So many people talk about the sacrifices military spouses and children make for their service member. This guy willingly sacrificed, pushing it through 30 years and six months for Mac to have end to end medical, therapy and quality special education services for as long as the Marine Corps would allow him. I am proud and eternally grateful to call him my best friend and first and only husband.
I read this story and immediately thought of Mac. This college graduate valedictorian was taught to type. Our Mac was never taught, he just did. Our Mac was never taught to read, he just did. Elizabeth demonstrates what we know is inside of Mac all of the time, a person who has a lot say, but just has to do it by other means.
Damon asked me who I wanted to escort me for his retirement ceremony. I considered the usual options and decided to make that moment come full circle. My escort will be a replica of who I fell in love with, a dark-haired male Flight Equipment Lance Corporal.
Mac loves Jerry Seinfeld! He celebrated with The Bee Movie at age 2 and now Seinfeld at age 15!
We are so grateful for the partnership of a phenomenal teacher, Jessica Reagle, and Marine Corps Community Services on Camp Lejeune to offer vocational programs for Mac and his classmates.
#autism #MCCS #LejeuneHS #jessicasdanceacademy #USMCKid #camplejeune #DoDEA
Twenty-eight years ago, it was a Friday. I was excited about my date for the evening. He was definitely my type, Louisiana fella with dark hair. He had me smitten for a couple of weeks. After getting over his fear of dating the boss’s daughter (he worked part-time for my parents), he relented to my request for a ride in his new car.
He picked me up and asked what did I feel like doing for the evening? I responded with a timid girly first date line, “it doesn’t matter.”
He answered with the best way to get to my heart. He made me laugh. “How about we go get some bread & bologna and go to a dog fight.” I knew at that moment, he had me.
28 years later, he is still making me laugh, putting up with my messiness, and giving me more than I’ve ever deserved from another human being.
He is an amazing father, husband, son, friend, and Marine. Sometimes I scare myself how much I love him and how much I need him.
#rideordie #endgame #relationshipgoals
I was not going to allow COVID to keep Master Gunz from missing his last career birthday ball. #ADAPT&OVERCOME
“Life meaning is always a derivative phenomenon that materializes when we have transcended ourselves, when we have forgotten ourselves and become absorbed in someone (or something) outside ourselves.” Irvin Yalom
There aren’t enough words to describe the hard work this fella put into his remote learning. He woke up, knew the routine, and did a year and a half of remote learning for his annoying mom with minimal protest.
Terrified I would not help him academically, with the help of Team Mac educators and therapist, we persevered.
Through remotely learning, Mac has mastered independently using a calculator for math, including word problems. He has mastered screenshots of documents, saving files, and a host of other computing skills.
For parents of special needs students on the spectrum, this was hard. But I wouldn’t take away this opportunity to work with Mac and directly collaborate with his team to hone his skills and IEP goals. This experience has truly made this parent a part of Team Mac.
