Hello all, I am beyond tired but I am writing a blog....I apologize now for all the grammatical arrors that I have and will hear about from Eddie.
So, Mr. Edwin turned 11 last week. and so what do you do to celebrate an Autistic kids birthday .... put him with 15,000 people? That is exactly what you do when Building 429 is involved!!!! First off I want to say that there is an amazing feeling when you are worshipping with 15,000 people...but being honest the joy of seeing that boy watch his favorite band perform and meeting them afterwards was the highest of highs! I have never seen him happier and the chances of Building 429 ever seeing this (even though if I keep typing out the name over and over....they might!) and knowing what that meant to him, there are no words to thank them! But I will try, Thank you for meeting with my son and signing his shirt, wishing him Happy Birthday and possibly giving him the best day of his life! The concert (with Building 429) had 10 bands performing and the energy was insane! The ending band was named Skillet, and I guess that they are well liked by the young folk. It was during their performance that I realized that I am getting old. I was not willing to bounce like they asked us (because I needed to walk the next day), I could not understand a word that they were screaming and in hopes that they would put the lyrics on the screen (Building 429 did....just sayin'). And then I looked down and realized that I attached my mini purse to my jeans....I am one step from the fanny pack and the pill containers! I finally admitted defeat and sat down and tried to look motherly by protecting the little kids ears (we took all 7)....but their hearing has probably been damaged already. My only complaint was....sounding old here. But I thought this thing would let out by 10, at the latest! 11:45 people! We then had a 3 hour drive home...next year we will get a room or something. And we will go next year if Building 429 is performing ( I am totally googling that after this)!
The next night we had dinner with 2 of our favorite people Aaron and Jenni! I have told you about them before...but quick recap, we met them at the lowest point of our lives, they are amazing, and they don't own a TV!!!! What?!?!?!?! I know, but when you are with them you don't even notice except that I kept thinking a flat screen would look amazing above their fireplace. When we arrived (fashionably late) they had set the table beautifully for Easter (like flowers strewn on it and everything matched!) we had dinner (with no tv) and then Jenni went a little crazy making desserts....it was almost like a dessert experience. After dinner Jenni read the kids a book and then the kids had an Easter Egg hunt. And then Aaron pulled out his guitar and sang to the kids...it was so cool. But then fear took over my body when Eddie started ad libbing music while Aaron played and I was terrified about his lack of filter. He did well. One thing I love about Aaron and Jenni is you would never guess we are friends (they are Mennonite and we still look so South Bend) but we worship the same guy and we love them and that is all we need.
So as you may know tomorrow is National Autism Awareness Day. Even though by this time I would think most people know that Autism exists (haha) but, now I will stand on my soapbox (sounding old again). The thing about Autism that drives me nuts is how you don't really see Autism. Like lets say that you see a guy in wheelchair with one leg, you know that he has had some kind of accident or whatever and not stare at his behaviors (I would hope not). But when people see Tobey (if they don't know him) they immediately take this picture of him. First off they are going to think he is studly and has great hair, because he is a handsome little guy. The next thing you will notice is that he has a harness on and then you will think to your self that studly kid is to old for a harness what is that Mother doing wrong? Then you will notice Tobey doing some odd things with his hands and letting out some screams....and it is then you have realized that that adorable little boy has something "wrong" with him.... And you will do one of three things...you could turn away and for get you ever saw him, you could stare at him making everyone uncomfortable and ignoring the fact that he is aware of you staring him down, or you could do the 3rd thing (which hardly ever happens) and talk to him like the boy he is!
Mental illness is not the most popular of disabilities (as far as people recognizing and truly understanding it), but it is the most popular as far as effecting way to many kids and families, the newest statistics are mind boggling and it IS an epidemic! We are soon going to have a generation of children that may always be children in their mind, and that should worry us....no one is prepared for what is going to happen to these kids. I feel at times we are losing some great minds to this illness and I know at times I do feel sorry for myself because I have "lost" my only boys to this....Edwin is the 4th kid in Eddie's family to have his name, and it has probably stopped now. And Tobey and Edwin getting their Drivers Licence is "lost", Daughter-in-laws are "lost", even though Lord help the woman they would touch Tobey. I keep hearing all these people on TV giving their theories on things to do to help prevent Autism, or arguing on how it started. I don't really care how it started (even though I have my theories) but I do care about how to "fix" it, while knowing in my heart it can't be. And now I will step down....
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