lucky Few by Heather Avis: this book is has excellent reviews on Amazon and is reasonably priced (my copy is on the way)!

Wonder: we discuss the movie in the podcast but I read the book with my boys and it really is a fantastic book. If you have 4-6th graders it is definitely worth dedicating 10 minutes before bedtime for a few weeks – the gut laughs alone are worth it. (but seriously y’all, who doesn’t love Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts?)

The Greatest Showman: we are also obsessed with this movie and soundtrack. That’s an entirely different post….

The R-Word: I’m not too proud, but am definitely ashamed, to admit that I used this word without a second thought growing up. Andrea wants others to know that words matter and this one is particularly hurtful. When I ask people not to use the R-word now I’m usually told that they didn’t mean it that way. So here’s a challenge to anyone who still uses it but not that way: find another word. Look-up the word you actually meant to use, find a synonym, and use it in a sentence today. Repeat. Until you die. Thank you.

You can find Andrea on Instagram @ahtharpe or occasionally on her blog here but prepare yourself for cuteness overload because her kids will push you right over the edge. You’ve been warned.

*This was obviously before the great lip sync scandal came out and we realized the irony .