Read more about the article We all have our reasons for getting up in the morning, even when it’s hard
Emmett John / Inspirational Posts / My thoughts / Photography

We all have our reasons for getting up in the morning, even when it’s hard

Life isn't easy for my family. It's never been easy and there are so many times where I feel like I can't keep going on. Sometimes, the idea of getting up in the morning, only to face the same impossible challenges, is just too much. On the other side of the coin, there are moments when I'm reminded why I have to keep going. These moments help me find the strength and courage to keep moving, even when it's not easy to do so. Tonight was one of those nights. ☺

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December 11, 2017
Read more about the article This week’s agenda
My thoughts

This week’s agenda

This is the first week in quite awhile we don't have much on the agenda. The boys have school all week, obviously. Elliott has occupational therapy on Monday and doctors appointment on Thursday. Aside from that, it's just weekly therapy for the boys and Lizze. I was originally supposed to get the car back in because the bearings are shot and the car makes a godawful squealing sound when driving now. Unfortunately, I don't have the $200 for the parts this week. I'm super grateful that it doesn't cost more than that. I only have to pay for the parts and my awesome little bother will slap'em in place. I'm hoping that the following week will work out better. It's not a huge deal because we don't have that much…

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December 11, 2017
Read more about the article Motivational Monday: Sometimes you have to be selfish
Motivational Monday / My thoughts / Weekly Posts

Motivational Monday: Sometimes you have to be selfish

I want to take a second of your time and ask you to really hear what I have to share right now. When you're done reading it, please pass it along. Being a parent isn't easy. Being an Autism parent is fought with even more challenges. It's so incredibly easy to become so focused on our kids, that we forget to take care of ourselves. This is especially true for Autism and Special Needs Parents. We get so caught up in trying to meet the needs of our kids, we can get tunnel vision. In other words, we put every ounce of everything we have into our kids, because our kids come first, even at our own expense. That's a very noble but misguided approach and here's why. If we…

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December 10, 2017
Read more about the article This doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to
Gavin / My thoughts

This doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to

Gavin's having a pretty good day so far. He seems to be functioning on all cylinders, at least for him. He woke up this morning, took his meds, cleaned his room, did the dishes and is just chilling out in his room now. He doesn't appear to be struggling as much as he was the other day. Dr. Pattie calls this the Swiss Cheese effect because sometimes, all the holes line up and Gavin shines through. Other times, the holes don't line up and we see him struggle more. Days like today are few and far between anymore. They don't come around nearly as often as they used to and so were extremely grateful when they do. ☺

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December 10, 2017
Read more about the article A long overdue update on me
General Update / My thoughts

A long overdue update on me

The boys and I are going to have the day to ourselves. We'll be dropping Lizze off somewhere in North Canton, because she has a Christmas thing with her Mom. I imagine she'll be gone for most of the day. Both Elliott and Emmett have lost their respective tablets until lunchtime because of choices they made before bedtime tonight. I'm hoping to finish working on the first floor while Lizze is gone. I'd love to surprise her when she walks into the house from spending the day with her Mom. I made some decent progress today and I feel pretty good about that. Our Christmas tree is decorated and looking pretty snazzy. It's simple but we like and that's what matters. ☺ The weather has taken a turn towards the…

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December 9, 2017
Read more about the article It’s heartbreaking to see him like this
Autism Parenting Woes / Gavin / Heartbreak / My thoughts

It’s heartbreaking to see him like this

When you're a parent to a child with fragile physical health, a degenerative condition and severe mental health issues, it seems like there's no end to the heartache. Gavin is the child in our family who the above paragraph describes and it's true, there's no end to the heartache we feel as his parents. Helplessly watching him lose skills, abilities, memories and independence is a gut-wrenching experience I wouldn't wish on anyone. Poor Gavin is having such a hard time today. He's been walking into people and things all day long. He's stepping on things he shouldn't because he's not paying attention or isn't focusing on his surroundings. It's not his fault but he doesn't get that and frankly, it doesn't make it any less disruptive either. We're decorating the…

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December 9, 2017
Read more about the article Massive update on my wife
Lizze / Major Update / My thoughts

Massive update on my wife

It's been a really long time since I published an update on Lizze. There really isn't a reason I haven't written much about her specifically, I just don't like to step on her toes cause she has her own blog to share her story. Every once in awhile, I think it's important to shine the light on her because she's a big part of our family. Lizze lives every single day of her life in pain. Sometimes the pain is manageable and other times, like the last week or so, it's agonizing. Lizze was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a long time ago. She's dealing with a particularly aggressive form of fibromyalgia. Aggressive isn't the right word. Severe is a better, more accurate choice. Like all things, fibromyalgia hits everyone differently. Some…

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December 9, 2017
Read more about the article I made a new rule this week
My Personal Victory / My thoughts

I made a new rule this week

The boys have been having a pretty good afternoon. I made a new rule and it goes like this. If the boys fight in the car, either to or from school, they forfeit the time on the Xbox or Playstation. So far, I've only had to follow through once and the rest of the time, a simple reminder if things start going the wrong way. The trick is to find something they like more than fighting with each other. It's working right now and I'm happy with that because even if it only works a few times, that's a few more pleasant car rides than it would have been otherwise. ☺

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December 8, 2017