2016 Is My Bitch

Fuck you 2016. You thought you could drag us down. You thought "hey, let's flip their world upside down and laugh from across the room". Yeah. It hasn't been easy. Some days have down right sucked. But you know what? 2016 hasn't won. Actually, I have grabbed 2016 by the balls and made it my bitch! But only after 8 months have I realized it wasn't about me, or even us. An autism diagnosis is about the whole family. In a mere 8 months I have learned who true friends are. I have watched a 16 year old grow up and gain a fierce protectiveness over her brother. I have watched an 8 year old struggle with why he gets treated differently. And I won't lie. He does. We all do. And it's not just autism. It's any disability because honestly, who plans on a disability being a part of their life. From the moment you find out you're pregnant, you expect perfection. You worry about what you eat, how much rest you get, but nothing guarantees perfection because there is no such thing. If I was told 7 years ago that my son would be autistic, would it change anything? Not a damn thing. Not for this family. My child is the coolest kid I know. His siblings are amazing little people that will grow into compassionate adults having grown up around a disability. So while some days I have doubts, I am worn out and feel like I have nothing left to give, I do have a big middle finger for 2016. You haven't won. This was our year. This is when we became stronger then ever and you can never take that away from us.