Thursday, January 24, 2013

Joys of Autism: Friendship

Last week, I started a series on my blog called the Joys of Autism.  The series came about when I realized that most of my posts on autism tended to be a little more negative and dealt more with the difficulties and challenges of parenting an autistic child.  Although I don't intend to sugarcoat the realities of autism, as a parent to a kid on the spectrum, I can appreciate and enjoy the blessings and joys that come with the territory also.  I want to share those joys in this series, to help people better understand autism and to encourage parents or caregivers of those on the spectrum.

The other night, I was talking to a friend on the phone.  We were making final plans for a Saturday outing and just chatting about our kids and life in general.  After I hung up, I began folding a basket of laundry and thinking about my friend.  The realization hit me that she and I would probably never had met, let alone become such close friends, if it were not for David's autism. 

The truth is, our journey with our autistic son has led us to meet some pretty amazing and wonderful people.  I remember well the first time we encountered "Mr. Scott," David's teacher in 3-year-old preschool.  He was the first adult that seemed to have an uncanny ability to connect with David and get him to do things that we thought were impossible.  He patiently listened to our concerns, went out of his way to help us solve problems that we were having with David, and most of all genuinely cared about our kid.  David had several more teachers that took extra steps to help him hit milestones.  I will never forget "Miss Sally Ann," David's physical therapist at Neurotherapeutics.  She was so kind, so gentle, and undoubtedly David's biggest cheerleader during that time of his life.  His confidence grew in leaps and bounds as well as his overall body strength.  I looked forward to each Wednesday so I could chat with her and hear someone talk about my son in such a positive and encouraging way. 

Most of all, one morning while I was dropping off my three-year-old at his class, feeling scared and unsure of the steps we were taking with him, another mom approached me and introduced herself.  She had twins in the same class as David.  We immediately connected and starting to get together with our kids often.  Dawn is one of those rare friends that you feel like you have known forever.  We have chatted for hours about our families, schools, and churches; and we have found ourselves buried in deep discussions on faith, relationships, and our children.  We are dedicated moms.  We are loving wives.  We are faithful friends.  We are encouraging women.  But the thread that ties us together and keeps our friendship strong is our mutual desire to help our kids in the special challenges they are facing.  I can share all the details of a rough day with David, and she understands.  She doesn't just have compassion - she gets it!  She doesn't have to try to comprehend it;  she is experiencing similar issues and challenges with her own children.  She knows.

I am grateful for the friendships that this journey with autism has forged for us.  Did I mention that Dawn faithfully came by every morning to pick up David for school so that my big old pregnant self wouldn't have to pack up my crew and do it? 

She's a pretty amazing friend, and I am blessed to have her. :)

28 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:38 PM

    I am really glad to glance at this webpage posts which carries lots of valuable data, thanks for providing such data.


    Also visit my page youtube converter
    Also see my page > gratis spiele

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:18 PM

    Moreover, over the internet there are 2 main versions of this game that is the RA deluxe with 10 pay lines and the classic RA with 9 pay lines.
    Hochbetten können außergewöhnlich ein Ort zum Spielen sein.
    There’s no need to go down to the regional chess hangout, or
    smokey bar.

    my web blog ... kostenlos spielen

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:26 PM

    This is a common misconception which will be resolved only with firsthand experience.
    If the executives promise high traffic then understand you are talking with a non-SEO person.
    Content, keywords and link building are some of the factors using which Search Engine Optimization services are
    taken care of. This gives your name higher credibility and better
    search engine rank. It's so important because once customers begin seeking your product or service you will want to have favorable words making your search results optimized. Meta Name and Meta Description Tags are two of the important ones. Instead, the developer should concentrate on the functions mentioned in this article first, as they are the basis for further extension of the Word - Press header file. When SEO services are working for you, you should always be ready to capitalise on innovations and fresh marketing opportunities. It focuses on networking and impeccable website maintenance. ) of links. The final way that you can use your Deviant - ART profile for SEO purposes is by being an active member of the community ' watch the work of others (especially if they are related to your business), encourage others to watch your
    work, comment on work, list other users as your friends. However,
    in general, SEO services involve using standard and compliant coding.
    Moving your hosting to a nearby country such as Canada or
    an offshore Caribbean host may provide the same latency times, but reduce the risk of having your website
    brought down by a mistake. An SEO strategy should combine a number of elements that work together to get results for you.
    Create a general, high-level category in which you want to
    manage all phrases'for example 'global,' 'online,
    ' 'channel,' and so on. G) SEO basics -Image 6: Open Google. The World Wide Web is an incredible source of customers and potential revenue for all types of businesses and companies in all niches. Here are tips on how to identify the right keywords for your business website. And make the work flow smoothly, using good grammar at all times. Addition and updation of fresh content always leads to arrival of increased traffic to your websites.

    my web blog ... extremaduradigital.org - extremaduradigital.org

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:52 AM

    Be intellectual enough to ѕeе that yοur
    ad does not go on aiг on a unseemly shοw ; a Christian
    boοk goіng on air on a shоw
    that іs about handling ѕеxual issues woulԁ be ridiсulouѕ.
    Many ρeople will be happy with replaceable battегіes foг home
    use аnd οcсasiоnal οutings.
    In much the same way, twο-ωay raԁiο rental οffers businеsѕeѕ and indіvіduals ѕubѕtаntіal saѵingѕ in money, time
    anԁ resouгces that equipment ownегship
    never will.

    Here iѕ my page simply click the following internet page

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous6:21 PM

    5. If you encourage your visitors to write their original reviews about your
    products instead of coping reviews from competitive
    websites to show you have circulation and satisfied customers, your website is more likely to earn
    higher ranking in the major search engines.
    It's a competitive world out there on the world-wide web, but SEO consulting can help you dramatically improve your odds of being found in the din and getting your message across. SEO (search engine optimization) and keyword density are terms that scare many a writer who want to write for the internet. Organic SEO uses valid and safe techniques to rank your site for its keyword. Enough said. While these 5 truths may seem self-evident, it is the astonishing fact that they are contradicted, and even outright disputed, in the greater SEO debate. This is because there is a stiff competition in this particular field and the market is flooded with lots of firms that provide proficient SEO experts India services at the economical costs. Google bowling messes up the external ranking used by Google and penalizes a sites ranking compared it the competitors. For those of us who are using the internet to make money, we all know that it is absolutely essential to get visitors out to our websites. Thus, if your charges are overly cheap, this might cause doubts and worries from their mines regarding the quality of the service they get. If your website deals with certain products or services, then conduct a proper research on these and then form your SEO content. Basically, if you create links to your website with "ink cartridges" or "printer cartridges" in the anchor text, it will help move your website up on the search results for those key words. Such services also include some research that will need to be done so they can apply this research on major keyword. These professionals follow ethical SEO strategy and effectively implement it that finally increases your website visibility. Here are some examples of things that were once good moves that can now get you into trouble. Have you been looking at your competitor's websites
    to see what kind of keywords they're using. Here are tips on how to identify the right keywords for your business website. The content must complement the theme of the website design. SEO requires understanding of various algorithms.

    Here is my site :: backlinks

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous3:30 PM

    Tomb Raider, Mega Moolah, Mermaid's Millions, and Blackjack are some of the new Android game apps that have been released from Microgaming's
    partner, Spin 3. You will eventually run into the Download Location menu with two options:
    Wii System Menu and SD Card. However, make sure that your phone is equipped with a powerful processor to
    enable deeper searches and devise a strategy to give a challenging game of chess.


    My blog :: youtube downloader online

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12:04 PM

    Hey there, You've done an incredible job. I will definitely digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I'm confident they will be
    benefited from this site.

    My page: electrician katy tx.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous12:48 PM



    Also visit my webpage buy 100k facebook likes

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9:25 PM

    Asking questions are truly nice thing if you are not understanding something fully,
    but this article offers nice understanding yet.



    Have a look at my web page ... physical therapist salary 2012

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous7:55 AM

    It's difficult to find knowledgeable people for this subject, however, you seem like you know what you're talking about!

    Thanks

    Stop by my web-site - yellow pages reverse phone lookup

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous3:59 PM

    I every time spent my half an hour to read this blog's articles daily along with a cup of coffee.

    Look into my weblog ... pittsburgh florists sunday delivery

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous5:17 AM

    Usually I do not read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very
    forced me to check out and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me.
    Thank you, very nice article.

    Here is my web site :: http://www.chamberofcommerce.com/winter-park-fl/47019268-florida-spine-rehab-center

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Does your website have a contact page? I'm having a tough time locating it but, I'd like to shoot you an email.
    I've got some ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

    my blog post; easy to learn ukulele

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous8:24 AM

    I don't know whether it's just me or if everyone else experiencing problems with your
    website. It appears as though some of the text in your content
    are running off the screen. Can somebody else please provide feedback and let me know if
    this is happening to them as well? This might be a issue with my
    browser because I've had this happen before. Thanks

    My web-site: stream from your computer stream from your computer

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous5:02 PM

    Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I've truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you
    write again very soon!

    Also visit my webpage: mid Lower back pain causes

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous3:51 PM

    Your style is so unique compared to other people I have read
    stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I'll just book mark this blog.

    my web-site - LED Lighting

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous1:37 AM

    Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was once
    a leisure account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from
    you! However, how can we keep in touch?

    Also visit my web blog Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Disability

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous4:54 PM

    You could certainly see your expertise in the work you write.
    The sector hopes for more passionate writers
    like you who aren't afraid to mention how they believe. All the time follow your heart.

    Visit my blog post Ladies Golf Gloves

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous8:41 PM

    Pretty portion of content. I simply stumbled upon your site
    and in accession capital to claim that I get actually enjoyed account your
    blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing on your feeds and even I success you get right of entry to persistently quickly.

    my blog post ... Chiropractor

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous1:59 PM

    Hello there, I discovered your web site by way of Google even as looking for a
    similar matter, your site got here up, it seems good. I have bookmarked it
    in my google bookmarks.
    Hi there, simply become alert to your weblog through Google, and located that
    it's truly informative. I am gonna be careful for brussels. I'll be grateful in case
    you proceed this in future. Many folks will probably be benefited out
    of your writing. Cheers!

    Also visit my site - womens vestal watches

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:51 AM

    You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be
    actually something that I think I would never understand.

    It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I'm looking forward for your next post, I'll try to get
    the hang of it!

    Here is my weblog - pinched nerve in lower back

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous3:23 PM

    These are in fact enormous ideas in about blogging. You have touched some nice factors here.
    Any way keep up wrinting.

    Here is my web site ... St Cloud Florist

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous2:32 AM

    I read this post completely on the topic of the comparison of most recent
    and earlier technologies, it's amazing article.

    My web site; Remote control vehicles

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous3:39 PM

    I visited several web pages but the audio quality for
    audio songs present at this website is truly fabulous.


    Here is my web site how to start a home business

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous4:43 PM

    Hey! I know this is kinda off topic however I'd figured I'd ask.

    Would you be interested in trading links or
    maybe guest writing a blog article or vice-versa? My site
    covers a lot of the same topics as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit
    from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free
    to send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!
    Terrific blog by the way!

    Stop by my page Discerningdate.Com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7:04 PM

    Does your site have a contact page? I'm having problems locating it but, I'd like to
    send you an e-mail. I've got some suggestions for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.

    Here is my site :: http://www.swaggybook.com/profile/natalie44r

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous7:42 PM

    If some one needs expert view concerning running a blog after that
    i advise him/her to go to see this web site, Keep up the pleasant job.


    my blog post :: akribos watches

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous9:11 AM

    I for all time emailed this weblog post page to
    all my contacts, because if like to read it then my friends will too.


    Feel free to surf to my blog post: sizzling hot tricks []

    ReplyDelete

Help relieve some of my insanity by letting me know you stopped by!