Dear Team, First and foremost thank you for being here. We want you to know that we are truly grateful for you. We are so excited for this school year. It’s going to sound weird but we have been praying for you and hoping for you. We used to want to control the situation of who Whitman had and what his school year was going to look like but we’ve started simply praying that God would put the right people in our life so Whitman could grow into his best…
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It’s a weird thing, anxiety. Purposefully placed inside our minds, as a means to keep us safe from outside harm. It’s there to keep us cautious and on our toes. And thank goodness for that. Can you imagine a world where you had none? Where you walk this earth fearful of nothing. Jumping from high spaces, running at full speed, no brakes, and carrying a “maybe deal with it later” mentality? I bet you answered “yes and no” to each of these. So did I. But my son, those answers…
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I wish I could tell you that the Mom in the picture was wise and ready for whatever came her way. But, she was young and naive and just getting her feet under her after the birth of her first child. Things weren’t going as they were supposed to and behind the smile, she was struggling like never before. Struggling to understand what she was doing wrong and why her baby wasn’t sleeping, eating and was doing so many repetitive things. She had read all the books and taken the…
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On a sunny Thursday afternoon I was reminded of the ongoing acceptance of my seven year old son’s autism diagnosis. I took my daughter to the park across from my son’s school thirty minutes before we picked him up, so she could play. It just so happened that my son’s class was out on the playground where I could see him and his classmates. As peeked over every so often I tried to be careful that he didn’t see me. I watched him and his fellow autistic students play. Anyone…
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Twenty years ago, my sister and I walked this same playground together, just as my girls are now. We were atypical in the way of being twins. To the other children, we stuck out as different. They didn’t understand how we could look and act so much alike. Now add in that we were raised by a single mother, our father was gone and struggled with addiction. Most of the time our family was in survival mode. My mom always tells the story of the time she drove by the…
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Today, I was judgmental. Today I was jealous. Today my heart ached. As we battled through a specialist check up, I had to watch the anxiety build in my daughter. Silent but strong. Fear and irritation consumed her, followed closely by terror, as we progressed from appointment to lab work. The transition led to tears. Then the flapping, stomping body. Then the yells… I’m sure we looked like quite the scene. One melting down kid in one arm, another bewildered kid on the other, mom sweating, flustered, and weighed down…
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She looked like a typical little girl, bright curious eyes, adorable curls, a laugh that made you instantly smile. She loved water, spinning in circles and all things Barney. She loved dirt and rocks and playing with bubbles. She would swing on her belly for long periods of time. All these things didn’t seem that out of the ordinary for a two year old. Although when you looked closer; You could see she wasn’t talking or even saying words. Her food choices were extremely limited. Her understanding was inconsistent and…
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This morning I thought about forever, as we woke up before the sun, and hurried to get ready to go find trains. This is what we do. When you first find out you’re going to become a parent you think about raising a child, sending them off to college, and watching them get married and start a family of their own. I’m not saying he won’t ever do any of these things, but I’m also saying we aren’t promised he will either. The day you find out you’re not just…
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Intrinsic value means something is valuable or interesting because of its basic nature or character and not because of its connection with other things. All people are inherently valuable without their connection to other things. Our uniqueness, individual qualities, and mark on this world rely on our individuality. No two people carry the same characteristics as any other person in this world. Because of this, we all carry a special kind of value and currency. Our autistic kids, Nixon, age six, and Nora, age three, shine a special magnifying glass…
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Today I want to share with you a story, it’s the story of families like ours. It’s the story of those of us that are living a life with a family member who has complex needs. Today, I want to give you a peek behind the curtain so that, if you don’t live this life, you can maybe understand it a little better. Please know that every family like ours needs understanding, it can be a lonely road we walk. We often find comfort from the people that have similar…
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