There is joy in the world and we only have to open our hearts to see it. Sometimes, it is a challenge to deal with the daily issues that come with parenting a child on the Autism Spectrum. Over time, I have learned there is also an incredible amount of joy in our family because we live with Autism.
A few years ago I wrote two different articles about JOY!: "Music Can Be The Bridge" and "6 Hour EEG"

Clean slate. Mulligans. Do overs.
We can wipe a chalk board clean, some people use Mulligans in golf, and in a friendly game of darts you might be lucky if your opponent allows you a do over when you hit them in the shoulder instead of the board.
Life isn't about do overs. In life, we are given the opportunity to learn from our experiences, grow from our mistakes, and we can decide what attitude we will have along the way. Pretty simple when you think about. Living it is another story.
2009 has been a tremendous year for AutismSpot:

We are in the second trimester of our third pregnancy. Sam is eight (almost nine) and Luke is now five years old. It's been almost a decade since our first pregnancy and it is amazing how little has changed. Don't get me wrong, there are all kinds of new contraptions, toys, fancy car seats, websites, and other advances that have occurred in the past ten years. What hasn't changed is the lack of information regarding the causes of Autism.

Each school year I start with a spirit of positive anticipation and ultimately by the end of the first nine weeks I am reminded of how incredibly disconnected and broken the public education system is as a whole in teaching children with autism and special needs. I would like to think of myself as an educated, proactive, supportive parent who, on a regular basis demonstrates her appreciation for the educators who have chosen to work in special education. This school year started as many have in the past with the typical transition period of having a new teacher in Jacob's classroom.

The rate of Autism in the United States is now reported to be 1 in every 91 children. The "official" prevalence rate is up 50% from 1 in every 150 children just a few short years ago. Am I speechless? Am I surprised? Am I at a loss for words? Am I dumbfounded beyond belief? Are you nuts? Of course I am not surprised, nor bewildered, and I am definitely not speechless. You don't have to be part of the Autism Community for long before you realize that the "official" numbers have been inaccurate for a long time.

I just read the article "Medicare Would Rather Buy $8000 Computer than $150 iPhone App" found over at GIZMODO.com and just about tossed my lunch across the room. The thoughts that are running through my mind are moving to fast to type. This type of archaic thinking, behavior, decision making, and communication is absurd.

It has been a heartbreaking week.
My younger brother, Thomas and his wife, Adrienne had their first baby late last Saturday, September 5th. After 7 short days with the family who loves her, Cali Koryn left us to return to Heaven.
My niece, Cali was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) and had to fight for life every moment she was here on earth. The days she spent at Primary Children's Hospital were filled with moments of hope and love. Her little body went through more in that short time than most humans ever have to experience.

The twisted joy of watching America's Funniest Home Videos, the new Bobb'e show, and the genius of despair.com brings viewers back time and time again. Is it sharing in the universal language of "suffering caused by stupidity" at someone's expense, is it the calm we get from thanking our lucky stars it was not us caught on tape doing the same thing, or is it just plain fun to enjoy a good laugh now and then that brings us back?

It's the question we have all asked ourselves and rarely are willing to talk about openly. It may haunt you while trying to fall asleep at night or it flashes across your mind like an out of control strobe light when someone cuts you off on the highway. What if today is that day?

Having choices in life is a luxury. Choosing what you will eat for breakfast, what career you will pursue, which friends you will keep up with over time are luxuries that some with Autism will never know. Choices.
Let's consider some of the different parenting profiles that exist and the choices parents make that give them one of these labels. Although this isn't an exhaustive list (because I made it up), it captures a fair amount of the different profiles that represent parenting styles we see every day.
There is the parent that is...
1) over scheduled and likes to tell the world