I am sure you have all seen my reminders for voting at the About.com page, and if you are on Twitter with me, you are probably sick and tired of them. So, let me say, I am SORRY. Ok, not sorry enough to stop posting and tweeting, but sorry if you are annoyed. Sort of anyway.
Through the About.com award race, I have learned some amazing things.
Most importantly, I have learned how truly remarkable it is to be a part of four distinct special needs communities.
The Adoption Community. This community was my choice. And after 7 years as a Foster Parent, and adopting my oldest son, this community has give me support and guidance with incredible compassion.. These parents have nurtured my ability to parent through incredibly difficult times. This is the community that said, "Let me teach you." To all of you adoptive moms and dads (or adoptees and/or first-moms and first-dads) out there voting for me, I thank you.
The SPD Community. This is where my heart is. My first love, my passion, my son’s first diagnosis. This is the step that brought me here. It is that first stone that I turned over successfully, and it is the first group of people both online and in person who embraced me – figuratively and physically – and said, “You are not alone.” To all of you SPD moms and dads out there voting for me, I thank you.
The Autism Community. This is where I landed, with my questions and concerns. I brought my son’s social problems, his lack of friends, his language issues and his literal thinking all to his doctor – and sure enough – he confirmed my suspicions: High Functioning Autism. And the autism community that is as diverse as the people who make it up, that is the community that reached out and said, “Let me help you.” To all of you ASD moms and dads out there voting for me, I thank you.
The Bipolar Community. This is where I was scared to go. But when my child was falling apart, raging out of control, and I needed someone to hold onto the pieces and keep my son, our family, and ME together, this is the community that said, “We’ve got you.” To all of you Bipolar moms and dads out there voting for me, I thank you.
As I work to be the Joe Montana of blogging awards, and engineer the greatest come-from-behind-victory of all times, I am overwhelmed by the fact that we – all four of these communities together – have rallied Hartley’s Life With 3 Boys from 600+ votes behind, to closing in at 140+ votes to the first place spot. That is amazing and a true testament to the value of support!
This blog and these communities are my connection to those people who understand my life. You all make it easier to parent a challenging child, who is as complex as he is wonderful.
Thank you for being my neighbors here in Holland.
If you want to share your thoughts on this blog, you can click here to comment. Please continue to vote for HLW3B by clicking here - you can vote every day from now until March 8th (and please do!).
I want to bring home the win for every SPD - ASD - Bipolar family out there - because afterall, we are in this together!
And since we are talking about supporting all of our communities, while you are there, vote for Brandon and the Bipolar Bear (my book is TOO far behind to win) by Tracy Anglada, and CABF or Fun and Function for the Online Community Award. Great people and organizations doing great things for special needs families!
XOXO
Hartley
1 comment:
You brought tears to my eyes .
"We've got you."
Yes, that is the resounding message I have heard and felt.
And I hope you know that of these communities are just as blessed to have you.
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