Please read the following article written by my new friend, Jessica. She has a huge heart and lots of passion regarding autism awareness. She is a finalist for Rally America, and by supporting her and her cause she may just be chosen to make a difference! Check out her site:
I’m not your Everyday Average Mom
and here is her beautiful article:
My Autism Mom Moment…Why I want to use Focus Rally: America to raise autism awareness
Tonight was parent night for the autism classrooms at my son’s school.
We went over some quick changes to the school calendar, then split off into our classrooms and the teacher walked us through what our children do each day.
My son has very limited speech, so he can’t tell me what he does in school every day.
It was so amazing for me to hear first hand from his teacher what he is doing everyday and how much he is learning.
I LOVE my son’s teacher!
I could not ask for a better teacher, and a more loving woman to be with my son for 4 hours a day!
I have watched my son grow and change leaps and bounds since starting in this classroom back in March of this year.
This year, unlike last year, his classroom integrates with another preschool class to help mainstream the children in the autism classroom.
I love that my son gets to interact with other kids, and learn from them.
I loved being able to talk with the other parents and that there was SOMEONE who knew exactly what our family is going through!
As the night progressed, my heart slowly began to break.
It looked like it was going to be one of those nights…
While I was so proud of my son for all that he is accomplishing at school, by heart was breaking because I know how far behind he is.
Not even my 4 years in college, learning about childhood development and teaching can “fix” my child.
I know where he should be, and I know where he is.
He is still young, and doesn’t yet get that he is different and I love that innocence about him!
Later that night he was laying in bed and called my name for me to come upstairs.
I went upstairs and in the most sweet voice said “Hi mommy, sit, sit”
I went over and laid down next to him and he stoked my head and said “hi baby”, like I do to him every night when I go tuck him in for bed.
He then began telling me something, I asked him to repeat himself a few times but I never understood what he was trying to tell me.
There is a person inside of him that wants to come out so bad but he is trapped.
My emotions came over me, and I quickly tucked him into bed, kissed him goodnight, then walked out and closed his door.
I then began to cry.
I was crying for the little boy that is trapped inside, for the little boy that I know he is, and the boy that I know he can and will become.
Tonight was a hard night, it wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last.
This has impacted our family in ways that I can’t even describe.
I want to find answers, I want to know why this has happened to my sweet little boy!
I want to eradicate this spectrum disorder off of this planet!
If Emily and I are to make it as one of the final 6 teams on Focus Rally: America, it is so important that I use that experience to bring awareness to this growing problem.
(Not sure what that is? Watch the video)
This is my son’s fall school picture
He looks like your normal 3 1/2 year old!
He is funny, loving, rambunctious, curious, and adventurous!
He is also autistic….
Autism has many different faces, and each face has a different and unique story.
I want to bring awareness to them all.
I am reaching out because this competition is LARGELY based on social media and networking!! There are some links at the bottom to our You Tube video, Facebook page, and my blog.
Thank you so much for your time!!
*~*Jessica Udd*~*
Blog: http://imnotyoureverydayaveragemom.blogspot.com/
Focus Rally: America You Tube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44pPUy1uLeM
Facebook Fan page:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emily-And-Jess-Focus-RallyAmerica/137591366290800
PLEASE RT! ATTN @FordFocus & @FordFocusRally @ImnotURavgmom & @EmilyYingling raise awareness for autism! #FocusRallyAmerica