Raising Autism: Surviving the Early Years
By Kimberlee Rutan McCafferty
Today’s Daily Prompt asks what you love most about yourself, your favorite person and if the two connected. I wrote today’s post about my friend Kim, the author of the above book. I was ready to hit publish when the DP came up and I realized that this post most definitely qualifies ~ because what I love about myself and Kim is that in the face of adversity, we have triumphed. Both of us have had hard times in our lives ~ we had circumstances that weren’t of our own doing affect us profoundly and yet, we still are here! We have endured the journey of life and continue to strive to make our lives and the lives of others happier, better and we write to inspire others to realize that they too can live with those circumstances whether they be illness of ourselves or others whom we love. So please indulge me with Kim’s book ~ if you or anyone else know a family enduring an autism diagnosis, you’ve just met your best friend Kim who will take you on her journey, teach you, inspire you and sympathize with you as you learn the intricacies of being the Mom of 2 autistic sons.
Kim has also written, starred in, directed and promoted her own play which was a smash hit ~ with profits going to others, just like her book! Her writings are just like Kim ~ honest, loving, well-thought out, caring and just as if we were sitting on the couch at her house and you asked her to tell you about the early years with her sons’ and their autism. She’s your best friend and her ability to reach out and explain what it’s like for her family and her boys and how she’s dealt with the feelings that have accompanied their journey is nothing short of incredible. It’s in her honesty that you immediately sit down and want to finish her book. She doesn’t shy away from sadness nor happiness. She shoots straight from the heart and bulls eye ~ you understand.
Directly from Kim, “Over time I have learned to embrace the altered landscape of our dreams, to measure the depth of my love for my sons, and most importantly, to reconcile with their diagnosis and move on with my life. I’ve named this book Raising Autism for several reasons. In part the title harkens to the often Herculean task of simply getting through the day while encountering the myriad of challenges autism presented to our family. I also called it Raising Autism as celebration for those parents able to conjure a different concept of family, of what it means to love, respect, and take pride in their child while simultaneously rewriting a new version of the rest of their lives as well.”
Below is a link to her blog with links for her book!
Shine On!
xo
Click here to go to Autism Mommy Therapist Blog!
Excerpt from Raising Autism:
“Raising Autism” is the story of how my eldest son and I survived his early years without dissolving entirely the fragile and tenuous bond we had crafted with one another since birth. It is the story of how his father and I made every difficult decision, from choosing his schools, his therapies, and even to where we would ultimately come to reside, while constantly agonizing over whether we had made the right, and often irrevocable, choices. It explains how his diagnosis called into question everything I thought I knew about myself and motherhood, and challenged me to consider exactly what I was willing to surrender for my child- career, geography, friends, and perhaps my known self. This hard-won knowledge would sustain me through not just my firstborn’s diagnosis, but ultimately through my second child’s as well.
Over time I have learned to embrace the altered landscape of our dreams, to measure the depth of my love for my sons, and most importantly, to reconcile with their diagnosis and move on with my life. I’ve named this book Raising Autism for several reasons. In part the title harkens to the often Herculean task of simply getting through the day while encountering the myriad of challenges autism presented to our family. I also called it Raising Autism as celebration for those parents able to conjure a different concept of family, of what it means to love, respect, and take pride in their child while simultaneously rewriting a new version of the rest of their lives as well.
This is our story.”
Available on Amazon, the CreateSpace eStore
Daily Prompt: Love to Love You
What do you love most about yourself? What do you love most about your favorite person? Are the two connected?
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/11/17/daily-prompt-love-2/
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