Andrew at work

I have seen great strides since Andrew has been working in our shop.  Our  logo is  "Creative employment for people with autism."

I would like to hope and think that our sons and daughters can do  more than put bolts in a box or some other mundane task that society deems they can or should do.  What can we do to change this perception?
I would like to hope and think that if given the opportunity our kids can do many many things, it is on our shoulders to think up those tasks that are respectful and interesting to them and then make it happen....

Maybe that should be the store's logo: MAKE IT HAPPEN  

Andrew was hard at work this day putting labels on little soap samples!  He seemed to really like it and I think on some level he knows it is something different and something more tuned in to independence and growing up.... He labeled quite a few soaps that day, and he was quite fast at it... His only reward was a bag of chips! 

Cate

Working hard

Today we tried something new, putting labels on candle jars. Shown once, Andrew was ready to do them all. Had I had 100 candles, he probably would have done them all...  He seems to enjoy new jobs and likes a little twist and challenge.

I wish I had more work for him and each day I try to dream up something new!

Keep the challenges coming, keep things diverse and at the same time consistent to their schedules and you have a happy mix.  I know this was a week where planets must have been in alignment because we had a "smiley" week.

I tried to post a picture but somehow or another I lost the pictures in cyber space. Will try again tomorrow...

cate

Silence is NOT golden

Recently someone said to me that it's hard to delineate and determine what  deficits or lack of progress a person with autism might have due to many individuals with autism's inability to speak.

I would fancy a guess that if you look closely at a person with autism, even the nonverbal ones, they WILL tell you how they are doing if you care to take the time and attention to observe them,  interact with them, and care about them.

For them silence is NOT golden since they become the  silent society that does not get the attention or rewards that speaking individuals can demand.

It makes me angry and it makes me determined to keep fighting to keep speaking up for people with autism who cannot. 

Don't let silence be the last "word." 

cate

Hope & love autism hearts

For the last month I have been working on little stoneware autism puzzle  heart charms. They are hand made, and fired in a kiln, glazed and fired again. 

A labor of love truly.  Many of the hearts have love and hope inscribed on the back. 

A little necklace was created  and I hope to honor Autism awareness month in a special way.

Our candles are up and running, (albeit slowly, I  need a few more arms and definitely a second set of fingers to finish all I would like to do)...

I hope they are successful in raising some awareness and some money toward our goal of donating more IPODS and IPADS to individuals with autism...

A delicate hemp, bamboo or leather cord was added to allow them to be worn as a necklace or dangled in your car as a reminder to never let hope and love slip away... No matter what, keep those things close to your heart.

cate

cate

sharing some pictures of those things that lift me up

A couple of photos of some scenes from the barn where Andrew and I work  in relative peace.  Photography is something I gave up years ago and am trying to get back into my life.  It is easy to get derailed when you have a child with a disability, but finding yourself again in something you love, whatever that is is a way to reconnect to the person you are- I often lose my way in my need to support and direct my son, and I know most of us do the same - so every once in a while I guess we need to come back to the road we left many years ago.
cate

Looking for pictures you wish to share

Hoping as time goes on, parents may want to jump in this blog from time to time to share the upbeat moments.  We all have our very downbeat moments, and I think the autism Listservs are a way for us to connect, interface and share the good and bady. I'd like this blog to focus on our positive days since that is the mission of the blog and we all need to celebrate the good, and try to get through the tough...

So that is what I will do and hope to give parents a place to lose their worries for a few minutes and celebrate those good days... sometimes we feel we will never leave the bad behind, so when we have a good day, please share it and if you would like share pictures as well, an internet album of sorts of our children in action...

Cate

A smile is worth 1000 words

For the past year or so we have been missing our son's smile, and joy.  Recently, it has begun to come back in spurts. Mixed in with the bad days, there are a few little rays of sun that you pray return and shine through the clouds.

I caught this brief relaxed smile a few months back as we began to set up the barn as his workshop, job, classroom area.  As you can see ( I wish I could use Photoshop to erase all the background clutter), we were stocking up on ribbons.

since then Andrew has learned to measure and cut ribbons for gift boxing and wrapping.  We used a simple method of using a Sharpie on a card table to measure our feet and yards, and with a scissor and scotch tape he measures out and snips. 

He shows a real interes in working in his little shop and if he smiling I know I am at least on the right path.

Does anyone have a picture they have of their son or daughter engaged in a crafty activity or leisure activity and smiling?  I pray for smiles these days... so many days of unhappiness and gloom, a smile can make my day. 

cate