Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful for such wonderful groups like Surfers Healing, Camp Gonnawannagoagin, and the many, many on-line support groups that I/I've belong(ed) to over the last 10years or so since Ashton's diagnosis.

Groups like Surfers Healing and Camp Gonnawannagoagin allow Ashton an opportunity to experience things that a "normal" (for lack of better words) child would, in a loving, engaging, and safe environment. The surfers and volunteers of Surfers Healing are gentle, gentle souls. You wouldn't expect these macho, sporty guys to be so gentle and kind with these special kids, but wow! Big, ole, amazing teddy bears! We've met a lot of awesome people within the Surfers Healing community, both in real life at the Virginia Beach camps as well as online via their Facebook page(s). Ashton's already looking forward to Surfers Healing Virginia Beach 2012! How COOL is it that he gets to surf with a REAL surfer, not just a family member who can "kinda" surf? The smiles and calmness that he gets to experience is amazing and awe-inspiring. Camp Gonnawannagoagin is a much needed source of respite during the summer months. Ashton gets to go to camp from 9am-3pm every day for 5 days straight. They go swimming every day (pool, beach, water park) and they do one other activity (mini golf, arcades, aquarium, Tae Kwon Do, etc). Each autistic camper is paired up with a typical peer buddy as well as an adult counselor. The social growth Ashton experiences every summer is amazing. The things he gets to do (Ocean Breeze, Tae Kwon Do, etc) are not things that I've done with him, but he LOVES them! It gives him an opportunity to experience camp and social outings, without Mom always having to be there.

The support groups have been numerous over the years. From online support groups to in real-life support groups to our family and friends. But they all serve the same basic purpose. To allow the opportunity for discussion of issues, different coping strategies, the ability to see Autism through another family's eyes, etc. But, they give you the opportunity to vent about the struggles or the opportunity to celebrate the small (or to us, large) victories that other family's that have only neuro-typical children wouldn't otherwise understand.

SO thank you. From me and my family to ALL of you!

Camp Gonnawannagoagin

This video showcases the wonderful camp Ashton will be attending next week, Camp Gonnawannagoagin. I love the song that is playing, so I found the lyrics and copied them here.

Camp Gonnawannagoagin's premise is to allow autistic children and teens the opportunity to socialize with their neurotypical peers out in the community doing things that kids and teens like to do. In the past, Ashton's gotten to go to the movies (a favorite past-time of his, lol), go to the zoo, the aquarium, the beach, Ocean Breeze, swimming, the park, Jumpin Jellybeans, etc etc. He always has lots of fun and he's always very tired when I pick him up at the end of the day.

This is Ashton's 5th year in attending Camp Gonnawannagoagin. He's attended many weeks over the last 5years and this year will be attending four weeks! He's excited about seeing Ms Pam again and seeing his friends. He always has a great time and usually ends up leaving each day with tears and some sadness. I'm hoping with some maturity over the last year, that we can avoid the tears, but it lets me know that this is a place he loves being at and people that he loves and enjoys being with.

Hope they have some new books this year ;) I think he's read just about every book they have!! :)

Cold Play's "Talk" 

Oh brother I can't, I can't get through
I've been trying hard to reach you, cause I don't know what to do
Oh brother I can't believe it's true
I'm so scared about the future and I wanna talk to you
Oh I wanna talk to you
You can take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or write a song nobody has sung
Or do something that's never been done

Are you lost or incomplete?
Do you feel like a puzzle, you can't find your missing piece?
Tell me how do you feel?
Well I feel like they're talking in a language I don't speak
And they're talking it to me

So you take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You can climb a ladder up to the sun
Or a write a song nobody has sung
Or do something that's never been done
Do something that's never been done

So you don't know were you're going, and you wanna talk
And you feel like you're going where you've been before
You tell anyone who'll listen but you feel ignored
Nothing's really making any sense at all
Let's talk, let's ta-a-alk
Let's talk, let's ta-a-alk 

Have a nice day!