My baby. Artist graduates. From eighth grade. Next week.

I am so grateful to all his teachers helping me like a surgeon guiding a procedure by phone, offering ideas that unlocked his willingness and at times eagerness to study.

Here at his home school, we have finally learned how to make a fire and keep it lit.

His golf swing is also improving, at the cost of a light bulb or two:):):)

He made it over the finish line.  We love you and are all so very proud of you!

Congratulations, Artist!

members of the club.

Whether children are newly-diagnosed or adult, we have a lifetime membership in the experience of raising a child (or children) that changes us to be tougher than we thought we could be, more patient than we thought we could be, more resilient than we thought we could be, more vulnerable than we thought we could be, more loving than we thought we could be, gives us more heartache and pain than we thought we could stand,

and more moments of joy than we thought we could stand.

And there are moments of joy; at times more than a few.  Especially when we see little breakthroughs, advances, the sights and signs of the growing, green buds stretching towards the light.

And we are growing, too, stretching in our capacity to understand there is a different perfection in our children.  Perfection in the beauty of moments of our day, and in quiet moments of clarity that connect the dots and teach us even if we don’t understand, we can accept.

When things stop, even for a moment, there’s a breathing space where we see that there is perfection and a purpose for everything in our lives.

I am coming to understand the teaching comes in being fully present with the moment I am in right now. With the IEP meetings, school, diet and movement towards independence,  I can stay calm in the underlying energies at play when I can be present with a whole heart.

I am a lifetime member of this club–with benefits.  And life is precious for what I am learning about the real value of membership.

This morning we got up early to visit Brookfield Zoo during a special event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Artist manned the map so we could find the different activities, designed for participation of sensitive children.  We enjoyed the sunshine {and the resident chipmunks everywhere}, a demo on companion dog training, a stingray petting “zoo” and a dolphin show.

we both brought our cameras

and photographed animals

feathered or furred,

or made of stone, wood laminate

or artistically trimmed topiary–

and our personal favorite, the vintage merry-go-round.

I loved field trips here when I was a child.  I am happy the zoo and other cultural institutions are making the type of accommodations necessary so more families can enjoy the simple pleasure of taking their children on an field trip to the zoo.

]]> http://2happinessphotography.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/zoo-day/feed/ 0 Dorothy Perry Photography seafish giraffes funny birds big cats elephant artist on the merry-go-round http://2happinessphotography.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/year-one-done/ http://2happinessphotography.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/year-one-done/#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:28:30 +0000 dance of life photography http://2happinessphotography.wordpress.com/?p=461 ]]>

♥

we are finished with the life experiment that was virtual school for this year.

he pulled out all the stops and kept on track to complete his courseload

and even made the honor roll.

what’s even better is that these changes and steps forward

were things he put into place himself–

showing me the power of prayer and love

to keep expanding the possibilities of what he can do

and dreaming to allow a space of peace and imagination

for both our splendid, amazing minds to grow.

♥

Our favorite after-school activity has been pigeon-watching: especially the pigeons around the Eternal Flame at Daley Plaza.

The sight of street-smart birds warming their feet and feathers mere inches from the open flame never fails to delight and puzzle him, and we are not the only ones; others have wondered what might happen if they misjudged the distance or fell asleep with their backs to the fire.  But no bird caught fire during our visit, and we watched them until they joined the scrabble and scrum for popcorn from someone’s snack.

We caught the bus north and continued on home.  As we passed Lincoln Park, looking out the window, my son pointed and said, “Look at the pigeons.”  And there was a small group of pigeons looking for bugs and grubs in the grass.

Not doing anything particular…they were behaving like regular birds.

But the vibe was completely different.  No circling incessantly to scope and snatch the other bird’s find.  No scrabbling or panic or fighting for food, trying to eat anything that fell to the ground.  And I wondered why there weren’t more birds here in this plenty.

And wondered if there was a lesson in why I suddenly noticed it today.

Both places, park and plaza, less than a mile apart, but millions of light years apart in the quality of life.

Free to go anywhere, and yet returning day after day to the same desperate, hardscrabble place and conditions, while an easier, more natural life existed five minutes in flight away.

Trust in the process takes practice and the occasional bumpy landing.  But teaching experiences abound, and can fly into your life like a small flock of pigeons.

He wrote out the steps of the preparation and the utensils involved, and the techniques of moving the hot ingredients from the stove (still something I will supervise until I see he has it down).

And I couldn’t be happier.

I thought that I had been helping him to talk him through it–but during a blessed respite over spring break, I realized I had co-opted his learning experience.

Sometimes I realize I’m waiting for him to @#$%  it up.

Or expected it.

And sometimes I realize I haven’t expected a different result, even as I tell myself I am looking for ways to help him to be independent.

There’s a dissonance that needed to be addressed…

am I really?

The paradigm of wanting to to have a more transparent spiritual life is that the issues come up RIGHT AWAY.  When everyone around me seems to be battling issues with letting go and growing: independence, boundaries and autonomy, the truth is that these issues are my internal struggles with his move towards independence. Making sure I stay needed..or stay in my role as caretaker so I don’t have to grow.

His path is his to walk.

He might @#$%  it up.

And he also might succeed in a way that is his.

I want to bubblewrap him sometimes against some of the experiences I remember from my own memory.  But I will breathe deep while I watch him taking these steps into his future.

I am grateful and thankful for the chances for learning I encounter every day.  And the teacher.

later in the day,

not too many people,

written maps for to interpret and decipher,

and at a slower pace to adapt to the new environments and sudden changes of exhibits.

And–first thing–going to see the baby chicks in the incubator.

I will admit here I got a little insistent with holding a good vantage point at the incubator when the chick began to raise its’ head.  I was getting so charged up and “sparky” with photographing something that was absolutely riveting, that forget it can make me more forceful in speech and actions with people than I really intend..

So that it didn’t ruin our vibe,  we wandered away to another exhibit,  then came back to see another group around another egg breaking apart, chip by tiny little chip.

We are exploring the city, using the same qualities of experience at the level he seems able to handle.  And I am happy he is looking forward to going outside more as the weather gets warmer.  I love watching him being able to have fun in his favorite public places.

The Chicagoland chapter of Autism Speaks announces “The Spring Fling” at Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, 3857 W. 111th St. in Chicago,  9:00AM to 3PM, Saturday, April 24th, is for parents, family members and anyone who works with individuals with autism-spectrum issues.

Advance registration is not required, but child care is not available.

The April Spring Fling provides valuable information to parents and families of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, supports professionals, and increases public awareness.  The program features workshops on topics of interest, exhibitor tables, and lots of opportunity for networking.  This is a free event, with workshops conducted by experts from diverse areas of work with autism, to provide a wealth of information and resources to parents, families, teachers, and other professionals.

Today I am calling to arrange a family day at the Fling.  See you there.