It was a cold winter morning when I somehow stumbled upon the personal blog of Jennifer Graf Groneberg. I'd been going through some pretty heavy, life-changing months, and I was holed up at my best friend's house, in three-day old yoga pants and a slumped ponytail, eyes bloodshot with too many tears. I was looking for soul feed online, and I'd somehow found the grail.

I spent two or three hours that morning poring over Jennifer's words, particularly the words about her son Avery, born with Down's Syndrome. Her descriptions of him, of her experiences as his Mother, touched me deeply. I sat back, knowing her words deserved a larger audience.

"Will you write for ParentDish?" I asked, and was overjoyed when she said yes. I've enjoyed reading every one of her weekly columns here; most all of them have provoked thought, inspiration, and tears -- the good kind.

A few months ago, Jennifer sent me a pre-release copy of the book she has been writing, Road Map to Holland. The book is described as "a resource, a companion for parents, and above all, a story of the love between a mother and her son - the child she didn't know she wanted, the child she always needed."

It's more than that. It's a book about love and expectation, of course, but it's also a beautifully written memoir about how life's challenges can morph into life's greatest joys. Jennifer's weekly columns here are beautiful, but her book is a more robust, deeper look at the roller coaster of raising young children -- one of whom has very special needs. Jennifer is honest, painfully so at times -- but the sheer beauty of her spirit bursts through her writing. I read a lot of books, and this is the one book I read last year that I finished in one sitting, peering through overtired eyes because I was so addicted to the story. There are at least a dozen pages folded over at the corner, pages with phrases that resonated, provoked thought, compelled me to triangle their edges so I can come back to re-read them.

For Jennifer's fans here, this book is a must-read. For those of you who don't yet know her, reading this book will ensure you'll never forget her. I'd rate this a must-read, for parents of children with Down's Syndrome, and for anyone who has ever struggled with feelings of guilt, inadequacy, or despair. And...well, that would probably be all of us.

You can pre-order a copy here.