For My Husband

I want to dedicate this entry to my husband. Marriage is tough, raising kids is hard, living through the ups and downs of the economy is no fun. But- I feel lucky to have married a man who is so strong and full of love for his family. The divorce rate for most marriages is somewhere around 50-60%- for those with Autistic children- it is closer to 80%. Many fathers can't handle the stress of having an Autistic child- especially a son. Men have dreams of enjoying sporting events with their son- maybe even fathering a pro athlete. When those dreams are shattered it is hard to handle. My husband coaches 3 sports. Basketball is his passion. Robbie can't handle going to the games. A friend of his,a fellow coach with an Autistic son, told him he couldn't take his son to his games until he was 13 years old. I am just starting to understand how difficult this is for my husband. Yesterday Lexi and I painted our toes. Silly analogy- but what if I couldn't enjoy those moments with my daughter? If I couldn't look forward to the special things mothers and daughters do together- however trivial.
Rob and I have recently come to terms with the fact that our lives are different than others and we have to make adjustments accordingly. Not to say different is always bad- it can be good- just different. We spend a lot of time discussing options for Robbie- what's working, what's not working, different approaches, services etc. I am thankful to have a partner who is engaged in the process. I can't imagine going through this alone. So honey if you read this- I love you- but please stop leaving wet towels on the bed!!!!!