Author Archives: Ellie Hunja

To the One Feeling Inadequate this Holiday Season

| 2 minute read | I walked past these “tabletop trees” for sale the other day, and my heart was flooded with memories. Visions of hot cocoa, warm blankets, and read-alouds of our favorite Christmas stories danced through my mind so vividly, I could almost hear “A Motown Christmas” playing in the background. I rememberedContinue reading “To the One Feeling Inadequate this Holiday Season”

4 Ways to Cling to Your Identity in Christ as a Mom

| 7 minute read | When I became a mom, it felt like a knife had sliced across my life, separating it—and me—into “before” and “after”. The disconnect between the “old me” and the new one was jarring. How I spent my time, the things I cared about and prioritized, where I invested my emotionalContinue reading “4 Ways to Cling to Your Identity in Christ as a Mom”

What Does Self-Care Really Mean for Parents of Disabled Kids?

| 8 minute read | Is it just me, or have you been hearing the phrase “self-care” more than usual lately? After the year-and-a-half we’ve all had, it seems we’ve gotten serious about finding ways to care for our needs and restore our weary souls – and I love to see it! But I’ve alsoContinue reading “What Does Self-Care Really Mean for Parents of Disabled Kids?”

How to Practice Gratitude (and Reclaim your Joy!)

| 8 minute read | Have you ever experienced a moment when your heart overflowed with gratitude? The other day, I glanced up from my laptop screen and my eyes landed on a photo of my son as a newborn. My heart swelled with a sense of awe that pushed away every tired and frustratedContinue reading “How to Practice Gratitude (and Reclaim your Joy!)”

To the Mom Trying Her Best As the Holidays Approach

| 5 minute read | Aah, the holidays. Time to curl up with a hot drink and… drown in your insecurities as you compare your seasonal festivities to every family in your social media feed! …I know I’m not the only one, right? I’ve always loved this season: the colorful transition to fall, the funContinue reading “To the Mom Trying Her Best As the Holidays Approach”

My Best Friend’s Death — and My Own Survival — Taught Me the Vulnerability of Joy

My entry into the Medium Writers Challenge is about the single most impactful moment of my life. It’s about my journey through grief, and the sense of “foreboding joy” (as Brene Brown calls it) that has been a part of my life ever since. And of course, it’s a tribute to one of the greatest humansContinue reading “My Best Friend’s Death — and My Own Survival — Taught Me the Vulnerability of Joy”

There’s More To You Than Motherhood (And It’s OK To Say It Out Loud)

| 5 minute read | I don’t want motherhood to be all there is to me. Has this thought ever crossed your mind? When I look in the mirror, I see a compassionate soul, a bubbly extrovert, a caring friend, a singer/actress who wishes she could dance, a bookworm, a Georgetown and Michigan grad, aContinue reading “There’s More To You Than Motherhood (And It’s OK To Say It Out Loud)”

I Almost Let My Expectations Steal My Joy

| 3 minute read | We recently had a beautiful family getaway to a nearby hotel. But I almost let my own expectations get in the way of my joy. I had spent hours searching for the perfect hotel. I knew it had to be beautiful and a little bougie, because that’s what feels restorativeContinue reading “I Almost Let My Expectations Steal My Joy”

PART TWO — Non-Autistic Parents: Why We Should Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

| 4 minute read | “When we speak over autistic voices, we teach our children that they don’t have the power to speak for themselves… “When we uplift autistic voices, even when it means lowering our own, we show our children that we honor them as the experts on their own experience: both now, andContinue reading “PART TWO — Non-Autistic Parents: Why We Should Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable”