It's All Special November Link-Up

Welcome to It's All Special: The Special Needs Link Up! This is It's All Special: November Edition, hosted by Mishmash Mama, Trust Me, I'm a Mom,and Peace from 6 Pieces through the It's All Special Community on Google+.

This month, our members are talking about "hope."

You are invited to link up your posts about hope and special needs parenting at the bottom of this post. If you missed last month's It's All Special, you can find it here. If you have questions, would like to co-host, or would like to sponsor a special needs appropriate giveaway, email Shannon at mishmashmamablog@gmail.com.

Your hosts are

Shannon @ Mishmash Mama

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Cobilynn @ Peace from 6 Pieces

Google+

Facebook

Instagram

Michelle @ Trust Me, I'm A Mom

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

When you link up, please:

• Be on topic (silliness, humor, anger, honesty!) Old posts are fine.

• Follow your hosts

• Add our badge to your post, or link back here

• Comment on at least 2 other posts! Share the love!

• Use #ItsAllSpecial on social media

• Also, feel free to request membership to It's All Special, our Google+ Community

...and finally, enter this month's giveaway, sponsored generously by Doodler Crayons.

Doodler Crayons™ are reshaped fun crayons

Great for kids big or little! Perfect for art projects, unique gifts, stocking stuffers, or even use them as party favors!

Doodler Crayons is a family run crayon recycle shop that was created in 2009. We are located on a small farm in the beautiful valley of Crow, Oregon. If you are ever in the area stop by and say Hi! We hand-craft each crayon with detail, care and love. We support the environment, green America and local economy.

 

Link up your post below, then come back and enter the giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Don't forget your badge!

 

 

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Hope, It's All Special

Life is funny. As little kids we imagine our lives in the future. We create dreams, goals and ideas that we HOPE will be our reality. We learn from others what we want and don't want. We plan and prepare for all of our dreams to come true. We believe that we are on the right track as things fall into place and we make the right decisions in order to accomplish our goals. And then...

You're hit by a 2x4 (literally or figuratively) and our reality we dreamed of and planned on is no longer available to us in its entirety. It's changed somehow. Maybe you planned to be be married with 5 kids, two dogs and live on a farm, but you find out after your first baby you can't have any more. Maybe you planned to go to NYC and enjoy single life in the city, but instead while in NY you meet the love of your life and follow his dreams. Maybe life is just the way you planned when you get hit by a car while on your bike and your hopes turn into a fight for your life. 

In my life I feel like I've gone through a few of these reality altering experiences. Some of them I've welcomed and some of them I've handled like a two year old throwing a tantrum. Believe me when I say it's a lot easier to accept than resist because no matter what it is what it is. In my experience the life that is waiting for us to accept is better than what we hoped for. 

The Rock's diagnosis with autism has been one of these experiences and all my hopes and dreams for my sweet baby boy changed. My hopes and dreams for my son became simplified. My hopes for him became what most every other child takes for granted. My hope for my son is that one day I'll be able to have a conversation, a simple answer to a simple question like: 

Me "How was your day?" 

Him "It was good."

Me "I love you, buddy."

Him "I love you too, Mom."

This will be the most amazing conversation I will ever have in my life. 

My HOPE's for the Rock have become a belief, which I think are even stronger than hope. I BELIEVE that my son will one day talk with me, understand more than he does now and will be successful in the life he is meant to have. I don't know how this will all happen but because of my HOPE and BELIEF in him I continue to fight for him, work for him and accept the miracles that occur daily, you never know when it will all become our reality. 

What do you hope for? How do you keep your hopes alive?