A Special Love Letter on Valentine's Day

When I started out on the autism journey, I didn't really feel "alone" like most people do.  Doctors, therapists and teachers were my new friends and the appointments kept me busy.  The need for socialization outside of that circle didn't occur to me.    Being an introvert, I experienced life a little differently.



Meeting another mom of a child with autism didn't happen until Tristen was about 3.  The unspoken understanding was profound and so precious. However, military families move away, and we lost touch during those pre-Facebook years.

When Tristen was about 7 we moved from GA and continued to move often.  Each move meant getting acquainted with new teachers, therapists, aides and doctors.  With my drive to help my son make the most progress possible, I remained distracted from the idea of a community who was facing the same trials becoming a support system.

The summer before Tristen would start 10th grade we made our final move to Texas.  This move would be different from all the others because I would be teaching my boys from home.  But what I wasn't prepared for, was the quick decline and dramatic change in my health and well-being.

Looking back now, I can guess at what the main contributing factors were. Extreme stress causes all kinds of havoc on the body. I had some deep depression and dark moments where I felt like I could literally not move my body from the extreme exhaustion.  Then, came the fear of driving and leaving the house.  Finally, my memory became so deteriorated, I could not remember my kid's ages, birthdays, or at times, names.  I was so scared because although these symptoms seemed to ebb and flow, I had undertaken a huge responsibility to teach my children at home and I couldn't let them down.

During those depths of desperation and despair, is when I started reading a lot.  Not just Facebook posts, but blogs too...the stuff I always wished I had time to read when I was a  mom working full time.

When I read a blog on the Thinking Mom's Revolution page about essential oils, and how one particular oil, Frankincense, helped significantly with cognition, I started to weep.  I felt this fact was an indirect message from God, leading me back to the land of the living.  I ordered some immediately.

That was the very beginning.  The beginning of healing for myself and the start of a powerful friendship; one I never realized I needed. It was my first experience being a part of a community who was not only going through what I went through as an autism parent, but believed in the same things I did on how to help heal his body and brain.  What a euphoric feeling to not be alone.....even when I never realized how lonely I was!

During my recovery, I was asked to be a part of a group called TeamTMR.....a group of women like me who wanted to share a story of reality and hope, working together to raise money to give grants to other families with children on the spectrum.  Without hesitation, I agreed wholeheartedly.

Following The Thinking Mom's gave me so much more than just a chance to be a co-author in a published book.  They taught me more about researching and healing our bodies in a safe and natural way.  The Thinking Mom's taught me how to be strong, brave, and stand up for what I believe in, no matter who says you are wrong. They taught me to never give up.  The Thinking Mom's taught me about sisterhood, and how precious and necessary it is.  Now I know, that when I am down or feeling like giving up, someone else is in my corner, being strong for me in that moment, because they have been there before, and they know I will be there for them when the time comes.

So this is my love letter to The Thinking Mom's Revolution....Will you be mine this Valentine's?

Buy our book today and share the stories of hope from this group of ferociously brilliant, determined and loving women.  This second edition comes with updates from your favorite Team members. You don't have to have a child with autism to appreciate it.