Life's Left Turns is a place to reflect on and celebrate the "left turns" our lives inevitably take. As a young mother nearly 20 years ago, I thought I was headed in a certain direction. I had a fun-loving husband with a great job, a brand new house, and three healthy children -- or so I thought. The road took a sharp left turn when my middle son was diagnosed with a fatal muscle wasting disease. I could not imagine how on earth I would move forward in this unexpected, and unwelcome, direction.

Turns out, the new path has been wildly different but not necessarily in the ways I thought it would be. Life is rich and full and unique and special. I haven't had experiences I always thought I would have (like family ski trips) but I have had experiences I never thought I would have (like learning genetics and meeting Snoop Dogg).

I've since come to stop fearing the "left turns." In fact I find myself embracing the idea of going a different way, whether it comes by necessity or by choice. This blog is a place where you can read about my experiences doing things differently, share your own stories, and get tips and tricks for navigating left turns that are thrown at you, both large and small. You never know -- a left turn may just make life more exciting and unique and fun.

When you're expected to go a certain way, here's to turning left!