Last month we packed up and left Texas for an adventure on the West Coast. I have an aunt and uncle who live in Orange County who offered to let us stay with them while we visited Disneyland Resort and other tourist attractions in the LA area. Fortunately for us, they live about 20 minutes away from Disneyland. We were very thankful to be welcomed into their home and probably wouldn't have been able to afford the trip otherwise. Needless to say, our “accommodations” were perfect; my aunt is on a gluten-free diet herself and was very careful when shopping and cooking with all of Ethan’s additional dietary restrictions in mind.
Speaking of dietary restrictions, Disneyland was also super accommodating. If you missed Kendra’s excellent post about dining with allergies in Disney World, it is a MUST READ! We had a very similar experience in Disneyland…the staff were accustomed to hearing the words “gluten free” and “special diet.” How refreshing!
Another bonus about visiting Disneyland is that they offer a “Guest Assistance Card” for individuals with disabilities.

During our recent trip out west, we spent 2 days at the LEGOLAND® California Amusement Park in Carlsbad (just north of San Diego). Several friends and even one of Ethan’s doctors have been encouraging us to take him for a couple of years now because they have seen how much he adores the little plastic building blocks and can create intricate sets and unique designs with ease. I must admit, they were right to encourage us to go! Ethan loved LEGOLAND® and we’re glad we went before he got any older.

Happy Independence Day to our readers in the United States of America! I am very thankful to be an American and grateful for the freedoms I have enjoyed throughout my life thanks to the sacrifices of all those who fought for our independence (so long ago) and those who have fought to maintain it since that time. I don’t take freedom or independence for granted.
Like so many families raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), I frequently wonder what the future will hold for Ethan in terms of independence…and when I stop to ponder, I wonder about the future – not just for Ethan, but other children of Ethan’s generation, especially those affected by ASD.
On this journey, I’ve come to meet so many families working day-and-night just to help their child with ASD gain independence in areas families with typical children may never even give a second thought to…
For all families raising children with ASD, today I’m sending prayers and wishes for the children’s independence this Independence Day specifically concerning:

Katherine Galligan, co-founder of The Summer Bridge, and mother of two boys (Michael – 6, and Sean – 4), took some time to share some details with me about the exciting new program she and C’Airey Ashurst started this summer. When Katherine’s son, Michael, was diagnosed with autism and Katherine was thrust into seemingly endless hours of therapy, she met C’Airey, a Speech and Language Pathologist. Recently, they have worked together to create The Summer Bridge. Katherine says, C’Airey’s “role in planning and execution has been invaluable; undoubtedly attributable to her extensive experience and sincere dedication to helping children with learning differences.” Along with Katherine and C’Airey, there are two licensed teachers; one ABA therapist; a college student (pursuing a degree in psychology); and a woman who works as a SpEd aide in Michael’s school, working with the students at The Summer Bridge.

I don’t know about you, but “summer” has arrived full-force in our house! School’s out, it is HOT and all Ethan (8-years-old) wants to do is play video games or watch TV!
About 2-3 months ago, along with all of the other parents raising kids with special needs I know, I considered what our summer plans would entail; I started looking through all of the camp offerings back in April, and in addition to thinking how to go about selecting activities…some serious worrying set in.
1) It was a scheduling nightmare to juggle the optimal camp dates with the trips we want to take to visit family…
2) Then I started to consider the hours offered by day-camps compared to the hours I want to work…
3) Next I started thinking about all of the “taxi-time” I would spend in the car shuttling Ethan back and forth to the camps (not to mention the price tag of the associated time at the gas pump)…
4) Then the enrollment fees…
5) Finally the “training” of all of the camp employees (most often teenage kids also on summer break) on all-things-Ethan, Asperger’s Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, challenging behaviors, etc…
…and before long, I realized I was so stressed out I wasn’t accomplishing anything but “chasing my tail.”
So, I gave my “tail” a break and chose to put those worries aside for several days and consider my options.

Let me be frank, I’m a bit of a pack rat. I come from a long line of them – on both sides of my family. We keep stuff…especially stuff that someone in our family, sometime, might someday use. That being said, I have a lot of…well, stuff.
We moved into our current home nearly 5 years ago. While I’m embarrassed to admit this, we actually have some boxes that had not been opened since I packed them 5 years ago; that is until this past weekend. You see I’m preparing for a Garage Sale. Our neighborhood hosts one annually (and does the promoting and obtains necessary permits) and since this is the first year we haven’t had a direct conflict, I decided it was Time (with a capital “T.”)
Along with a bunch of junk that I unearthed this weekend (that I can’t believe I actually kept, much less packed into a moving box), I’ve unpacked, uncovered and started preparing lots of paraphernalia we used when Ethan was a baby and toddler. We kept just about every reusable baby item possible to save on expenses because we planned to have two – maybe three – children when all was said and done. And, if simply going down memory lane, remembering Ethan’s sweet and precious early years so vividly while sorting through these items wasn’t enough; when we purchased this home, I was expecting our second child. I have always loved babies (even as a little girl and teenager) and loved, loved, loved having a newborn. I was so thrilled that we were expecting again and had such dreams of the kind of older brother Ethan would be. But, I lost our second baby before we could move in.

Growing up in special education, I endured what felt like endless years of bullying. I've been called names, tossed in lockers and closets, and had my head shoved in toilets. I've been kicked, tripped, spat on, and had gum slapped on my head I can't tell you how many times, only for my friend to cut it out with a pocket knife. And, yes, that hurt.

Well it is official – 2011 has arrived! Happy New Year to all of our AutismSpot readers!
As talk of resolutions abound, my husband has decided to “be more patient with Ethan.” Ethan has shared that he wants to “listen better.”
As, I’ve been considering what kind of resolutions I will focus on for myself and my role in our family, I come to the conclusion that I am resolved to find a healthy balance.
Like many caregivers for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, I take it upon myself not only to cook, clean, and care for our home and everyone inside, but also to offer Ethan a healthy, specialized diet with 15-20 daily supplements; research and implement new therapies; research toxins and our environment as it relates to Ethan and our family’s health; contact law makers regarding important legislation in regard to Autism, toxins and the environment, and education; participate in local support groups for sharing, learning and [um...] support; read books and articles about new therapies, theories, and ideas; and the list goes on…and on…and on!
The problem with that is that all of the things I mention above – while they’re very necessary and benefit my son on a daily basis – these things take, take, take but don’t often “give back” to my needs.

Last night I spent some time in the company of some amazing women. All mothers, all with school age kids under the age of 10, all of whom “get it”.