It's been a year and a half since we received Mia's life-limiting diagnosis of lissencephaly. In that time, so much has changed. We went from 20 seizures a day to have almost total seizure management. We've rotated in a few new meds. We're still working on sleep, but that's a little harder with a brain that doesn't produce the right hormones. And we've gone on countless walks, traveled to countless appointments, and even made our way a few states away to visit family and receive specialized therapy.

But Mia's days on the move are limited. Our 2011 Toyota Camry, the daily car we use to get to and fro, was just diagnosed with a failing transmission. We were hoping we could wait until Mia was in a wheelchair and required an accessible vehicle before we upgraded, but, as I was sliding backward down our driveway's hill because the engine wouldn't kick over to drive, I realized that time is not on our side.

Because Mia's not yet in a wheelchair, we don't qualify for most grants or funding. We're shopping for a used van that will allow us to carry all of Mia's equipment. Things are tight with all of our regular expenses as we continue to seek out new therapies and treatments for Mia, so anything given here will go directly to a van. I dream of heated seats, but at this point we'll settle for "goes forward when prompted."

We're so grateful for everyone who loves Mia and has contributed to her thriving.