Is it really September already??? Here we are at yet another start of the School Year. As most of you know Max has been going throughout the Summer. Which I feel is a very good thing! I think it may have been a hard adjustment for him, to have 3 months off and start back into things with that big of a break. I have gotten great reports from his Teachers and that makes me so happy!

So how are things going otherwise...well, pretty good! On the eating front we have made some improvements! However, he is having difficulty chewing high textured foods. This is going to take some time to get him there but we are making progress.

Receptively Max is extremely smart. He knows so much more than what we could have imagined. Every time his therapist or I try to do something "new" with him he already knows it! With that said he is just having difficulty getting it out! Don't get me wrong he can get his point across with plenty of other ways than talking but, right now seems to be the biggest thing. For some reason he just can't speak and for whatever reason that is, it is ok! I long for him to talk to me, but only time will tell. God has a plan and I need to trust in that!

So, how am I doing with all of this now that, it has been 2 years since his diagnosis! Honestly, I still have good and bad days. Faith in the Lord has carried me on the bad days. I am not perfect and I try my very best at doing the best I can for my Son and Daughter. People still have negative things to say or "their" opinion, on how I should do this or that. I'm not sure that will ever go away. We still struggle with certain situations when it comes to going places. Brandon and I know what he can handle and what he can't...from time to time people like to make their comments but I have learned that it's ok, if people want to talk that is fine. They just don't understand what our life is like.

Honestly, I have been wondering why the Lord picked me to be Max's Mom. There are days where I feel I fall short of being a great Mom. I am not perfect and I always wonder if I could be doing more for my children and what decision is the right one...although I may seem to have it all together, that is far from the truth. However, I couldn't be more thankful for the wonderful gift I have been given. To be a Mom is not easy, especially when one has special needs. But, I love these kids so much and as long as the Lord is with me, I know that I will be doing the right thing.

It certainly has been a long time since I have updated about Max. Though it isn't for the lack of thoughts or emotions, that's for sure. I had to go back and read about our last post so I knew where to start. So you all know that Max has started a special school to help with his needs. I can tell you that I know that this is where he is supposed to be. He is thriving there. There are amazing individuals that work with my Son and this has made the whole transitioning process much more comfortable for Him. We feel so blessed at this point to have such an amazing team of people who want to help my Son and who care for him deeply.


Max is an incredible little Boy. A little Boy whom has been a Teacher to his Mom through all of this. Learning through a child who has Autism is an eye opening experience. My life has changed so much for the better. While some days are exhausting and frustrating I know that God is here with us. One of the things I have realized is, I can't imagine someone going through this Journey not having the Lord in your life. And for this I am so grateful.


A couple months ago My Gram and I were on our way shopping and listening to the Christian radio station. A Woman, with a soft spoken voice started to talk in an interview, I was about half paying attention. Then when I heard the words...Autism and Max, I immediately became intrigued. I listened as this Mother gave a little bit of her life story. She had just written a book with her Father called "Dancing with Max". I knew that I needed to have it!


Friday I made a stop at the Friendship bookstore and found the book. I can tell you that this book is a God send. Emily Colson is amazing as she tells her story of living with her Autistic Son Max. As I read the pages and cried at some of the details of their lives, I realized that so much of this struck home with me. While each child is different and unique in their own special way, So many of her feelings are what I have felt.

One night while I was laying in bed thinking about my Children and Max and his special needs. I realized something. God knew that Max was going to have Autism. Whether or not he was born with it or something caused it, He knew Max's life. God knows every precious detail about my Son and what each day holds for him. I am eternally grateful for this wonderful promise from the Lord, that he will take care of us as long as we walk this Journey with Him.

Max has taught me so much and I am incredibly proud of him!

It's that time of year again. The weather is changing and when this happens I know that my Baby Boy will soon have another Birthday. It is so hard to believe that in a short 3 weeks, Max will be 3 years old! The other day I was looking back through old blog posts and pictures....it makes me sad to think of how fast He is growing. He has changed in so many ways through this past year. This year is going to be a little different for us. When Max turns 3 He will transition to a classroom that is designed to help children with Autism. I have many many emotions that I have dealt with about the whole classroom setting. I know that it will be good for Him in so many ways, but as his Mom I worry about Him. We did get to go and visit the classroom and the Teacher. While there He had his evaluation and I think we were all pretty impressed with how He did! I am anxious for this change for Him because I believe it will be a great thing but, I could really use your prayers. Please pray for an easy transition, that He will accept the change better than what we would ever hope. This is one of my biggest fears for Him.

I have been thinking alot about what the Lord would want me to do for Max and ways that we can help Him. Last week I was talking with Halle's teacher about Max and she gave me a hug and said "Amanda the Lord knows who to give those special children to, He knew that you would take great care of Max." Those words mean more than you will ever know. I thank the Lord often for giving me the patience I need to get through each and every day. We have great and wonderful days and they far out weigh the bad but we do have those days where I don't know what to do. But He always gets us through. We are making it day by day...

In Max's short 3 years of life, He has brought us great joy and has taught me so much. My priorities have changed so much. Life is different but it is a good different. I am so Thankful that he is my Son!

So here we are yet again at a new Season of our life...We appreciate all of your Prayers!

On Monday the last thing that the Dr. said to me before we got off the phone was "Amanda we are going to get your Son better". This was wonderful to hear. To hear that he is confident in Max's healing. It is so wonderful to have a Dr. supporting you!


Like I said Before, I know that some may think that this is all craziness! I know that some are going to look at me like I am foreign But I am standing my ground. I have everything written on paper and in my hands. Max's therapists were nothing short of amazing, listening and sympathizing with the new information handed to us. His Special Instructor Said "Amanda, I don't think that you are crazy and it makes me look at issues in a whole new light". She thinks that Max has so much potential!


Max's OT was extremely intrigued about everything. She has told me from the start that Max is like no other child she has ever seen. That Max has all his skills but something is holding Him back. Well little did we know that in the huge packet I received about all of Max's Blood, Urine and Stool samples, we found a HUGE piece of information. A side effect to having Low Beneficial Bacteria is a wide range of Food Sensitivities and Textures. She was amazed to hear all of this. From the start we knew that Max had all the oral skills to eat but we couldn't figure out why he wasn't. Things are slowly starting to fit together.

Over the Year and a half Max has had therapy we have created a great friendship with his therapists. They are so great with Max. His OT is insistent that we keep in contact with her because she wants to know how Max is progressing on his different Supplements.

I do have a very exciting update. Today we received all of Max's Supplements and Vitamins. I was very skeptical on how he would react to taking them. I quickly learned what to put them in whether it be his Food or in his Milk. The Pro Bio Gold, Vitamin D and Cod liver oil is given once a day in 3 different Milk Cups. The Super NuThera is mixed with applesauce. This went so much better than I ever expected. He took everything without even a flinch! I am so proud of Him!

Answers

I believe that Every Mom tries to do their best to care for their children. You have their very best interest at heart and you would go to the ends of the Earth for them. You want to make sure that they are healthy so you take all the steps to ensure all of that. I know that I have struggled with decisions over the last few months because the things that you are told to do, some say it may hurt your child. I was always told and thought that shots were the best possible thing for your child. I was vaccinated as a child and to this point I am fine. Why would you go against what your Parents did and what you felt was right?

Yesterday we were given the results of the Blood, Urine and Stool Samples. I was a nervous wreck all day. By no means am I telling you not to vaccinate your child. You the Parent need to make that decision but my worst fear became reality! I wanted so badly to believe that it wasn't the shots and things in the enviroment that is making my child sick...

The Dr. first started off with the Stool Sample results. It came back that Max has very Low beneficial bacteria. In other words the bad bacteria is taking over and getting rid of the good bacteria that is in Max's system. So we need to replenish the Good Bacteria with a Probiotic.

Next Max was very deficient in Vitamin D which A LOT of these children are. The Doctor said that he wasn't surprised by this at all. So Max needs to be started on a Vitamin D supplement.

One that I was very anxious to get back was the sensitivities to Dairy and Gluten. We found that Max is EXTREMELY sensitive to Both. Max will never be allowed to have anything with Dairy in it or Gluten. After hearing those results it reassured me that I was doing the right thing with doing the diet.

There were a couple of things that came back that have me a little on edge and we are going to recheck him again in 3 months. His Liver enzymes came back Border line which we need to keep a close eye on. He is absolutely NOT allowed to have tylenol, only Motrin. There is a substance in tylenol that can harm the liver in these types of children.

The next one just has me sick. Max has elevated heavy metal toxicity. We believe the cause of this is the shots. Max can't rid the heavy metals out of his body properly. I am so upset about this because you are told that shots are good and there isn't anything in them that will harm your child. This isn't true. Max's Dr. told me that there are still traces of metals in the shots. There shouldn't be any kind of trace at all. I know for a fact that Max nor Halle will be vaccinated. I know that there are risks in this BUT I will not allow my children to have shots that could be harming their body. I know that some will judge and talk about what I am doing or not doing right and it is completely ok, I know that this is the right choice for us at this point and I will do whatever I have to do to get him better.

Max will be put on 4 new things starting this week. The first is ProBio Gold. The next is Cod Liver Oil. He will also take a Vitamin D supplement and Super NewThera. I am so Thankful that we FINALLY have answers, it may not be the answers that I wanted to hear but it just makes me more comfortable with my decision. I do have all the hope in the world that Max will get better!

I am writing today that you would say a prayer for our family...mainly for Max. Today we have a phone appt. with the DAN Dr. and I am nervous wreck. My mind is going in a million different directions and I just want some piece of mind. We recieved the stool sample results in the mail today and to tell you the truth I have no idea what any of it means. It is 11 pages of terminology that I can't even pronounce. I am so relieved that we have this appt. today instead of a week from today because I don't know if I can take any more of the stress. Yes Max has Autism but we are doing this testing because there may be more going on in his little body. Some of these children have systems that are so damaged and they need to be fixed.

Having a child with special needs takes the worrying of a parent to a new level. I know that nothing gets accomplished by worrying but telling myself that is a different story. I talked to my Gram earlier and she told me "Amanda, why worry when you can pray". I am blessed to have such a supportive Christian Family. I know that people pray for Max and our Family daily and I thank you for that.

Praying that I can make it till 4:00.....

Pray for the right Decision...

Life has been in full gear these days and Max has been wonderful at going right along with the pace!

With Vacations, Road trips, Dr. visits and a Broken Arm I would say that he has been quite the busy Boy! Happily we see Max's Dr. on Thursday to get the dreaded cast off...HOORAY!!! Can you tell I am a little excited about this!

Anyway as you may have seen, Max's Big Sister starts school next month. I have been debating on whether or not to blog this because we aren't 100% sure if its going to be, but Max may also be attending school in October. As if the transition isn't hard enough sending one of your children off to school now we might be sending two! I have thought about this for a long time! I have debated and cried over this decision because I want to make the right one. To me Max is still little, I mean he is only 2 soon to be 3. However, I have always said that I want to do all that I can for him. I have talked to many Parents who send their children to this Autism classroom and they have said that it was the best thing they ever did. Sometime this month I will be going in to the classroom to observe and meet the Teachers. I am hoping that it is a good experience!

Please pray that we make the right decision. I want Max to learn to be independent and be involved with other children his age. I want him to learn the school setting so that one day he can go to school as any other child does. I don't want to hold him back! Like I said I have been so hesitant to post about this because at this point we still have questions. I just want him to experience things as his Sister does. We have been so blessed by this little Boy. The love that radiates from this little Boy just amazes me! He deserves everything that we are capable of giving him! If this means sending Him to school then that is what we will do!