Jodi Saari, Neighbor

My name is Jodi Saari and I am the mom of two little girls.  My four-year-old is always busy, loves the outdoors, and is chomping at the bit to start kindergarten next fall.  Her two-year-old sister also loves the outdoors, always has a big smile, and will take her first school bus ride later this month for classes with District 196 Early Childhood Special Education.  Avery was born with congenital CMV and has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, seizures, and feeding problems that led to her being fed through a feeding tube. 

Life is interesting in our household.  I work full-time at Goff Public, a public relations firm in St. Paul, and after being laid off in 2009, my husband started his own engineering company and works from home.  Both of our daughters attend a daycare center in Apple Valley.  Having a bright four-year-old and a two-year-old with disabilities requires some creative parenting, lots of patience and flexibility, and an endless supply of love.

I grew up in a small town in northern Minnesota and my husband and I bought our house in Apple Valley seven years ago.  We love our neighborhood, our big back yard and the convenience of being so close to everything from Target to the MN Zoo.  We are just beginning to explore the school system as our daughters start school and look forward to getting to know our community even better.