A lot of people ask us how we knew that Cash had autism.  Well, I’m here to tell you it was not a straight path to that diagnoses.  With the exception of crawling and talking, Cash met his milestones on time.  His loss of speech came around the same time we began to get concerned about his lack of crawling.  However, because he was still making sounds, we didn’t really notice it.  I think we just assumed he was choosing not to say the words he knew. 

            Looking back, I know there were plenty of red flags.  As soon as he could sit, Cash would be content for hours sitting in one spot playing with a few toys.  Cash did have some facial expression and eye contact.  However, his eyes were, as a friend of ours once said, “those of an old soul.”  He always looked as if he were studying the world around him rather than participating in it. 

My friends joke with me and tell me I should write a book about my life.  I know they must be joking, because I can’t even keep up with this blog.  However, a book of my life would certainly include how God must have more faith in me than I have in myself.  Being a mother to three kids alone is proof of this, but adding the challenges of autism to my life has grown me up so to speak.  April is Autism Awareness Month.  So, as one mom touched by autism, I will be writing a series of blogs (yes, I’ll write more than once this month).  It is my hope that my experience will provide insight to others.

       When our oldest, Miss P, was born, I thought I had it all.  Through the gift of adoption I had achieved motherhood…something I had begun to think was my dream, not God’s.  The five years with only one in tow were full of everything pink and bows and lots of vacations.  Then, she asked the question…”Can I have a sister or brother?”  The feeling that I had ignored for years resurfaced…the emptiness of never having a pregnancy.  The fear that we couldn’t afford another adoption soon followed.  On a wing and a prayer, I made an appointment with a fertility specialist.

The Divelbiss family is proud to announce that we will be welcoming a new addition around Easter.  Several months ago, my brilliant (and not normally a dog lover) husband decided that our boys needed a dog.  I have a miniature schnauzer that I’ve had since before Richard and I were married…he’s so sweet, sleeps on our bed, wants to be everywhere I am…hence the non-dog lover husband.  Porter has a shitzu that weighs about five pounds…the need to keep the dogs legs attached to her body is one of the reason Judd needs a bigger dog to play with.  However, our biggest reason for a dog for the boys is Cash. 

Thanksgiving brings many memories for me, mostly good, warm and cozy.  However, one year is forever branded in my heart as a life-changing period of my life.  It may very well be the “ah-ha” moment where I learned God truly is in control.  With complete trust in Him, my fears were calmed.