Life after loss with autism, preemies and a rainbow baby
I’ve been missing my brothers lately and I finally figured out why (not that I don’t always miss them since they moved out of state, but lately I’ve been wishing they lived next door on a daily basis). Before I explain, I need to back up and share how Ashlyn went from the middle of […]
Dear Superintendent, Principal, teachers, parents, girls and maybe even the mayor, When my daughter began high school I was not worried about late night parties or dating or even her grades. I was worried about her being accepted for who she is. I was worried that, in a sea of students who didn’t know her, […]
There is something about the autism community that is so strongly intertwined you can almost feel it. Whether we know each other or not, we are drawn to each other’s stories. We pass knowing glances in the supermarket and offer letters of support and outrage when our children are wronged. And we send virtual hugs […]
In my previous life I was the director of a nearby autism center. We ran many kinds of programs out of the university-based center but my favorites were the programs that involved the siblings. There was something about these kids. My daughter was still an only child at the time so I had no idea […]
When I was a full of drama, teenager/middle-schooler/probably elementary schooler and preschooler too, I would stomp off to my room when mad. Shutting my door, I would flop in dramatic defeat onto my bed and sigh loud enough for the house to hear. Laying there, unsatisfied with the lack of results from my grand showcasing […]
When she was 6 or 7 or a length too long to bend into a grocery cart I stood in the parking lot, defeated. I was a single mom then and Ashlyn didn’t just wander, she ran. Or she didn’t just run she pulled her fingers along every item at eye level, collecting some, knocking […]
We are moving on to a post-high school program this year and I can say that, over the years I’ve definitely learned how to and how not to work with school staff to get what I need most for Ashlyn. There have been teachers who I wasn’t able to work with until we both compromised […]
When I was pregnant with the triplets I dreamt of the normalcy of their childhood. I’m sure normal and raising triplets don’t usually belong in the same sentence but in my mind they would. I looked forward to sitting still with a cup of coffee and a mom-friend, watching our kids at dance class or […]
I’m a little annoyed with my World Autism Awareness Day post. Not because it isn’t true and not because we don’t need more support and services and solutions but because I didn’t take the time to share how amazing it is to have a child with autism. Yes it is not always easy and no […]
Autism Awareness month has changed so much for us over the years. When Ashlyn was young I wore awareness ribbons and puzzle pieces and used this time to explain autism. It was my chance to spread the awareness we still needed. Autism affected 1 in 450 then. Now everyone knows about autism. Everyone is aware […]
