My Flappy Life

Welcome to my flappy life!  I have been blessed with four wonderful children  Each is special and unique in their own way.  First came Ashley.  She has grown into an amazing women.  She is married to her best friend Loa and they are starting out on their own adventure through this life. Next came Austin.  I'll come back to him.  Drew and I were then blessed with another daughter, Alyssa.  She is attending college, working and experiencing everything a young women her age should.  Last but not least came our baby boy Andrew.  He is a senior in high school this year.  He is no longer our baby.  At 6 foot 4 and 250 lbs he has outgrown all of us!  Now back to Austin.

Austin is my special blessing.  Austin is autistic.  How can I put into words the blessings that this special boy has brought into all our lives. Please understand that I still refer to Austin as a "boy" and as my "child".  He is now 22 and technically he is a young man.  However, he will always be my boy. Unlike my other children who will grow up, get an education, get married, have kids, and find their own path, Austin will always be with Drew and I.  He requires daily care to help dress, shower, brush his teeth, etc.  You get the picture. He is my greatest challenge and my greatest blessing.

One of the classic symptoms of autistic children is flapping.  Austin will "flap" as he walks.  He throws his arms up in tandom as he steps, he doesnt swing them from side to side opposite each stride like a "normal" person would. And when I say he throws his arms up, I mean he throws his arms up all the way above his head.  He does this with each step.  This is actually quite physically draining to do, I have tried it! Austin will pace and flap for hours!

On a website that carried all sorts of crazy things there was a  collection of t-shirts for autistic kids.  I found Austin a shirt that had a picture of a bird on it and it said: "I get flappy when Im happy".  I love that shirt.  Austin does get extra excited and "flappy" when he is happy.  So now you know where the title of this blog came from.  My life might be flappy but I wouldnt trade it for any other kind!