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Dear Addie, This past weekend, we packed our bags and prepared for a week away—not the kind of “away” that means checking into a Marriott for a fun-filled vacation, but rather checking into the pediatric hospital for a week of additional testing. It was a lesson in wants and needs, because while nobody wanted this, it was something we needed at this time. There has been glimmers of progress and tiny signs that gave us hope that recovery was near. It felt within reach, like

Dear Addie, This week, we tried. Not naive to the reality of life, with everyone growing older, calendars packed with school, work, and social plans, we made an effort. We tried for a family picture. Clara was home for the weekend. Gabe didn’t have rehearsal until later in the afternoon. You, though a little lethargic, were in a good mood. The Lions weren’t playing until later, and of course, it was raining - because why wouldn’t it be? We said - Let’s do this. Everybody say

Dear Addie, This week was rough, there’s really no better way to put it. Mentally and physically, it felt like there was no safe space to...

Dear Addie, Sometimes, I find myself reflecting on our parenting journey, caught in a wave of “remember when” moments. I think about the...

Dear Addie, For the first time since starting these letters, I didn’t get to my writing last week. It ate away at me a bit to think I had...

Dear Addie, Our days and nights all seem long right now, or maybe not long, but often a blur of where day and night begin and end. Right...

Dear Addie, ...And then you were a freshman. The week we had been waiting for has finally arrived as we headed back to school. A week...

Dear Addie, This week has been really hard. I’ve felt tired, sad, a little angry, and pretty down about where we are with your health...

Dear Addie, Change is in the air. With fall schedules starting, our family is settling into new routines. Clara is back at college, and...

Dear Addie, After an unavoidable stay in the hospital last week, we finally returned home, exhausted, eager for a meal that wasn’t...

Dear Addie, Can we just get a do-over on summer, please? This week, having exhausted all our options to find relief from what seems like...

Dear Addie, Our days have been long, exhausting, and full of emotions lately. I've thought over and over again about the last couple of...

Dear Addie, This week, we started our Operation Break the Cycle for your anxiety-induced vomiting syndrome. Now while we are seeing...

Dear Addie, After weeks of experiencing symptoms, undergoing tests, visiting hospitals, trying various medications, and pivoting on plans...

Dear Addie, This week has been filled with high emotions and unmeasurable exhaustion as we participated in the often unpopular game of...

Dear Addie, There is a classic childhood story that says, "Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said, 'No more monkeys jumping on the...

Dear Addie, …And then it was summer. The time of year we have come to love as we head back to our beloved 3 Bluebird’s Farm autism camp....

Dear Addie, Teaching children to share is one of the most important lessons in early childhood. It involves practical strategies that...

Dear Addie, A few weeks ago, we had a fantastic visit at the dentist—words that an autism parent rarely utters - I promise you. Now...

Where it all started. Dear Addie, This week, we celebrated the beginning of the ninth year of my writing letters to you. People often...