Bradley

Your smile brightens and enchants, you have the face of an angel.

Britney

You couldn't be loved anymore than by your mom and dad. Kisses coming from both direction's for our precious little PRINCESS.

How Beautiful she looks

How beautiful she look's wearing her grandma Debbie's vail. This picture is special because Britney was admiring herself in the mirror playing dress-up when I was able to capture a moment that will mean something very special to her one day. Britney will never know her grandma Debbie, but she will always live in the hearts she left behind.

When you say nothing at all

Every time I hear the song "When you say nothing at all" it reminds me of Bradley. This song reminds me of how we danced,(at my sister in law's wedding)rocking back and forth, holding Bradley very close to my heart and singing the words in his ear. It wasn't until later on that this song had so much meaning to me. As Bradley's Aunt Lisa was dancing her first dance with her husband, I was also having my first dance with my SON.

WHAT STINKS???

So we were almost at the end of our girl's trip to palm springs when we just had to make our last stop to Starbuck's. Dena asked this man, minding his own business, to take a picture of the four of us. What she didn't know was that we all plugged our noses, like she had just had an EXPLOSION between her legs. Anyway's, it was really funny and dena sat there all cute and smiling while the rest of us were pointing at her plugging our noses. She didn't find out about the picture until a few days later.

I AM THE CHILD

I am the child who cannot talk. You often pity me, I see it in your eyes. You wonder how much I am aware of - I see that as well. I am aware of much - whether you are happy or sad or fearful, patient or impatient, full of love and deisre, or if you are just doing your duty by me. I marvel at your frustration, knowing mine to be far greater, for I cannot express myself or my needs as you do. You cannot conceive my isolation, so complete it is at times. I do not gift you with clever conversation, cute remarks to be laughed over and repeated. I do not give you answers to your everyday questions, responses over my well-being, sharing my needs, or comments about the world about me. I do not give you rewards as defined by the world's standards - great strides in development that you can credit yourself; I do not give you understanding as you know it. What I give you is so much more valuable - I give you instead opportunities. Opportunities to discover the depth of your character, not mine; the depth of your love, your commitment, your patience, your abilities; the opportunity to explore your spirit more deeply than you imagined possible. I drive you further than you would ever go on your own, working harder, seeking answers to your many questions with no answers. I am the child who cannot talk. I am the child who cannot walk. The world seems to pass me by. You see the longing in my eyes to get out of this chair, to run and play like other children. There is much you take for granted. I want the toys on the shelf, I need to go to the bathroom, oh I've dropped my fork again. I am dependant on you in these ways. My gift to you is to make you more aware of your great fortune, your healthy back and legs, you ability to do for yourself. Sometimes people appear not to notice me; I always notice them. I feel not so much envy as desire, desire to stand upright, to put one foot in front of the other, to be independent. I give you awareness. I am the child who cannot walk. I am the child who is mentally impaired. I don't learn easily, if you judge me by the world's measuring stick, what I do know is infinite joy in simple things. I am not burdened as you are with the strifes and conflicts of a more complicated life. My gift to you is to grant you the freedom to enjoy things as a child, to teach you how much your arms around me mean, to give you love. I give you the gift of simplicity. I am the child who is mentally impaired. I am the disabled child. I am your teacher. If you allow me, I will teach you what is really important in life. I will give you and teach you unconditional love. I gift you with my innocent trust, my dependency upon you. I teach you about how precious this life is and about not taking things for granted. I teach you about forgetting your own needs and desires and dreams. I teach you giving. Most of all I teach you hope and faith. I am the disabled child. Author Unknown

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Palm Springs Girl's Trip

So this was our first offical girl's trip only to Palm Springs without the kids. From the moment we left we knew we were all going to have a great time. Running across the gulf course at night, riding in the gulf cart to have lunch at "The Grill", Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (which was blizzarding at the top), Dena giving us all Arbonne facials, Dena's 45th Birthday, Ruth Chris, and of course lot's of Starbucks (Thank's Alan for making that possible). These girl's are the mom's of some of Bradley's classmates. We all share one very important bond together and that happens to be we are all mom's of children with "Autism". We share an extraordinary friendship that is based on our highs and heartbreaking lows of raising our children with Autism.