If You Pray For My Autistic Son

My husband pulled himself out of bed yesterday morning, quietly pulled his Sunday best from the closet, and went to church while the little man and I slept.   We haven’t been to church together since the beginning of our marriage. We haven’t been to church as a family in years.   And though I’m proud of him for making that decision for himself on such a random Sunday morning, I am simultaneously conflicted in my emotions.   I’m glad he went, if that’s what his heart yearned for yesterday.…

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Finding Your Way Back to God After a Diagnosis

I just came from church. I went alone today. I could have brought my two younger children but honestly, I needed 60 minutes to myself to sit and think. I chuckle at what I consider to be a ‘relaxing break’ now. Anyhow I don’t often talk about church on this page. Because like politics and vaccinating and puzzle pieces and the color blue, it can anger people. And that isn’t what my mission is about. I refuse to argue about autism. Not anymore. I’m too busy making sure my son…

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A Victory for our Family

Here is the photo that means so much to Jamie and I. We take nothing for granted because we know how hard our son works to do tasks that seem so simple to the world. It’s not as simple as going to church. It’s pressure. It’s putting on special clothes. Riding to a new place with his personal care attendant. Walking into a building. Staying calm with noisy people. Smiling for photos. We practiced for months. We worked on skills every single day. It’s a pretty big deal. And in…

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I’m Thankful for the Kindness of a Stranger

Have you ever felt a tug on your heart. An idea that was placed in your head. Often it seems as though it has come out of nowhere but it gnaws at you. It often seems so crazy. Your try to ignore it. You continue to pray for guidance, friendship, and help and wonder why you aren’t getting any answers? I am sure that God it thinking that I am so dense that 2X4 over the head wouldn’t even get my attention at this point. So, God took it up…

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Dreading Church

I dread going to church. I have not always felt this way. I was a born and raised a church girl. My childhood was delightfully filled with potlucks and pews. I loved church. I grew up and married a man who also loved church. We had two babies and took them to church. When our first daughter, Alaina was three she was diagnosed with autism. We sat in the office of the psychologist on a Wednesday. Our known world was falling apart, but we discovered that church was still there.…

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Inclusion at Church

This morning we are becoming members of a new church. This is our place. We love it there. Of course we had to find someone to watch Cooper. He can’t go. He can’t sit or be calm. This would be setting him and our family up for failure. I like to be honest with you. I’m sad and a little bit angry. But not at anyone or anything. Just the situation. It plain old sucks. I hate that we can’t all go. I hate that everything is such a big…

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