Thursday, August 5, 2010

Summer

I cannot believe I have let the summer slip by without blogging. I'm not even sure where to begin except to say.....WE MOVED THIS SUMMER. It has been two months and we are
still trying trying to put stuff away. Believe it or not, I think Yates adjusted better than
the rest of us. Speaking of Yates, he was one busy boy this summer. I think his social calendar
would probably have put a college kid to shame!
I do want to share a few summer hightlights: The Star Center held its first ever Arts for Autism. It was a huge success and I was so proud that the Yates Foundation was able to help some of our local families. I definitely see this camp growing in the future.
If you have a child with Autism or know someone, mark your calendars for October 23rd.
The Yates Foundation will be sponsoring a mini-conference with several sessions including: ABA, biomedical treatments, recovery, and how to become an advocate. More details will be forthcoming!!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Date set for Yates Foundation Gala

The date for the third annual gala "Breaking the Silence of Autism" has been set for April 17th, 7:00 til midnight at the Flatiron Grille. For more information and ticket sales, please contact West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation at 731-984-2140.

It's gonna be AWESOME this year!!! Ang.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Just the other day I was playing around with Facebook and came across something really cool.
Several moms were posting back and forth all the wonderful lessons they had learned through their experience with autism. Naturally, I began to think about Yates and the last 8 years of
facing this mysterious and baffling disorder. So, I thought I would share some of my own thoughts as well as lessons learned, some even the hard way:

1. The term "retard" and the phrase "the short bus" should be outlawed.

2. Alcohol is not the answer. (Ugh, hard lesson here) :)

3. Ceilings, furniture, material wealth, etc..... WAY OVERRATED!

4. What some take for granted such as a simple word or a tiny gain in progress, we call for a CELEBRATION at my house.

5. Humility..............yes, can you believe it, it's not about me and my timeline, instead it's
about God and His purpose in my life.....at least that's what I think.

6. No matter what, I try to keep HOPE in my heart, without it, I am lost.

7. I would rather trust my instincts over anything the government recommends! HA! yes, I said it!!!

8. The most wonderful people I have ever met are parents of a child with autism!

9. As I think about Yates and his innocence of the world, I long to be more like him. There is no
gossip and judging others in his world..........he is just so beautiful inside and out!


There has to be so many more lessons, but this is what a beautiful Saturday morning brought
to me!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Parents Cry Too

I think there is a book out there titled "Parents Cry Too" or something similar. Please forgive my spelling and such......my head is pounding as Yates continues to scream this evening. I know
he is in pain. We've run the list, is it acid reflux, is it his head, could it be yeast again? He's still
locked inside and cannot tell us.............oh, how I want to help him so bad, so bad that I could cry too. I thought my crying days were over. In time your skin toughens and you become immune to so much. But not tonight, no tonight I hurt with him and I pray to God- please help my son.

To think that I am alone would be ludicrous. The CDC's new findings now indicate that children with Autism are 1 in 100. What's really crazy is that statistic is from 2004. My God, what could the number be on this day, January 11, 2010?

To think of my future would be too overwhelming, so tonight I pray for Yates and I pray for my fellow mothers and their struggle with Autism. May God heal our children.