And then there was ...

ONE.

{sold ... THANK YOU!}

Now that we're nearing the end, I wanted to share the full story of "cREaTing awareness".

Sometime in early March, I decided to do something for Autism Awareness Month. Actually, truth be told, I decided last April 2008 to do something for Autism Awareness Month 2009. See, I didn't even KNOW there was a month & day dedicated to Autism until I saw it last year being covered all over the news, Larry King Live, etc. I felt GUILTY. How did I not know? How have I not done anything to participate?

If I was being honest, I'd also tell you that last year we were still in the phase where we were swallowing that tough pill that took about five years to swallow. I wish I could tell you that from the moment we were told there could be developmental delays or that there were signs of autism, that we enthusiastically asked to head up the Parents of Autistic Kids Club.

But it took about 5 years...

• of pediatrician appointments
• referrals
• testing
• forms
• questionnaires
• therapist evaluations
• moving to a new state & starting all the appointments, forms & testing over
• again moving to a new state & starting all the appointments, forms & testing over
  
• neurologist appointments
• developmental pediatrician appointments
  
• thousands of therapy sessions
• countless discussions between me & Kyle
• prayers
• and time

... for us to figure out what was going on, how we felt about it and what we were going to do about it. At one time, we thought we were doing him a favor by not drawing attention to his disability. We thought it would help him "fit in", therefore allowing him to grow more. But, after radio host Michael Savage made headlines last summer with his ignorance ... it occurred to me that ignorance is not bliss and that we weren't doing Brett any favors by quietly standing behind him. That is what made me write this. Brett needed parents who were willing to finish swallowing that pill and move on.

Instead of trying to give him an easier life by not telling people, we will make life easier for him by telling even more people. And so ... "cREaTing awareness" was born. It is my gift to Brett. I am sure he'd rather have that Spiderman umbrella he's been asking me for ... but that's what Birthdays are for. :)

P.S. Stay tuned for the final tally of net proceeds being donated to F.I.R.E. :)