I have tried several times to sit down and write a few blog posts, but the things I seem to want to talk about are a little difficult for me and I have continued to put them off.
So – to get the ball rolling I have decided to talk about our most recent adventure, the Walk Now for Autism Speaks walk in Salt Lake City this last weekend. It (Walk Now) is a fundraiser to help raise money for Autism Speaks and research to uncover the mysteries of autism.
I really want to support research. I am determined to understand how my son who was pronounced healthy at 2:02 a.m. on August 7, 2006, who loved to snuggle with me, and smiled every time I sang him a lullaby, began to fade away. I realize uncovering the truth won’t change anything, but maybe understanding will give me some comfort.
That’s why I decided to start supporting this worthy cause, and in turn, began harassing all of my friends and family every year. But even more than the fundraising, the Walk is a highlight of my year. We aren’t able to do very many things with Kamp – he’s just not accepted in very many places. But once a year, we can take him to an autism friendly event that’s just for him.
The Walk is a place where every parent understands why he refuses to wait in line and will not get out of the bouncy house. He can scream, cover his ears (because it’s too loud) and we won’t get dirty looks. Instead, we get smiles and looks of compassion from people who know what it’s like. Its very uplifting, and Kamp has a blast.
This year we decided to do t-shirts and now Kamping With Autism has a logo! We picked his favorite color, lime green, and we looked good! It was a wonderful day that celebrates everything autism. A big thanks to family and friends who took time out to come to the walk, and a special thank you to everyone who was able to donate to this VERY worthy – and important – cause.
Kamping with Autism 