When I met my husband, everything appeared "normal". We shared so many interests we could speak for hours. After we married, and he was no longer courting me, something changed ... his attention. I analogize it to a lighthouse, the light just turned and left me in the dark for long periods of time. This was back in 1999, and in the US AS had just been added to the Autism Spectrum (1996). We struggled for 18 months until I stood at the edge: either this jerk get therapy, or I was leaving.

After an additional 18 months of evaluation his specialist told him it is Asperger's Syndrome. When he came home with the evaluation, he hung his head and said, "You didn't sign on for this, if you want a divorce, I'll give it to you." These are not the words of a jerk; and this was(is) the man I love. His therapist started working with him to understand how his A-typical brain worked and perceived the world differently from a typical brain (and, a woman's typical brain). I saw a separate AS specialist to learn how his brain worked, how to listen, interrupt and to get my needs understood. This spanned an additional 8 years; but they were good years because we were working for our marriage, our love.

Okay, this wasn't easy, and there was no help from family who just didn't get it: "All marriages are tough." Right. We started to build what we affectionately call the file draw so he could start to read my moods and relate them to his own sentiments. We built our own communication skills. He also applied his new understandings to the outside world and has become a well liked, respected member of the community and one cannot measure the positive difference in his professional life.

It's been thirteen years and we are very happy together: we do not have a typical marriage, we have a great marriage.

As they say, you've met an Aspie, you've met ONE Aspie.

Love you Honey.

It all started around Jacob's first birthday. He still had not said mama or dada. Little did I know because Jacob was our first baby he never really babbled either. I mean he made sounds but not babbling. His doctor was not a wait and see kind of doctor, even though our family kept telling us to wait and see. I can hear my mom still, "you were a late talker". I knew in the deepest pit of my stomach this was different. We started early invention, 4 day a week classroom setting for Jacob and all the therapies. Jacob was diagnosed right after his second birthday. He is the brightest little boy ever, at 3 years old he can read and count to 1000. He thing is letters and numbers, we obsess over them :) He is the light of our life. Jacob we love to watch you grow and learn new things. You amaze us and everyone who meets you, you truly are such a special, kind, and loving little boy. We take this road day by day but I know big thing are in your future. Mommy and Daddy will always be right with you cheering you on!

One thing that brings me hope, is to never give up hope!

My beautiful, sweet and amazing 4 year old daughter Zoey was diagnosed with autism at 2.

She could not say words, give eye contact, or was able to function as a normal toddler.

When we first learned that she had autism, I thought my dreams of having a normal child were shattered.

I was scared and feared the unknown.

Through this journey, Zoey is now able to speak, tell us what she wants, dance and shows more social connections with her peers.

Zoey has been in full time therapy since getting diagnosed and with all the progress I have seen, this is why I always say "never give up hope"! I never thought I would hear her say "Love you mommy" or please help.

Zoey can now express herself all because we never gave up hope.

I know we have a long road ahead, but with the love, patience and persistence we will never give up hope for Zoey!

When he was 3 I could feel that something wasn't right with my son and I told my mommie. She told me to pray and always said "What is normal?"As an educator I just knew that my little man was missing something but what? When he entered kindergarten he had a rough time. He was the 1st kindergarten I knew to get suspended. After he got suspended for the 3rd time I knew I had to do something because I wasn't raising my child to be disrespectful & defiant. So I was very stressed and at the same time I was having serious health issues. So at the beginning of 1st grade I got him a therapist and he started taking Adderall xr. Still the puzzle was not coming together for me. I was determine to to get the pieces to fit. Finally, last summer his therapist suggested I get him tested for Asperger's Syndrome. It didn't matter that I was an educator I had no clue what his therapist was talking about and that stressed me out even more. So I got him tested and found out that he was on the Autism Spectrum Disorder due to him having Aspergers. At that time I also found out that I had Lupus and had no clue on how I was going to deal with a child that had Aspergers. Lupus is a very debilitating illness and on the days I have no energy and my joints hurt it is very frustrating dealing with my son shouting at me & throwing things. Many nights I cried myself to sleep asking God why me? My support is my family, close friends, & my church family. God has put the right people in my life to help me with Tre' and he has come a long way. The day Tre' made a Lego ambulance he told me he would get me to the hospital when I was sick. That day I knew God was letting me know I was the right mommie for him. Lean not on your own understanding 1 Timothy 4:12.

As a 23 year old high functioning autistic adult, I found the death of my dad to be very difficult. He died March 17th, 2013. He had so many health complications and such that we had to take him off life support. I struggle every day to find a way to continue on with my life without him. I am blessed to have such a wonderful dad. Without him, I doubt I would be the person that I am today. I hope that I can encourage others as well. At the age of six, I was diagnosed with Autism, with the typical complications as a person with Autism has. Now, at 23 years old, I am very high functioning. I'm also diagnosed with ADHD, Depression and Type 2 Diabetes. You couldn't get near me with a needle because I was so terrified of them. Now I give myself injections four times a day!

I hope to be one day freed of all the pain I am going through in my life and continue going forward. I have no regrets. Autism is real. It affects my life in so many ways.

I have two boys one 17 and then David who is 4. I call him my 40th birthday surprise. He has been the best blessing anyone could ever have. He was diagnosed PDD-NOS When he was 2 and half. He has shown me what love and understanding and compassion really are!!! He attends regular school and loves to play. Every morning he wakes up he wants to be tickled and his laugh is so infectious! We have had many hurdles and many more to go through I am sure but he is the brightest ray of sunshine even on the cloudiest day!

Her name is Annabelle, she is my beautiful daughter, and she happens to have Autism.

I recall her third birthday - a day when she broke a dining room chair because of singing "Happy Birthday" as well as the removal of all her clothing as the children were arriving for the party.

I recall the panic and fear I felt when I took her in public. We'd go to a city park, the beach, a mall parking lot - she ran and didn't know where to stop.

Autism was dismissed by our pediatrician. It didn't "look" like the Autism the doctor had seen previously so she comforted me with assurances that Annabelle was simply strong-willed.

I didn't accept that. I kept searching. I got her Speech, Occupational Therapy and an Autism Consultant. A year later Annabelle is in a typical pre-school, receives birthday invitations and is loved by not only me, but her teachers and classmates as well. She gets birthday invites. She rides horses. She holds my hand in a parking lot without running away.

She has come so far. And we still have so far to go. But we will get there, all of us - together.

We have four children and all four are on the spectrum! For Autism awareness month my 13 year old and I got new embrace Autism shirts and my husband and I added our names to my puzzle piece that he designed on my arm! Now the piece is perfect just like our kids! Each puzzle piece has our kids name and they each picked a color. I home school my 13 year old and we embrace all of them because we are so lucky to have four unique awesome kids!

Every morn and every night jr gives me his famous "pucker up kisses" no matter what type of day we have had he gives love

Last weekend was a celebration at my son school for the kids that are autistic ,and yes there are amazing,extradionary,and talented in their own ordinary way,and we as parents support and love our son on a daily basic and we are here for more support to show the unknown that April is Autism Awareness Month .I commend all parents and teacher and therapist,and teacher aides,and staff member that are working with my son or any child on the spectrum of autism,its such a joy to see how much my child can do in the school environment, we never know how much our kids are capable of achieving without letting go

just be normal

So they can hold on to this one little thing in life can make a huge

impact in our kids life, and best.

thing is to just

help.Any way to make a difference in a child life ,whether its therapy, counseling,homework help buddy, a care giver, it can be a family member as well, because just know that every little helping hand counts ,and we as parents are always going lend that hand to our son, ..Autism is never a easy thing to understand or to deal with but we never give up cause we see good things coming along with his progress, He has overcome so many things from his younger days until know, and all we can say is We are proud and happy that god blessed us with a son, and his no different in our eyes or gods, so show support for all and to never get discouraged cause the hardest thing to accomplish is already been touched and covered. By gods grace and glory so look up to all the positive aspects in life for your child and to never get discourage and just be ready to be a winner in the end ,cause all kids are Children of god,and we all learn in different ways more then u know