Autism Awareness Month

Wow! I've been gone for a bit, haven't I? Guess I really just haven't had a lot to say... until now.

This month is Autism Awareness Month. I'm going to share something very personal and something I'm really not proud of. A year ago if someone mentioned they had a kid with autism I would say something like, "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that." I would be thinking something like, "try living with diabetes, why don't you"! I'm sure I had never met anyone with autism, or at least had not taken the time to get to know them, their situation, their daily struggles. Last year on May 12th I became "facebook friends" with Laura, mother of a young boy with autism. On that same day Laura posted this.

After reading this note I was overwhelmed with emotion, as I am now by reading it again, and it hit me how much Laura and I have in common. We are both mothers. We each have a child with special needs. We have not walked the same path but we both feel the same raw emotion that comes with not being able to take away the hurt and confusion our children must feel. In the past year that we have been "facebook" friends, Laura and I have become FRIENDS! Just friends. Forever friends. Friends fighting two different battles and now sharing in each others. Laura and her family walked with us in the Walk to Cure Diabetes and we will be walking with her family on April 15th in the Autism Walk. We have shared many emails about the struggles and the blessings that come with our kids different conditions and although autism and diabetes are so very different we can always seem to find parallels that help us to feel understood and comforted by each other.

This month is Autism Awareness Month and I would like to ask all of you to show your support by simply watching a couple of videos:

*Autism ~ Don't let me go
*JC's Story (You all remember JC, the kid who loves Christmas trees!)

If this touches you at all, if you know someone fighting this battle, or a similar battle, and you want to do something to help... Do it! The first step is awareness; educate yourself! The next step is action! Make a donation, join a team, volunteer. If you would like information or resources I know Laura would be happy to help you out, cuz she's awesome like that!

Since building my friendship with Laura I have learned that there are many people in my life who struggle with autism and all that it brings. I knew most of them before, but I didn't know exactly what autism is or what it entails. That being said, I'd like to send a shout out to:

Summer, Linda, Alejandro, Jennifer, Nicole, LaLana (My apologies if I've missed anyone.)

You ALL amaze me! I am in awe and appreciation of all you do for your children every day!

It's Autism Awareness Month!!!