April is Autism Awareness Month! Sign up for the First Giveaway!

Well, if you stop by every now and again, you know April is a big month at our house. Time to spread the awareness:

New Research is showing now 1 in 68 US kids is diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) in the US.  It effects all of us and awareness is so very important. Talk to your kids about autism.  As a parent of a child with autism, one of the big struggles we deal with is social interaction.  Again, please talk to your kids about autism, we need more awareness and understanding from the younger generation, from the peers of these amazing kids. 

I can see it in my mind like it was yesterday, all the time I spent with my grandparents. We grandkids always knew when Papa was coming or going cuz we would hear the garage door open. Out to the yard I would run; into the swealtering heat of Mesa Arizona, and hop up on the block fence that met up just by the garage.
"Where you going, Papa?" I would ask. Or, "Where've you been, Papa?" if he was just returning.
"Oh, out for a circle" was always his answer.

Being in the autism world now for six years, I can pretty much say I have walked a full circle on how I view the autism "epidemic". Where now I cringe when I see a book that uses words like, "curing", "preventing" or "healing" autism in their title, I now open books like, Autism with Honor, and  The Spark, and Autism and the God Connection.  Books that inspire me... not make me feel the guilt of giving my son autism.

I still get e-mails from people with links to articles I should read, books that would help Race and I, new studies I should read about to cure him, new teaching strategies I should use with him, new therapy programs... the list goes on. And six years ago, I would have tried it all. And three years, I would have probably cried at how I'm not doing a good enough job because look, other people think I am failing. And now... I take what I want from it. Toss alot of it, give my feedback on some, and the stuff that truly applies to me, sure I'll use.

A circle.

Six years ago, I was asking why. I was angry and scared (I still do this on bad days. And in stressful social situations, it is amazing how quick I fall back into this anxious state). Three years ago I would have been taking lorazapan my doctor perscribed me so I could sleep through the anxiety. Today, I know that despite what any of the research says, what any of the preventativs are, that Race is Race. And Heavenly Father gave him, me, and our family this trial. And he is one of my greatest teachers. He is good and kind naturally. He carries a piece of Heaven with him everywhere he goes. I feel so lucky to be his mom. And you know what else? Today more than ever, I know that Heavenly Father has been preparing me, my whole life to be a mother of such an amazing kiddo, and an advocate for others.

A circle.

• When I was in high school, I coached Special Olympics. 
• My elective was to help out in the special ed room and all the students who visited there were my friends. I looked out for them.
• I took many special ed, and iep writing classes in college until I changed my emphasis to writing.

A circle.

Mariah was a girl in the class I student taught in. She has autism. She was not in the regular class with us very much. She spent alot of her time in the special education room, but would come to class with us for story time, electives, field trips, etc. Mariah was such a fun girl. I loved her, and she loved me. And just like always, just like when I was a kid, or a teenager: I looked after her.

Well, at the time I was student teaching, I was pregnant with Race. It was early, and with him being my first, I didn't show for a while. None of the students knew I was pregnant. None of the staff knew I was pregnant except Sara, the teacher I student taught under (who is still a big part of my life). She was the only one who knew. So, you can imagine the surprise when one morning, when I was dismissing for recess and Mariah came to give me one of her hugs and she paused. I didn't think much of it, but she hugged me again and looked up at me with a big grin.
"You have a baby in there." It was a statement. Not a question.
"What, Mariah?"
"You have a baby in your tummy."
I looked around, not wanting any of the other kids to hear her. And they hadn't. They were out on the playground by now. I knelt down so I was eye level with Mariah. And I can still see those innocent, knowing eyes. Those eyes that saw the world through an amazing, gifted, angelic mind. "Mariah. Shhhh. You can't tell. Not yet."
She giggled in agreement before bounding off to the playground.

I think about Mariah alot. I wonder what happened to her. She would have graduated last year. But some days when I see Race do things that don't make any sense to the world, or when I see Race forgive kids easily who have been unkind, or when he is so quick to appologize when he has wronged someone, or the fact that he just doesn't know how to lie. Or when he is being the peace-maker in our home. I think of Mariah. And I want to tell her, "Mariah, guess what? You know that baby that was in my tummy? He kind of sees the world the way you do..."

A circle.

And once again, I will be hosting my own Autism Awareness Giveaway where every week during the month of April, some of my favorite books will be given away. 

And the book this week is:

Autism and the God Connection
by: William Stillman

 

*You do NOT have to be a follower to enter.  

*I will have one copy of a different book every week, so be sure to check back weekly.
 *One winner will be announced every Friday, and a new book drawing up on Mondays.

*To be entered in the drawings, please leave your name and a way to contact you in the comment area of this post.  Also, we are all effected by autism in one way or another: tell us about it in your comment if you like.

Thanks for stopping by, and remember to spread the awareness!