Since April is Autism Awareness Month, I’ve spent the past few weeks sharing pieces of our journey with autism — explaining things like therapy, stimming, advocacy, and the small wins that mean everything.
But as the month comes to a close, I want to share something a little more personal.
I want to talk about how autism has changed our family.
When August was first diagnosed, everything felt heavy.
There were so many unknowns.
So many questions.
So many words in the evaluation report that felt overwhelming and honestly a little terrifying.
For a while, it felt like the future we thought we were stepping into had suddenly changed.
There was grief in that.
Not grief over August himself — but grief over expectations we didn’t even realize we were holding.
The picture we thought we understood.
But over time, something unexpected started to happen.
Our perspective began to change.
Autism has slowed us down in ways we never anticipated.
It has taught us to celebrate moments that many families might overlook.
A new sound.
A moment of eye contact.
A shared laugh.
A new skill that once felt impossible.
The world teaches us to measure progress in big milestones.
Autism has taught us that sometimes the smallest steps forward are the ones that matter most.
It has also stretched us as parents.
It has taught us patience.
It has taught us to listen more closely.
It has taught us to advocate when something matters.
And it has taught us that every child deserves to be understood for who they are.
Autism hasn’t just shaped August.
It has shaped all of us.
It has made our family more compassionate.
More aware.
More grateful for the little things.
And through all of it, our faith has grown deeper.
We believe that God has a purpose for August’s life.
We believe that his story is still being written.
And while we don’t know exactly what the future holds, we trust the One who does.
Autism may not have been the path we expected.
But it has brought growth, perspective, and moments of joy we may never have noticed otherwise.
And for that, we are grateful.
August, Always 