Life after loss with autism, preemies and a rainbow baby
There’s this strange argument I used to have with myself and I’ve always wondered if other parents did the same. As the mom of a special needs child, I looked for every opportunity for her to be with her “peers.” I wanted her to be treated like them. I wanted her to be included in […]
Today is the official day of the End the R word campaign. There is a story I could share about how this word was directed towards someone I love dearly. But I won’t. I heard what was muttered and the person it was directed towards did not. Putting it in print will not help either […]
I took a risk and handed my phone to the teenager two rows in front of us. I wanted a better picture of the sign with her name on it. “You know one of those kids?” the man standing next to me ask. “I do. The one second from the coach? That’s my daughter.” I […]
Ashlyn came home Friday with a new bowling shirt. She hates getting her picture taken but she wanted a photo of the front and back and waited while I sent the picture to her Papa. I talked her into changing out of it for dinner and she even almost hung it up so it would […]
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, […]
She did it. Years ago I never could have imagined high school. That my daughter would be able to navigate busy hallways, a schedule, the lunch room, and a general education class or two. But today, I watched her get on the bus for the last day of her ninth grade year. She did it. […]
April is Autism Awareness month. I could not be more honored to share a very special interview here today. My daughter, an amazing, beautiful teenager, who just so happens to have autism, shares her thoughts… What does it feel like to have autism? Strange. It feels like you can’t do everything that you want to […]
Tonight our varsity girl’s soccer team held a practice for Ashlyn’s Special Olympic team. The girls were great with all of the kids and Ashlyn definitely got a workout. She was exhausted by the time practice was over and so were the little ones. While I was nursing Sawyer tonight, Parker wiggled in right […]
The kids and I had a blast at Ashlyn’s soccer practice tonight. I was hoping they would not catch a glimpse of the slide until much later in her practice but McKenna zeroed in on it before we were even out of the car so off we went, Ashlyn in one direction and Parker, McKenna, […]
I’ve never seen a victory dance quite like the one I saw last night. Ashlyn scored her first soccer goal and was beyond excited. As soon as the ball went in she ran, jumping up and down, arms circling, all the way down the field. I think she practically knocked some of her teammates over […]
