Hi all
It's the last day of Autism Awareness Month and I really want to share a love story. You know, this has been a long road. Autism is not easy. I thought it would get easier as my son got older but instead, it only has brought new challenges. And challenges effect life and it's how you handle those challenges on a daily basis that make or break your days. Trust me, there are many days when those challenges get the best of me...but enough about that! Let's get to the love story....
I often will say that Autism is a gift. And it really is because it is part of who my son is. Seeing his milestones, including the tiniest milestones, warm my heart so much and fill me with a joy that I almost can't explain!
I always think back to when all I wanted was for my son to hold my hand...guess what? My love story is that he holds my hand all the time. He hugs me, he cuddles with me, he says I love you and I miss you, he gets excited when I get home from work. He just lights up when he sees me! I don't take it for granted because I know how long it took to get to that....I know there was a time that I wasn't sure it would even happen!
Another part of this story is my daughter! My son and my daughter have a beautiful relationship. They do as siblings do...bicker! But they also snuggle and laugh and play games and hold hands! It's so fun to watch. That interaction is huge because with Autism, social interactions aren't easy, they can be awkward, and they are often avoided!
There are just so many things that bring me joy and the two above I shared are just a small taste of it...Those are the things we must hold onto when times are tough. Because there is a lot of tough on this journey....Autism brings different things on different days. And autism is different for every child...my experiences aren't necessarily the same as another family's. I guess that's often why it is said that if you have met one person with autism, then you have met one person with autism.
My hope is to continue to share my story, share my experiences. If it reaches one person....helps one person to know they aren't alone, well, then I guess I have done what I set out to do!
I will be blogging once a month from here on out!
TTFN
Martha
