To “I Wish I Didn’t Have Aspergers”: An #AutismPositivity2012 Flash Blog Event

Okay readers, I am participating in the Autism Positivity Flash Blog project.  Click on the tag below to learn more about it. I am also referring you to Leah Kelley's blog for her INSPIRING words about embracing autism positively.




It took me a long time to embrace autism.  And as you've read in many of my posts, it was because of fear.  Reading Leah's post got me thinking as to how I've embraced autism.  And honesty, it was with my guards up, like a boxer going into the ring. 

Race is getting older.  We talk about autism with him.  We have to because he needs to love himself for the amazing person he is.  And I think when he's on the playground at school, that's a hard thing for him to do sometimes.  Because kids can be mean, so he's been going to recess with his guards up.  We both have our guards up.  And we're both having to learn to relax, and embrace autism positively.

This month is Autism Awareness Month.  Race and I went around to the classes in his school and talked about autism.  He had plenty to say about it too: he told the fifth grade class that he has a hard time talking sometimes, and sometimes he gets crazy when it's really loud.  It was pretty awesome when he got to show off his map and geography skills to the older classes.  They thought it was pretty amazing.  I still watch him with complete amazement, as he studies his atlas, and when asked, can instantly point out Papua New Guinea or Qatar or Malawi or just name a country for him and he'll probably know it. 

Race, you are amazing.  And part of what makes you amazing is your autism.  You have so much to offer the world, and so much to teach all of us.

Another thing I don't talk about enough is how Race's autism effects Witten.  All too often, we read or hear about how siblings of autistic kids are resentful because of the attention that is demanded from parents.  We talk to Witten about autism.  I really feel it is just as important for Witt to embrace autism as it is for Race.  I try to catch Witt, in those moments when he is confused and frustrated by his brother and the way he does things; and we'll go talk, or go on a date. 

Witten, you are amazing.  And you're more patient than people give you credit for.  Because you are in so many ways, a big brother to your big brother. 

In the New York Times there was an article talking about how autism in families has a higher stress rate than having other disabilities within the family.  I think that by embracing autism positively, stress can be lessened.  And by John and I knowing this, and being aware of this, our family can only get stronger. 

Embracing autism positively will only make us stronger.

Today is the final day of Autism Awareness Month.
At the top of this post is a badge for a great initiative for a flash blog/positive message event to send a positive message about autism, to a person who googled “I wish I didn’t have Aspergers” and every person doing so from today on.

This Autism Positivity Flash Blog Event is the brainchild of Thinking About Perspectives, a group of bloggers committed to increasing autism awareness and acceptance via open and respectful dialogue.  They are:  30 Days of Autism, Outrunning the Storm, The Third Glance, Aspie Kid,Flappiness Is, Quirky and Laughing, Life on the Spectrum, Fairy Tale Forgotten, The Aspie Side of Life, and Inner Aspie.

Since We're Friends

Last week and this week, the boy's schools invited me to come in and share a word or two about autism.  I read this story...lots of times.  It was awesome.  Read it.

Thanks to Ms. Kathy at the Tae Kwon Do studio who spent an entire week talking about autism as well.  Thanks Ms. Kathy. 

For one of my classes I wrote a short story about an autistic boy.  I figured I know a little about the subject.  Anyway, bragging moment everybody, where's the drum roll........ I got invited to read it to the college, and apparently its good enough to publish!  I'll start that whole process this summer. 

Just spreading the awareness.

Ragnar 2012

I had soooooo much fun running with these ladies. What a super fun, exhausting, painful, sleepless, awesome weekend.  Go Miss Matched Socks!

Look there I am somewhere in between Buckeye and Anthem on my 9.5 mile leg.

Look, there I am again.  Same leg of the race.  Those reflective vests were really reflective!  We didn't get any pictures of our "running through the night legs.  But on that one I ran a 4.2 mile along Carefree Highway.  Yep, that one was an adventure all in itself.  The runners were pretty spread out by that point so it was just me and my headlamp and my sister's can of pepper spray against the dark wild of the desert.  Awesome. Of course I had my cell phone on me also. 

 Somewhere in Scottsdale on my 6.5 mile leg.

So, 200 miles later, a missing toenail and three blisters later, we were so happy to be done and ready to sleep in our own beds, but sad to leave our new awesome friends. 

There's another one for the bucket list!



And the Winner is...

Using random.org,

the lucky winner for Mockingbird is:

 Sara

And the lucky winner of Thinking In Pictures is:

 Debbie 

Congratulations!!

I'll be contacting you shortly by email. 

Please hop back to Team Armstrong any time to read about the world from our perspective... I will also be doing more autism give-aways throughout the year. 

Happy Autism Awareness Month!!

Autism Awareness Hop 2012

Annual Autism Awareness Giveaway Hop

April 11th to 17th

Hosted by:

Lindsay @ Just Another Book Addict:

http://justanotherbookaddict.blogspot.com/

Heather @ Fire and Ice Photo:
http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/

Pixie @ Page Turners:
http://www.pageturnersblog.com/

Kathy @ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer:

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/

April is a big month at our place.  New research is showing now 1 in 88 kids is diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).  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. Especially since the numbers are only rising.

 

So, in honor of our boy Race, I'm giving away TWO of my favorite books:

 

 

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

*I have one copy of each of these books available.

*To be entered in the drawing, 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.


Learn more about autism:

Autism Society of America:
http://www.autism-society.org/

Autism Speaks:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/

Definition of Autism:
http://www.definitionofautism.com/

Also, check out more blogs below joined in the Autism Hop.
Good luck and Happy Autism Awareness Month!

G-Mom's Birthday Reunion

G-Mom turned 75 in February.  The family decided to make it into a reunion, which was great because we haven't gotten together in a LONG time.  It was so great to see the cousins, there was so much catching up to do; meeting the newer members of the family: spouses and kids.  It was a great, great day. 

My Grandma, Vernie Maria Grimes Spurlock, who we call Mom, fills my childhood memories. 

I remember running away to her house in Navajo that was right over a bridge next door. 

I remember how Mom always had her nails done,

and still does to this day. 

I remember her love for reading,

which was passed down to my mother and then to my sister and I. 

Papa would have the TV on in his recliner

and Mom would be in her chair, reading a book.

Mom is little in stature,

but watch out when she gets mad:

she fills the whole house. 

Mom was a seamstress. 

The summers after Papa died I would stay with her. 

She'd sew and we'd watch movies like:

Hello Dolly,

My Fair Lady,

Funny Girl,

Funny Lady. 

She took me to Broadway plays:

Cats,

Secret Garden,

Phantom of the Opera.

During one of those summers,

I cut a picture out of a Sears magazine of a purple dress I fell in love with.

She made if for me years later for my senior prom.

Mom and I would sing together. 

The words of Que Sera Sera

still return to me as I'm calming one of my boys. 

Mom loves music boxes. 

And I loved it when she played them.

I catch myself whistling the tune to Frank Sinatra's My Way

as I'm cleaning or driving down the road.  

I've claimed it as my theme song.

Mom loved to travel. 

She took me on my first airplane ride, 

and a train ride too. 

She'd listen to me chatter and never grow tired of it. 

I'd listen to her tell stories of her childhood

and stories of my mother.

Mom loved to paint.  

And during those summers, she taught me to draw and paint.   

I treasure the paintings hanging in my house today. 

I treasure the memories and music still so alive inside of me. 

The memories that have sprinkled my life with color and experience.

I love you Mom. 

L to R:  Uncle Pride, Uncle Glen, Uncle Rance, Mom, Mother, Aunt Teddy, Aunt Tony

All because two people fell in love... and there were still quite a few missing.

A cousin tradition.  Some of the cousins didn't want to participate this year.  After all, we are getting old.  Others just couldn't make it.

1992 I think.

1997?

I had the best childhood in the world.  I couldn't have asked for better.  And these crazy people played a part in that. 

I'm so blessed with my place in this big world.  And this weekend was a reminder of that. 

1 in 88

There's an article on foxnews.com I read this morning.  It's very interesting, check it out.  We are now 1 in 88. 

April Autism Conference in Flagstaff

As April is approaching, so is the big conference up in Flagstaff.  I have so many thoughts running wild in my head right now, but I'm going to limit them to this.  Check out this conference, and come if you can.

Check out this new blog I found.  It is amazing, and the writer of this blog is one of the presenters at the Autism Conference in a couple weeks.  I am anxious to listen to her because it seems that her son and Race are in similar places on the spectrum.  I need some inspiration right now, today, for the whole month of March.  It's been a hard, autistic month.

I have so much more to talk about on this.  Give me a few days to put my thoughts together.  But here's a statistic to think about; that I've been thinking about a lot since I heard it a few days ago.  On the radio.  90%  of adults on the spectrum are unemployed.  90%!!  This includes adults with aspergers and high functioning autism like Race.  The odds are against us.  But I'm here to tell you, we are going to beat the odds.  And it starts with awareness and intervention.  So, think about that for a few days while I write up something awesome!  :)

Check out the blog, check out the conference.  Remember, it starts with awareness.

Dancing Tae Kwon Do Style

In February Race and I attended the Mother Son Valentine's Dance.  I was a little worried how he would react with all the loud music (and boy was it loud!), but he did great.  We got there late (planning on my part) and only stayed an hour.  Which worked out perfect because as we were leaving he said his "brain hurt." 

And it turns out, I had the best date there!  I mean look at this guy dance: aren't I the lucky gal (you might want to turn your volume down, the music is a little out of control).

Kite Attack

I got attacked by a kite last week.  I really did, and it just so happens I have proof.  Watch and laugh because there's NEVER a dull moment at our place.  Never.  

The Pirates of Bell Trail

In January we also went hiking with our friends. We always love getting together with the Bazzill's.  On this adventure, the boys were pirates discovering a new land called Bell Trail!

Here they are docking their ship.

Then climbing the mountainous terrain.

And taking a break...

This pirate kept scouting too far ahead of the crew and didn't like it when his mother made him wait.

It was a great day for an adventure.

Yard Work

This was the first year I hired help to rake the yard and help me get ready for Spring.  I think I got quite a deal; 50 cents a bag. 

Working in the yard is tough.  Just ask this tired guy. 

I love my workin' men.

Chasing Boats

Lane has been very patient with me since I've started my classes.  He entertains himself so well as I type away on the computer.  So on some of the warmer January days, he and I took a few field trips while Race and Witt were at school.  Here's when we chased boats down the ditch.  He loves his boats.

He's getting so big so fast.  I still call him Baby, but looking at these pictures... when did he turn into a little boy???

What NOT to Wear

In January my fabulous and fashionable friend Adriane and I went on a What NOT to Wear outing.  Except we went to Flagstaff instead of New York, and we went to Savers instead of Fifth Avenue.  But hey, other than that it was just like the show! 

But before our adventure, I had to introduce Adriane to Mike and Rhonda's biscuits and gravy.  There is nothing more yummy.  For a whole $4 you can stuff yourself sick with the biggest biscuits and best gravy ever.  It's the perfect place for two gals who can hold their own in an eating contest... seriously people, bring it on! Anyway, if you ever get to Flagstaff, it's a must.

Then it was on to Savers where we spent the entire day entertaining ourselves...

Okay, the thing about this outfit, is it's one I really would have worn in high school.  It's so bright and colorful!  Doesn't it just shout out happiness?

But Adriane, The Fashion Queen, says no.  The outfit doesn't shout out happiness, instead it screams, look at me, I'm 30, pretending to be 16! 

She says this one works much better for my age, body type, etc.  What do you think?

Well I can't complain, since the jeans were $8, the top $5 and the shoes $5. 

I just love Savers, and my fabulous fashionable friend...even though I didn't get any pictures of her... (I promise I didn't play dress up all by myself...).  We both left Savers a little delirious, but with lots of fashionable finds.  There's nothing better than a great deal.

We always have a great time.