Today is an anniversary of sorts. Three years ago Connor was a happy little boy who played by himself, showed a great facination for playing cards, and other random items. He always knew how many of what he had and if some were missing we searched until we found them. He smiled but didn't speak. We never thought we would see the end of diapers......Three years ago he was diagnosed as being Autistic.
As parents, we were just beginning to figure out how to deal with his diagnosis. We were so bent on figuring out how to get the hours of ABA therapy in that the psychiatrist reccommended. So frightened that we weren't doing enough or the right things for him.
Three years later...Connor is still a happy little boy. He is beginning to play with and initiate play with others. He plays with his toys, loves superheroes, the Wii (who doesn't?), jumping on the trampoline, playing outside, and the list goes on. He still has those big heart melting smiles. He has such a good vocabulary (selectively used) I can't quite refer to him as non-verbal autistic. He says "no" particularly well (little stinker!) We did see the the end of diapers thank goodness! Now I just need him to flush the toilet. Ah well... its an imperfect world.
As for Marc and I.... we figured out that what works for him is time and patience along with an aide who has very good instincts and speech therapists who love what they do. We assume that he can learn as well as his peers, and deal with what he can't do as it comes up. We give him the tools to give him extra help in school as he needs it. We help to bring awareness to the school and church community by helping to start programs to benefit him and other children with disabilities because my Conor isn't the only child with a disability, and maybe we can help a few "newbie" parents figure it out or at least let them know that they aren't alone.
We've all come a long way in three years, so happy anniversary to us and I look forward to many more happy anniversaries.
Its that time of year again that some of us have marked on our calendars with such importance as holidays and vacations that we note on our calendars religiously. That special time of year when our friends and family (and extended family) gather round not for large meal, but united in supporting a common cause. Fighting Autism. Standing together to raise funds to defeat ignorance, find answers and provide a light at the end of the tunnel for those parents families that are just starting this journey. 
Honestly, I am no social butterfly. I hate asking anybody for anything with a passion. Autism changes your family though as those of you with autistic children know. Now you can see with a different set of eyes and as for myself; it has become crystal clear how lucky we are. Prior to participating in this walk I had no idea that so many families had no guide, no "plan" and nobody showing them which way to turn. I never knew how low goverment funding was. The real shock came when I attended my sons preschool orientation at the autism program he attended last year. The questions that were asked of his teachers and later of me were frightening to me because I remember being there and oh do I remember feeling the way that they did. Its a feeling that comes back so intensely that it will well up in me a stream of tears that just keep on coming. 