Posts Tagged ‘ASD’
I Loved You Before I Even Knew You
On December 9th at approximately 3:42 pm on a Wednesday, you came onto this earth. And since then, my life has ever changed. You might wonder why I’m only writing to you and not Collin. Well, in my heart, I know the past year has been a struggle for you and our family. Sometimes I think we get so caught up in life’s daily to do’s and your brother’s needs that I know you feel forgotten. But this is a letter to you to let you know I do not…
Read MoreA Beautiful Night for Baseball
It was a beautiful night for some baseball! Week number two and I’m still blown away by this kid’s progress. Batting, fielding, base running, hugging, and giving high fives. All on point! And to bed immediately when we got home. Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just…
Read MoreHappy Father’s Day Jamie
Happy Father’s Day to this guy. I’m sure he will second my statement of…’four kids? How did this happen?’ And yet here we are. Four weeks into an adventure like no other. I will say that while we both know that we are blessed beyond our wildest dreams, it also hasn’t been the easiest. And if we’ve learned anything it’s that chaos can happen in a split second. We can be cruising along, doing fine, and then all of sudden everyone is screaming and threats are being made and the…
Read MoreMy Greatest Gift to This World
My Son, I’ve been awake a lot the last 3 weeks and that has given me a lot of time to think. You wouldn’t believe the clarity that comes at 4 am. I’ve decided that when my time is done, and someone is writing up the story of my life, and listing my greatest accomplishments, I want them to list you first. You. The yellow haired boy who made me a mother. The boy who overcame. The boy who persevered. The boy who conquered. The boy who gives the gift…
Read More‘The Reason I Jump’ Film Gives a Platform to Discuss Nonverbal Autism
Have you watched this film yet? When I heard that they were turning the best-selling book ‘The Reason I Jump’ into a full-length documentary film I was SO excited. For those who haven’t read the book, yet, it was written in 2007 from the perspective of a nonspeaking 13-year-old boy, Naoki Higashida. The book was later translated to English which made it rise in popularity even further! I gave it a read after seeing Jon Stewart mention it when he was the host of The Daily Show. The 82-minute documentary…
Read MoreYou are Our Hero
Young love, there’s nothing like it. You live in this bubble of hope. You make plans for the future and wonder about what your life together will bring. You dream about where you will live, how many children you will have, what vacations you will take. You look forward to a happy life together. Especially being so young and naive you are not imagining all the heartbreak and loss you will have to go through. It’s a part of life and how you cope and support each other as a couple…
Read MoreMy Fears are Different
Parents have many fears for their children as they grow up…but as a special needs mother, my fears are so different than most. It’s difficult to put into words. So here I go…. It’s hard not to have tears roll down your face at night when everyone is asleep..when you look at your child so perfect, who is sound asleep, just thinking how much you love them. You lay there and think about everything. You can’t turn off your thoughts and fears. It’s hard to relax and take a deep…
Read MoreBeing a Light for Others
This newspaper article has been hanging on my fridge since my son E was five years old. And it will stay there forever. It is the fourth interview I did with our local newspaper and has my favorite title: “Autism doesn’t change children’s core”. This aged paper, changing with time, is part of us. We age and change along with it. To me it is a reminder of where we were and how far we have come from the darkest times of our Autism journey. The times of loneliness and…
Read MoreHe Gets Different and More
Sawyer, my eight year old, is the sweetest older brother. He holds his sister, he kisses her every morning, before bed, and when he leaves the house. He counted down the days until she got here. He asked me all the questions, like how she got in there and how she was going to come out. He was fascinated by her belly button and her blonde hair. He loves being a brother. And as we’ve completed our family of six, I’ve spent some time thinking about how different life would…
Read MoreA Letter to My Son and His Friends, Graduates of the Class of 2021
Congratulations, graduates! Not only have you graduated in the midst of a global pandemic under extreme circumstances of social isolation, strict quarantines, and frequent cancellations; but you have done so with many academic achievements and honors, athletic awards, and college scholarships. You have given yourselves and your families so many reasons to be proud! While these achievements should be acknowledged and celebrated, I believe there is something you have demonstrated that is even more important, your kind heart! From the time I first met all of you, you have shown…
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