In January of 2020, I was asked by a dear friend, a reverend, to deliver a sermon in her stead. What follows is my attempt to honor her belief that I was even remotely qualified to do so. Watch here Friends, I am so incredibly honored to be here with you today. It strikes me … Continue reading
{image is a photo of Brooke on Halloween in 2004, at three, dressed as a clown. I can’t even handle the cuteness.} Let’s talk blue pumpkins, my friends. Recently, a mom of an autistic toddler posted a plea: “My son is 3 years old and has autism,” she wrote. “He is nonverbal. Last year houses … Continue reading
*Blows dust off WordPress* Oh, hi. Fancy meeting you here. I know it’s been a dog’s age since I’ve been by, but as I’m sure you’ve noticed, we’ve pretty much moved all the action to the Facebook page these days. That said, what follows is something that I want to live here, where it can … Continue reading
I wrote the following in January of 2015. Even then, the battle was far from new. Autistic people and those who love them have been fighting to end this desperately inhumane form of torture for YEARS. Please, please get involved. At the end of the post, you will find quick, concrete ways to make your … Continue reading
If ever you hear my words, if ever you take in any single morsel of the reams and reams that I write, please, I beg you, let it be these. I didn’t see it. I didn’t see HER. I’d asked her to come speak with me. I’d raved and raved about her words, her thoughts, her … Continue reading
Last night, I posted the following on Diary’s Facebook page: Oh, Brooke. I’m so sorry. I saw that worksheet that came home in your backpack. The one on which you’d so diligently parroted back the lessons about what’s necessary to convince people that you’re listening to them, writing in “eye contact” so neatly, right there … Continue reading
I wrote the following last summer. Last July, to be precise. My dad is a hugger. He’s not a polite hugger. He’s a look-out-cause-here-he-comes hugger. He’s a hands on, I-love-you-and-I’m-a-gonna-show-you hugger. He’s an I-haven’t-seen-you-in-far-too-long-so-get-over-here-and-hug-your-papa-kiddo hugger. He is the most physically demonstrative person I’ve ever met. I’m 45 years old and still, I can’t walk by him without him … Continue reading
Last night, as my dad drove us home from the amusement park, he said, “Brooke, we’re about three minutes away from home now.” In another minute, he said, “Brooke, about two minutes left, okay?” As we got close, he said, “We’re going to go around the river, up the hill, and then around one bend. … Continue reading
Hey, folks. Katie here. Last year, my mom and I came to the realization that not all parents/children have the close relationship that my mom and I manage to have. Today, I realized that the post the two of us wrote last year on how to get your teenage child to talk to you was, well, … Continue reading
Editor’s note: I have done something that I don’t typically do here. I have changed some details of the scenario you are about to read. Although they have no bearing on the story itself, they are important in the context of Brooke’s privacy. That’s all. Carry on. {image is a photo of Brooke at the zoo … Continue reading
a diary of a mom 