Website

In preparation for publishing of my book in the next year (or so), I have decided to move all of my blogs to my new WEBSITE!!!! Hurrah! Feel free to check it out!

http://tamarakanderson.com/

Tamara

Skipping at Church

Who says you can't skip down the aisle at church with your bag in tow? That is how Nathan entered church on Sunday. I almost giggled out loud as I watched him. One brother pulled me aside with a smile on his face and said, "If only all of us were so happy to be here." Right? Oh sweet Nathan.

It wasn't always this easy coming to church...subtract 10 years and I was in practically in tears trying to keep my kids quiet, entertained and on the pew during church services. Although my kids (Jacob especially) did escape on numerous occasions and immediately ran to the front where I would always make a spectacle of myself in front of the ENTIRE congregation trying to catch the little demon (I mean angel). Sigh! Yes...we have come a long way.

I am glad I hung in there and kept making it part of our "routine" to come to church. I am thankful for loving people who were kind along the way--because it WAS NOT EASY. There were days I wanted to give up, but I was too stubborn not to. I loved God enough to keep going, even though there were years I didn't get much out of church, I do now. Those of you who are in those hard years, hang in there! Give yourself a year or two, or 10 and they just might skip down the aisle:). #AutismAwareness#GoingToChurch #ICanDoHardThings

Miracles For Matt

Just over two years ago, this amazing young man named Matt Bowen, broke his C5 vertebra body surfing in the Pacific Ocean. Over the past few months I have been privileged to interview him, his family, and a few of his friends about this incredible story. It is this very story I have been working on writing the past few weeks. I will be sharing bits and pieces of his incredible journey as I chronicle Matt's crazy detour in his life and how he pressed forward despite the odds. #NormalForMe #LifeDetours #QuadLife #MiraclesForMatt

https://www.facebook.com/MiraclesforMatt/?fref=hovercard

Finding my "Normal" Font

I was working with my Producer this week on getting my author website ready to launch. We decided to get a mock cover of my book "Normal For Me" on there. One of my assignments was looking at different fonts for my cover. After looking at about 100 fonts I started giggling because I realized that reading all of these fonts that said "normal" was proving my point...every one of us is normal even though we are all different. #NormalAndDifferent #NormalForMe

Sensory Sand

Kiddos on the autism spectrum often have sensory issues and are either over-reactive or under-reactive to their senses. Nathan found great joy in playing with the sand on the beach during our vacation (sensory seeking). He loved running his fingers through it over and over and touching and feeling the sand as it ran through his fingers in different ways. Yes, he did throw sand all over everything, but I was glad he was happy and enjoying the beach in his own way. #AutismAwareness #SensorySand

The Recurring Dream

There was that recurring dream…that one I asked God to stop--not because it was scary, but because I was so sad when I woke up and it wasn’t real. In my dream, Nathan was talking and laughing and communicating normally with me. It was as if nothing was wrong with him. It was as if autism was the dream. My joy in the dream was so immensely tangible. I talked to--really talked to and played with my boy. I loved that dream!

And then I’d wake up. And as the blissful dream slipped from my mind and reality crashed into my mind, I cried. I grieved. I mourned—again, and again, and again, with each ensuing dream. Finally, I did ask God to take the dreams away because the trauma of waking up and grieving each morning was too painful for my mama heart to handle.

I haven’t dreamed about my “normal” Nathan since.

You might consider me weak. I am sorry that I was not strong enough to dream. The reality was too harsh to face each morning. I am stronger now, but not strong enough to pray for the dreams to come back.

Maybe someday when heaven is closer I will have the courage to dream again. In that day when the resurrection touches all of us, the innocent soul I have been blessed to raise will finally receive a perfected body, thanks to the Savior. In that day, I will finally get to see that dream become a reality. I can hardly wait for that dream to come true, when I will ultimately communicate with my Nathan and we will laugh and talk like everyone else. We won’t be hampered autism anymore. And I won’t have to wake up and see it all disappear. #AutismAwareness #Resurrection#JesusChrist #Easter

If you were touched, please share. Happy Easter!

Enjoying the Waves

Vacationing with a child on the autism spectrum is always interesting. You never know what will interest them. When we went to Point Loma, Nathan LOVED watching the waves roll in. It was so sweet to watch him get so excited as he watched the ocean's waves. Enjoying the simple joys of life. #Autism #SimpleJoys