She Has A Friend

When my daughter began her new school, I was hopeful. I knew there would be some learning and life skills but if I am being honest what I really wanted most for her was a friend. Of course, I wanted her to learn and to become more independent and all those things are happening, but a friend was something I wanted for her. My daughter does not have sleepovers or go to the mall with a friend. She does not talk on the phone (is that still a thing?) but…

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Invisible Threads

Along the journey as a special need mother, we carry so much baggage. From the moment of diagnosis for our child; we immediately pack on the enormous amount of luggage full of worries, expectations, and thoughts of doubt. We see everything that is needed to be done and we begin to think of how we will accomplish it all. We riddle ourselves with self-doubt and become overwhelmed at the thought of another task to be added to our overrun schedules. But somewhere along the way of our journey with our…

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Being Invisible

There are many beautiful things that I was gifted when I entered the world of special needs. Things that most people outside of our world know nothing about. Because they are unique to us. To our world. There are honestly to many to list. But one that rises to the top is that I get to see the people who see Cooper. One would think that a 9-year-old boy who dances in the rain and wears brightly colored leggings couldn’t possibly be overlooked. But it happens every day. People hear…

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A Letter To The Mom With A Newly Diagnosed Child

Dear Mama,  I know you’re probably feeling every single emotion flooding through your body right now…  And I wish that I was there to wrap my arms around you and give you the big loving hug you so desperately need.  I may not physically be there with you, but please know that I am here…along with an army of fierce mamas who have been exactly where you are.  I’ve been on this journey for almost 9 years now and there are a few things I’ve learned along the way.  Many…

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Friend, Don’t Ever Downplay your Child’s Wins for Me

The other day I ran into an old friend at Target. I hadn’t seen her in ages. It was the same old story. Kids, jobs, chaos and time just slipped away. Before we knew it a year had past since we last spoke. We decided to stretch our time at Target and grab a coffee and chat. One of the reasons that this friend and I initially bonded is because we both have kids on the spectrum. We met at an advocacy event and connected immediately. Both our boys were…

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It’s Not Okay to Vanish

Hey friend, It’s been a while. A few years to be exact. I know you are still married. Kids are good. I see you travel a lot. And you love your job. You are always doing something. Funny, I don’t recognize any of the faces in your photos anymore. Anyhow, I wanted to reach out and say a few things. Clear the air I guess. We are both grown women. We are mature. We’ve both come a long way. So, I think it’s time. I know that Cooper’s diagnosis made…

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To the Friend Who Persisted Through my Son’s Autism Diagnosis

“Let me know if you need anything. I know what it’s like. When my son was two years old, he also had to have surgery.” Those are words very few people can say to someone whose baby is recovering from a major surgery and their entire world has just been flipped upside down. My friend spoke those words to me when my son had brain surgery. Brain surgery. Words I cannot even believe I can type so nonchalantly, because in retrospect, that wasn’t even the hardest part of our journey. The hardest…

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