The Blog

We were living in a tiny cabin on Ames Lake in Washington State, and I woke up with a single, unexpected thought in my mind: “Hazelnut, it’s time to get up.” I grabbed my phone and wrote the very first Hazelnut story in the dark. Honestly, I was just desperate to find a way to explain to our friends—parents of typically developing kids—why Hazel was turning one and still couldn’t walk or talk. I wanted a gentle, simple story that helped them understand her, see her, and love

Hi, I’m Julia Erman — wife, mom to two amazing kids with a rare genetic disorder, creator, author, and founder of The Hazelnut Movement, where we’re working to change the way the world sees those impacted by disability. I started sharing my life on social media about eight years ago, not realizing it would become a space where I’d tell my story of faith, motherhood, and resilience. Along the way, I’ve walked through becoming a special needs mom twice, endured chemotherapy whi

Here at The Hazelnut Movement, our goal is simple: to create awareness. Awareness that there’s a real problem with the way the world...

We never know who will be on the other end of a call when a school reaches out to us about hosting a Hazelnut Assembly. But one call in...

So many exciting things are happening at The Hazelnut Movement! Already this school year, we’ve touched 294 lives with the message that...

About six months ago, when Stacey called and asked our family to be part of the Team Lexi dinner, we had no idea what we were stepping...

There are days I want to quit. Days I feel like I have quit. And then there are days that remind me exactly why I do what I do....

This July, our family has the privilege of attending a life-changing camp for families impacted by disability. This camp has truly...

I can’t believe my 38th year of life is just around the corner—next Saturday, May 10! My sister-in-law often asks me if I’ve ever paused...

You asked… and we listened! We’re so excited to open up another round of Hazelnut shirt orders! This time, we’re offering two awesome...

We’re so excited to kick off Disability Book Week! This is a special time to highlight stories that promote inclusion, celebrate...

We’re so excited to celebrate this season with something special just for you and your family. For the next 24 hours only, you can...

Yesterday was special—truly one of a kind. School assembly number 10 is in the books! Watch full program here 📣 The kids were engaged,...

The day we left Washington State, my heart stayed there. It wasn’t that I wasn’t excited to move or that I couldn’t move on—it was that...

As I sit down and reflect on my purpose—my greater calling—the thing I have to do or else I can’t sleep—it’s this one thing: Remind women...

Wow, friends—I am absolutely blown away! Thanks to your incredible support, I’m currently ranking 3rd  in the Entrepreneur of Impact of...

This picture represents my vision for the future: more typically developing kids falling in love with the Hazelnuts of the world—children...

You may have found our page because of one of these topics, but let’s take a moment to officially introduce ourselves and explain how it...

Reading my Facebook memories, I found this post. It moved me and convicted me again yesterday, so I thought I’d share it again. 👇 I have...

You have overcome all the odds, and it’s so clear that your calling on this earth is divine. Your smile lifts any frown, and your humor...