What I’ve Learned (so far) On This Autism Parenting Roller Coaster

12 years on this ride.  Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1)  You’re never as good as your best day or as bad as your worst.
2)  Our biggest victories often follow short bursts of brutal tests of will.
3)  Comparison is a vile, ugly monster.
4)  He is sneaky like a ninja and never far away.
5)  It’s possible that the people who know you best are thousands of miles away, and you’ve never met them.
6)  God has a sense of humor.
7)  That plan you had don’t mean sh*@.
8)  The sweetest sentence ever uttered:  “Daddy, lay with me.”
9)  Bacon, ketchup and a toasted hamburger bun is a perfectly acceptable meal at Chili’s.
10)  If you get a server who approves without judgement, tip them well.
11)  Facebook can be your best friend, or a bitter enemy.
12)  You can’t do this alone.  Ask for help.
13)  Finding a babysitter you can trust enough to actually relax over dinner is like finding a gold brick.
14)  Those little suckers are ALWAYS listening.  Trust me.
15)  If he’s quiet, he’s either sleeping or pooping.  And, he never sleeps.
16)  The human body can do amazing things on very little sleep.
17)  When in doubt about what’s bothering him, start with sensory.
18)  People are drawn toward positivity.  But, if you fake it, they know.
19)  Puberty is a bit*@.
20)  There is a bigger plan.