Sleep was a figment of our imaginations last night but at least Owen was extremely happy about it. The dude couldn’t wait to get to school. I am so very thankful for how much he is embracing this new year.

I woke up every couple of hours last night. The last few days have been a little rough for me but I was finally feeling the upswing as the day wore on. Food was not tasting like food should and I was wishing it was tasting more like those caviar dreams you are supposed to have.

Owen played on his tablet and stayed in his room while I attempted to sleep a little bit more. I got up to go to the bathroom and he directed me back to the “white bed go lay down.” He is now adding directions to what I am supposed to do.

We got ready and went out to wait for the bus. It was a much better day for him now that he understood the bus was coming from a different direction. I wanted him to look at the moon but that is a hard concept for him when he knows that it is daytime. I explained to him that it was still out and he could see it in the sky. He turned himself around and refused to look at it saying, “No no no.” I didn’t push it because he was doing so well with us waiting there. Thankfully his bus pulled up and he was off, yelling towards me about going to school on Friday. This is also still hard for him to be able to handle.

When he came home from school he was excited once again. He watched the bus drive away and then we came inside. I am giving him time to do exactly what he wants before we talk about his day. I feel like it is helping him process it and he can then tell me more about what he did. I know that some of what he says isn’t necessarily what he actually did but I love that he can hold a conversation with me about the different things.

He was playing on his tablet and laughing hysterically at the videos he was watching. His laugh is everything. It fills our whole house with joy and that is exactly what I need. I love it when he randomly belts out songs and does it on his own. Sometimes we sing together but he definitely prefers his singing over mine. And I don’t blame him.

I’m thankful for a good day. By dinner time food was starting to taste better and we both enjoyed our meals. I’m hoping that tonight we both sleep better although lack of sleep didn’t seem to bother one of us. Do not let one person‘s words erase the thousands of positive words other people tell you. Be stronger than the negative words and know that the truth is within you. Be bold, be beautiful, be you. Smiles to all and donut daze!

I slept a little better last night but still felt sleepy when I woke up this morning. Thankfully Owen once again slept all night long. I think middle school might be wearing him out. He was beyond ready to go to school and get on that bus.

My day was a little rougher than yesterday but thankfully I was still able to eat. Owen was ready for first breakfast as soon as he got out of bed. I’m thankful he is a great eater. He listened well this morning and did everything I asked him to do so we could get ready to go and wait for the bus.

We didn’t have to wait quite as long for the bus but I hope that they can get the times better soon. He was so excited to see the bus turn the corner. He did a little better today about not being in his spot and he wasn’t upset when then came around the opposite direction again. I am so incredibly thankful for his growth and how far he has come.

When he came home on the bus I could tell he was talking to them about the days of the week and he was telling them he would see them on Friday. I hope that once he gets a few more weeks under his belt he will feel more secure in his routine. I am thankful for the bus people and how patient and kind they are.

He got another good report today. That makes me happy. I am so glad he is embracing this year and starting to understand all the changes that are happening. He is making huge strides in understanding and comprehension of what we talked about.

I had to go get my medicine and he knew exactly what we needed to do. He always comes home and wants to change right away but I had been waiting all day for them to fill my prescription. He left his clothes on, ate his snack, and then told me we had to go to the “drive-thru for mommy’s medicine.” He told me it would make me feel better and my heart just exploded with glee. He truly has such an amazing understanding of this all now.

When we got home I fixed dinner and he ate every bit of it. He talked to me about me getting a buzz cut and he started watching a video he loves about kids going to get haircuts. Once again I was so proud of him for how far he has come. I told him I would be getting one very soon and he said, “Mommy get a buzz cut.” I asked him if he was fine with it and he repeated it back to me again.

I pray daily for Owen’s understanding and each day I look at these moments and I see incredible growth. He is handling so many new things and I can tell that he is comprehending these moments. He is my greatest gift and every day I am thankful for what he has taught me.

He is very much looking forward to another day at school and hopefully, he will embrace each day with more understanding as his routine becomes a little more set in stone. His smile and laughter were exactly what I needed to end our day. He wanted to play games with me and we talked about his day. It’s just what this momma’s heart needed.

Bedtime came quickly for both of us. Each day is a gift. Some days may be a little rough around the edges but it is the amazing joy he brings me that I always know it will be fine. Let the joy bring you the calm in any of the storms you are feeling and tomorrow will be a better day. Smiles to all and donut daze!

Not much rest for me last night but at least I was not feeling horrible like the last time. I still had some side effects throughout the day but much smoother than the first go-round. Thankfully Owen slept. He even slept late. He was so happy that today was a school day.

We got ready and he wanted to wait for the bus. At the beginning of each school year, it always happens; the bus schedule. They never give the bus people enough time to figure out their routes and contact the parents to get the times to them. Plus, the routes will take longer because more people will be out on the roads when school is back in session. I know it is hard on the bus people and it is extremely hard for Owen to wait for the bus. Even though he doesn’t technically know time he knows when he is supposed to be going to school. He just senses it.

I should have kept him distracted in the house but he wanted to go outside. He couldn’t wait in his usual spot because there was too much traffic. Plus, the bus came from a different direction, and that threw him off. He will adjust, we will adjust, and the bus will adjust, but it’s just hard to explain it all to Owen. Thankfully the bus aide let me know that he did amazingly on the way to school and that always makes my day.

He came home happy as a lark. He got off the bus and he always likes to stand where he can watch them “go bye-bye.” He has come so far and I’m so proud of him. I’m thankful that he loves the bus so much and it makes such a huge impact on his life.

I asked him how his day went. He never knows how to answer that but I try to prompt him with questions that might be helpful so we can have a conversation about it. I asked him what he ate and it is pretty much always the same response with foods he hears from songs he likes. Sometimes I think he tells me what he had. His report that his teacher sent home was good though and that once again makes this momma’s heart so happy. I think he is going to have an incredible year.

He ate his snack and then we were off to his vision therapy. I love how caring his doctor is with him and he was able to do some of the exercises that he couldn’t do a few months ago. He is growing so much. He was very distracted by wanting her to chew gum so he could talk about that with her. He never forgets a thing so he generally brings up things that we haven’t talked about in months or all the things we talked about the week before. He amazes me with all the details he remembers.

We came home and ate dinner. He was very calm and I think middle school might be wearing him out. He truly is doing well with it and I know that once his schedule is a little set this will be better for him and he won’t be so concerned with “new school on Friday.” I hope that after this full week, he will be able to understand this is where he goes to school now. He has asked about his old school and summer school so I know he is trying to process it all.

It did not take him long to fall asleep. He was out so quickly and I pray for another great night of sleep for him. There is no stopping my sweet baby O. I know he will soar to new heights and succeed in everything he does. That is what I always remind him of. The best thing you can do for yourself is believe you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it. You will succeed. Smiles to all and donut daze!

Day four went much better than the last day four after my chemo infusion. I was up several times to go to the bathroom but not sick at all and that was such a blessing. I was able to eat however everything I ate tasted weird again but not quite as bad as last time. I was so thankful that it was not as hard as before.

Owen woke in a great mood. I checked and some of his favorite people were going to be at church. He was very excited about that. I’m thankful he has so many people in his life that he loves and that they love him. It is great knowing that he has lots of people helping him grow.

He kept talking about school on Friday. I told him he goes all week. He kept saying it so I reminded him about the five minutes rule. He then said take the tablet. It was like he was processing how it works. He has done incredibly well with this strategy and I know he is so much calmer than he has been.

We got ready for church and I could tell he was a little more elevated. I know he is processing all his emotions and some days are harder for him. He did great on the way to church but he still was anxious. He talked about seeing his friends all the way home. He wanted me to drive by several things on the way home but by this time he was starting to scream about the places. I went back over the rules of giving each other kindness and grace so we went straight home after we got our lunch. Thankfully by the time we got home, he was calmer. He ate all his lunch and even ate the cheeseburger first.

I got his bus schedule for tomorrow morning. I know that will help him with his routine and he will be so excited to stand in his favorite spot to watch it pull up. He was concerned about his week ahead because he didn’t think he would go back again until Friday. Starting on a Friday is so hard for him to understand. If they do this again next year I may consider telling him school starts on Monday and talk to his teacher about it. It puts so much stress on him even though he understands the days of the week starting and then having the weekend is hard for him to process.

I’m thankful he was calm as the night went on. I know that as the days move forward he will be more comfortable with his routine and excited for each day ahead. He laughed so much today and that makes my heart happy. His little giggles fill the air with joy and that’s what we all need most.

I am thankful I was able to eat today even though everything kind of tasted like tree bark. Not that I’ve eaten tree bark but I would have to guess it tasted like that. Each day I pray for a better tomorrow for everyone. Positive words and positive actions equal a positive life. Let tomorrow be your best day ever and embrace joy. Smiles to all and donut daze!

Once again sleep was better for both of us. I woke a couple of times through the night but then slept until after six. Owen followed close to seven. I’ll take it. He went straight for his caterpillar and listened to the alphabet song numerous times before he came to me. He was in a much better mood and had no “cranky mouth” to report about. I think middle school wore him out.

He started talking about his days ahead and then he kept repeating about his friend being at school in December. He wouldn’t stop so I told him that he would have to give up his tablet for five minutes. I took his tablet and he immediately said it again so I added five more minutes to his time. I told him he could still talk about his friends and school but once his question was answered then we had to move forward. He did great the rest of the day with this.

He was eating a little bit more today and had a second breakfast before we got ready to go to Grandma’s house. He did great on the way there and my mom said he was very calm the whole day. I am thankful that he isn’t having to repeat his words as much and he can be redirected to talking about other things.


He did great on the way home for me. He said one thing about a turn and then he told himself to not say it again and talked about church and who he wanted to see. I loved that he was able to go through the process and self-direct himself to talk about something else. It was such incredible progress.

He had a great night. He tested me a couple of times by repeating some phrases but he quickly looked at me to see what I would say and then changed the subject. He is learning and still trying to figure out how far he can push the boundaries but truly thankful for how calm he is now. It has been life-changing over the last week and I know that it will keep being such a blessing on his growth.

Nighttime came quickly. He talked to me about church and seeing all the people he wants to see. I love his love for his people. Knowing that he has made these incredible connections fills my heart with gladness. I was thankful for a good day for me as well. My stomach has been much better with my medication changes and the swelling in my feet has gone down some. I’m praying for no sickness in the days ahead. Give each day your all. Some days the weight of the world sits there in your mist but push it away and let your gladness shine through. It will change your whole world. Smiles to all and donut daze!

The morning didn’t go as planned but thankfully Owen did fine throughout all of it. He woke up very early. He was very much ready for all the great things ahead. We only had one hitch in our giddy up but he took it in anxious stride.

I slept pretty well last night and I was feeling fine when I woke up except for my feet were swollen. I was thankful for the rest though and knowing that Owen was going back to school today made us both happy. I tried to get his morning bus for several days with no information so I took him to school. I was fine with doing it but he loves the bus so. And we still do not have his bus information yet. The county does not give the bus drivers enough time to prepare. We have always had wonderful bus drivers and aides and I’m so thankful for the way they interact with Owen.

I drove him to school and he was so excited about going to his class with his teacher. The bus brought him home and he was excited about that too. I looked at Owen’s daily report from his teacher and she said he transitioned well and had a great first day. That made my heart happy. I know that he is going to embrace this year with so much gusto and I know big changes will be happening. I can feel it.

I asked him what he ate at school. He told me had chocolate pudding for breakfast and popcorn, yogurt, pizza, and pretzels for lunch. I think a few of those might be a little bit of a coincidence to some songs he likes. He also told me he got to see his friends. And he is going to high school in September so he can watch channel 87 since they didn’t let him watch it today. Channel 87 to him is the Disney channel in our area. I am thankful he had a great first day.

He was very calm for the rest of the night and talked about his weekend. He is ready to see his grandma tomorrow and go to church on Sunday. I love my sweet baby O’s enthusiasm for his favorite things to do. He also told me he was excited about going to school on Monday. That makes me very happy.

Here’s to a great first day and I know many more to come. I’m thankful his day was such a success. He fell asleep quickly and was in a great mood all night. Let your day be filled with gladness and know that you are stronger than you think you are. Smiles to all and donut daze!

I went to bed early, woke up one time, and then was up for the day by four. Thankfully Owen slept all night and he was feeling better once he woke up. He knew he had a big day ahead. He was going to spend the day with his grandma while I went to my chemo infusion.

The morning didn’t go according to plan. I should have had plenty of time but you know when one thing happens the tumbleweeds keep tumbling. I just seemed to do everything backwards and everything took longer than expected. Thankfully I wasn’t late to my appointments but like the rest of the morning, I didn’t realize I was seeing my doctor as well. It all worked out fine but just threw my morning off. The center is amazing though and they all are very patient and kind. It is nice to know they are here for their patients and walk us through all the steps.

Owen was completely in his element with his grandma. She is so amazing with him and I’m so thankful for their relationship. It’s such a great experience for him and she truly helps him thrive. She gives with all her heart to both of us and she helps him by working on life skills sprinkled in between all the fun they have.

He has been doing so incredibly well with the repetitive words. If he goes through the words and starts repeating himself I remind him that he knows the answers and he is doing amazing. If he keeps repeating them I talk to him about the five minutes rule and he stops. I am so thankful for how far he has come so quickly and it has truly been life-changing. I know there will still be days that we have to work through it but since he has made this much progress already I know he can push through it all.

He is so excited about school starting and I am excited for him. He thrives in the school environment and the routine helps him. I can tell a difference immediately in his behavior and everything he goes through. Plus the whole bus experience is something he absolutely loves and they are all great with him.

When I got him from my mom I could tell he was feeling a lot better. He had a good day with his grandma and he went to his therapy. He was elevated throughout the day and he has been more emotional lately. He is still learning how to cry and he will now cry through those moments that he never used to. It is so hard to watch him cry but I’m thankful that can express himself more.

Right before bedtime, he started getting anxious about what school he was going to. He kept talking about his previous school and also going to summer school. These moments were very emotional for him. He listed all his teachers and support staff and both his previous school and his summer school but then he talked about his new school and seeing all his friends. He knew his teacher’s name and the autism mentor in his classroom. He was very excited about it. So many emotions attached to tomorrow. I am praying for a good night's sleep and a beautiful tomorrow that meets all his expectations.

He hugged me good night and he fell asleep in mid-sentence about his teacher. Here’s to a great year. His laughter says it all and as emotional as he was tonight that laughter sings through and brings joy to my heart. Let laughter fill your heart and bring you the joy you are seeking. It will change your world. Smiles to all and donut daze!

Between Owen’s vaccines and the new tooth coming in it was a long night and day for him. He woke around two and he was “cranky” as he calls himself when he is not feeling well. He told me “My mouth is cranky” and crawled into bed with me but eventually got back out and took his tablet to his bed. I am thankful for his words so that he can express his pain and how he feels. It’s so hard for this momma’s heart when he is hurting but so thankful that he can help me understand what is wrong.

I started giving him Tylenol and he was feeling better. Hopefully, tomorrow will be better for his mouth and he won’t feel as sluggish from the vaccines. Plus he woke up so early because he was excited about meeting his teacher today. I call that a rookie mistake. I know I shouldn’t tell him what we are doing sometimes until the actual day but he has been doing much better about activities so I told him. However, this was something new for him so it caused anxiousness.

He didn’t want to eat too much this morning but ate some cereal. He was extremely calm all morning and sat with me in my bed for a while playing games. I thought he might go back to sleep but he didn’t let it happen.

He was very excited about going to his new school and thankfully his “mouth no cranky” so off we headed on our adventure. I always ask for GPS directions even though I know where we are going so I will get traffic reports. I mistakenly said his old school’s name out of habit and he quickly corrected me with his new school’s name. He is always on it.

By nighttime, I think his mouth was feeling much better. I hope his tooth comes in quickly. He has a few more to go after this one but thankfully he got a good report from the dentist about it.

He is excited about going to spend the day with his grandma while I go to my chemo infusion tomorrow. I am ready for this round and I’m prepared for how to handle it this time. I’m thankful for how Owen is handling everything and he has grown so much.

He fell asleep quickly and I pray he sleeps all night. He hugged me before he went to bed and I’m thankful for how calm he has been. He has made incredible growth this summer. I’m excited for his growth and to see what this next year brings. Bring joy into your life every day and watch how your days change. Smiles to all and donut daze!

We both slept a little later than yesterday but I sure wish we could sleep more. Owen woke up in a good mood but I could tell he was biting his mouth again. I was feeling pretty good this morning just a little tired.

He was doing good about not repeating words. He would start and I would remind him that he would lose his tablet if he kept it up so he quickly stopped. He has been a little more agitated the last couple of days but I know it is the countdown to school starting.

I can tell the dude is growing again because he is power eating through the food. I love that he is requesting all the food he wants. This is something that I have waited a long time for. He has been requesting more foods over the last few years but now it seems like he is always requesting the foods he wants. I always make him try a bite of new foods. I want him to try different things. He generally will say he doesn’t like something but I will try it again at a later time too.

We got ready and went to his dentist appointment. He was very patient as we waited. He saw someone leave and he started waving goodbye to them. It makes me so happy to see him waving. This was a skill that we had been working on for years. I love watching him use a skill without any directions from me. He did amazing with his dentist. He told her he wanted her to “count his Spider-Man teeth” and he wanted he to use the “Scooby-Doo toothpaste.” He is getting one of his back morals in so I know that is why his teeth are “cranky.” I’m so proud of how he handles going to the dentist.

On the way home we stopped and picked up dinner. He was telling me all kinds of things on our adventure. He said he was going to see Santa soon. I asked him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas. He said, “Chocolate pudding.” I always laugh at the things he comes up with. He doesn’t like chocolate pudding.

He started talking about school on Friday and he told me that the bus is going to high school in September. I never imagined even though I should have known that telling him after he goes to middle school he would start high school would cause him to think he would only be at middle school for a short time. I had told him he would be there for three years and then move to high school but he is only focused on moving to the next school part.

I’m thankful for a good day. He was very patient today and focused on what he wanted. He has grown so much and I can tell he is applying so many of his new skills. He went to his bed and then he got back up and came to my room. He crawled into my arms and told me he loved me and we were staying home tomorrow. He knows we are going to meet his teacher but it's hard for him to understand since school doesn't start until Friday. His laugh and that amazing smile warmed my heart. Be inspired by the world around you and know that your smile can change the world. Smiles to all and donut daze!

Early was the name of the game today. We both were up around four. Owen was biting the inside of his mouth again but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as last time. He was in a good mood though and ready for his day. I was feeling better this morning even though I was extremely tired.

Not only is Friday Owen’s first day back to school but it’s also my brother’s birthday. It doesn’t get easier just gets different. I’m trying to embrace it and remember what an amazing person he was and celebrate that. The hardest part is the hardest part but we have to keep moving forward.

Owen is doing much better about repeating his words. He was extremely calm this morning and knew we were going to see the nurse to get his shots. We talked about the steps all morning. I walked him through what the nurse would do and that the shots would be quick but it would feel like a pinch and then he would be done. I explained she would put a bandaid on after the shots. To say he did fantastic is an understatement. I held his hands so he wouldn’t reach up to touch the shot as it happened but he hardly moved. He did the first one and he looked at the nurse but didn’t cry or say a word. He was a little hesitant with the second one but still, let her do it without trying to push her away. She put his bandaid on and he was ready to go meet grandma.

He went with his grandma on their adventure and then she took him to his music therapy. He stayed with her until his music therapy. He had been a little elevated with her and during his music therapy but I figured between being up at four, the shots, and out of routine he was still doing pretty good.

We went to his vision therapy and he was able to do the exercises but he was focused on the doctor’s shoes. He has been doing great with the repetitive words but it was a lot for him at therapy. He is connecting more with those emotions and he started to cry. My heart always breaks with those tears. He was able to recover but it was still emotions for him.

He requested pizza on the way home and he was excited to go through the Gino’s drive-thru. He talked about the day the crane came to fix their new sign after the storm destroyed their last one. He was very calm when we got home and he ate four pieces of pizza. He is definitely growing.

Nighttime came quickly and he wasn’t exactly excited about going to sleep but he was sure ready for tomorrow. He can’t wait to go see his dentist for his checkup. Routine will soon be returning and I know he will be so excited to start school. Today was a little harder for him but through it all I saw growth and that little smile always signs through. Focus on the good stuff and let everything else wash away. Smiles to all and donut daze!