Posts Tagged ‘grief’

She’s the girl with the big brown eyes, with lashes that go on for days. Thick brown hair that waves and swirls with red flecks that catch the sunlight. A big bright smile when the mood hits her right and a laugh that spreads like wildfire. She started this life healthy. It seemed only to become more uncomfortable by the day. Words that came early and all said with purpose and endless charm. Those very words were stolen from her with no warning or explanation, leaving silence and deep frustration. …

You just bought your dream home and in the backyard is a beautiful garden. The ground is tilled, and it’s open to plant whatever you want. All you have to do is decide what to plant. Some people may begin planting multiple kinds of fruits. Strawberries, blackberries, and maybe even plant an apple or peach tree! Some may decide that herbs and veggies are the way to go. Thyme, dill, cucumbers and carrots! And some may see an empty garden and get right to work on planting all different types…

Something that people may not be aware of, unless you have a family member with a disability, is how much harder our families work to “even the playing field.” The phone calls, the emails, the meetings, the appointments, the therapy, the rearranging of schedules, the accommodations, the constant fight for “fair.” It is consuming and exhausting. My name is Elissa, and I have two little girls. My oldest, Aleena, is 5 and in kindergarten. My youngest, Lexi, is 3 and is in daycare/preschool. Lexi also has autism. Though Lexi is…

As I sat on the floor beside the bathtub last night, I had a full on back and forth conversation with my daughter. Language is something so many take for granted it’s something I took for granted before I had a child that didn’t speak. If you would’ve told me that my daughter would speak her first word at five I would’ve thought you were crazy. But at five years old it was the first time my daughter spoke. And today, my daughter is a couple of months shy of…

My daughter, Kya is twelve and on the autism spectrum. Like most parents I wanted my daughter to get an education because that was what I thought was important and let me be very clear, reading and writing and an education are very important, but when you take a step back and live a different kind of life than the average typical person things shift on what is important. Self- care, self awareness and independence is most important for my daughter. My daughter has to know life skills. She has…

What I want the world to know about being a mom of a child with autism is that it is coupled with grief. I love my daughter. With every ounce of my being. She brings me joy and hope every single day. She teaches me patience, perspective, and that there is more than one way to do EVERYTHING. But I was not unprepared for the grief. When you hear that you are going to have a baby your brain starts dreaming of the life that will soon be. So many…