I'd Do It All For Free

Today, I'm reminded of why I crave the buzz of a well-written article :)

I have the distinct privilege this week of interviewing Amanda of Free To Live. Amanda hasn't been blogging for all that long - she just started in December - but the way she expresses herself is simply amazing. She's so raw and honest about her experiences with autism, something I can only hope to emulate. I highly recommend, whether you have had autism touch your lives or not, to drop in and say hi. This is a woman of great faith.

And so I was thrilled when she agreed to be interviewed as part of my Very Final Assignment Ever (yes, that is what I'm calling it, LOL), a portfolio of autism articles and blog posts I've written over the years. Unfortunately for Bloggityville, the article I'm writing based on my interview with her will probably never be blog-fodder (smile) but I wanted to publicly thank Amanda for having the guts to be so courageous over at her blog.

As well as emailing Amanda with a list of questions tonight, I've also collected (from various places about the internet and in the bowels of the computer) the pieces I need for my portfolio. I realised I never did re-link to The Journey (the piece I wrote about Master J's diagnosis) when I switched to the new page design. So for those who are interested, that's up again in the left sidebar. I'm about due to do another update, probably around April or so. It's appropriate to update then, as April is the month J was originally diagnosed in 2002 (coming up to 6 years now...) and the month I wrote the piece in the first place, in 2004. It's like one of those Christmas letters where you update everyone on the key events of the year, LOL - although in our case, the steps forward J has walked (or leaped!)

This last year he began learning Spanish at school - this same child who was not talking fluently until he started school at age five, is participating in the Spanish lessons with his buddy class! Okay, so most of what he's got down pat so far - all of five words, all said and done - probably came from Dora, LOL, but he's the only kid from his special ed class who takes Spanish and I'm so darn proud of him! This is also the kid who needed basic PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) to help him understand the routines of kindergarten, and here he is, taking a SECOND language!

*POP!*

That was my heart exploding :)

You know, life is pretty good in general. The things we worry about? They really don't need our attention. What we should be focussing on are the blessings in our everyday lives. Those itty-bitty, almost imperceptible flutterings of good fortune and joy. Finding the exact money you need for an emergency milk-and-bread run stuffed down the back of the sofa the day before payday. Freshly washed hair of children - your own, obviously! - to snuggle into when tucking them in at night. A good book. A great DVD. People to hold and love, and if you can't be near those related to you, then hold and love on someone else in the community who is in the same boat as you.

When I get bogged down, discouraged upon thinking of J's future, or just general 'blech-ness' over my inability to find peace with situaton or person A, B or C, I just have to remember that there was a time when a simple 'duce' (juice), after four years of non-verbal parenting, made my heart sing.

And that this same imp of a child regularly 'sings' Madagascar's "I Like To Move It" with the Spanish voiceover, just for fun.

And gets most of the words right.

Adios,
Lizzie