a little background

hi, my name is mandy and I have two amazing little boys. My oldest son, Ty, has been diagnosed with autism (which is what you will read most about in this blog); I also have Tripp, who is an amazing little brother to Ty (who you will also hear alot about). I was encouraged to start this blog to document our journey through life and life with autism... my world has been rocked in last few years and i have responded in good ways and bad ... but Jesus has gotten me through all of it...





i hope i can be an encouragement to you, and for the friends and family that will read this - maybe this will keep you posted indepth on what Ty is learning! :) and the adventures of Tripp too





thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, comments or smart remarks; feel free to post them.



Thursday, March 10, 2016

sleepless nights

So for 8 years we have been accustomed to no sleep ... Ty was always waking up in the night, multiple times, and keeping everyone else awake too. Then I attempted keeping both boys in the same room, in the same bed with a baby gate up and I was across the hall. Still sleepless nights. Tripp would wake up multiple times in the night to go to the bathroom, when Tripp was up Ty would get up and vice versa. Today I can tell you that the boys have had more sleep in the last month than any of us have in the last 8 years! They started out in the new house in the same room and separate beds. Well that didn't work. Ty kept keeping Tripp up all night, as I started to move Ty's bed into the other room he let me know real quick that he wasn't happy about it. I asked him if he was upset about me moving his bed and he quickly shook his head yes.(I was so pumped about the quick and clear communication!) So I had a heart to heart and told him this was his last chance. He did better that night. However, the next night he didn't - he was up and down flipping on lights and attempting to open the gate. So I bought a gate that used hardware to go into the wall and moved his bed, still not sure if this was going to work?! Bedtime came around and Ty went with me to tuck Tripp in and say his prayers and then I put Ty in his bed, tucked him in said his prayers and closed the gate. I sat quietly in the living room where I could see both rooms and just waited. Ty came to the gate a few times to see if I was there and finally put himself back in bed and went to sleep. Each night got easier and easier. For 8 years our bedtime routine has been: sit in the room until the boys fall asleep, then sneak out like a ninja and hope you don't step too heavy, breathe too loud, stand up too loud .... the list goes on... I'm sure you think I'm kidding, but there have been many nights that the simple motion of moving from a sitting position to standing could wake a child from a deep snore?! So for me to walk in each of the boys rooms and simply tuck them in and walk out and call it a night - I felt like I won the lottery! Seriously, I was in disbelief and I'm pretty sure I pinched myself just to make sure it wasn't a dream. There are still nights here and there that the boys may wake up a little early or need me in the night but not every night! I have even had to go in and wake them up the next morning - that has maybe only happened once in the last 8 years?! It's the little things that turn into big things that make me smile and make me think.


It makes me think of how much God does for us. Those times when we don't think He's anywhere near us. We run around kicking and screaming and crying because we think He doesn't care, He just left me here by myself, He put this gate up so I can't get out, Why, WHY, WHY?!  He's really in the next room waiting, allowing you to grow, allowing you to learn how to control those fears and emotions that want to run rampant in your soul. If we could just trust Him, know He is on guard and know that when it's time He will come to the door and open that gate. Not on our terms and not while we are in the middle of a raging fit .... but when He's ready.