I am the parent of a young adult with Autism. I'm patient. She's helped me build that patience. But if you are a parent of a young child with Autism and you leave me a comment giving me advice that basically would reinvent my wheel, so help me God, I will reply and make you…
It’s NOT a Tantrum
Walking through a supermarket, the severely Autistic person wears gun-range headphones to help block excess noise to protect her highly sensitive hearing from the overwhelming barrage of clanking, banging, muzak, baby cries, squeaky buggy wheels and blips and bloops from cash registers. A woman getting over a cold coughs into her elbow, and the Autistic…
Judging Books by Covers
The following was written by my friend, Joli Crow. (It's shared with her permission.) And it speaks volumes as to the body-shaming and judging and the ridiculous lack of manners that seems to be rampant any more. I read this this morning on her Facebook status and the more I read, the more my heart…
Kroger Plus Card Swipes for Starry Night Prom
Are you one of those people who truly LOVES inspirational stories and programs and organizations that want to help all of the people with all of the things but you just don't want to buy anymore cookie dough or wrapping paper or write anymore checks?! Yeah. I'm one of those, too. So how can you…
Gearing Up for Starry Night Prom 2017
See these bright smiles and happy faces in this photograph? They belong to some of the participants in the Starry Night Prom 2016. Starry Night Prom is a registered Non-Profit 501 (C) (3) organization that annually holds an all expense paid prom for Arlington ISD High School students with significant disabilities. Starry Night Prom is…
Our Summer Vacation to Athens
So, this week has been a major ass-kicker for me...mostly in a good way. Sunday we took advantage of the fact that my son and daughter both quit their summer jobs and that my husband finally replaced the compressor in the van giving us air-conditioning. YAY. So we finally got on the road about 2…
Bad-Assery in the Metro
"Thanks for going shopping with me, Randa." "You're welcome." "Got your seat belt on?" "Yes, ma'am." "Should we take the highway home or the slow way?" "It's drive faster." "Okay. Highway it is. Should we listen to the radio?" "Yes." **Turn on radio and Nickelback is playing.** "Mommy, this sucks." **Change to a rock station…
I’m Here in the Volunteer Recovery Room
Hi. It's me. You know that crazy mother of five who uses her blog as a way to work through her issues because Groupon has yet to come out with a free therapy coupon. Yeah. I didn't fall off the planet. I've just been recovering from all of the exhaustion that running around like a…
The Beauty in Asking for Help
We got off to a late start again this year. Several of us had medical issues that affected our family lives that sort of forced us to put Starry Night Prom fundraising on the back burner. But it's become known to us as "the little Prom that could" and it can. I started promoting our…
Birds Are Badass, Crickets Are Chicken
It's 6:42 a.m. and I am on the porch swing in front of the house. I hear the crickets and the birds making their loud chirpy and warbly noises. The birds are braver than the crickets. Birds don't care if a muscle car with loud tailpipes or a diesel engine truck tear up our street…
The Deep Down 