We've come a loooong way.....

Tonight we join a league we never thought we would....that of ordinary parents watching their child play a sport! Last night Kyle had Boy Scouts and now tonight baseball...huh???

As I sat in the bleachers holding back tears of joy, I remembered all of the late nights, hard work and determination to get to this point. Not just building The Miracle League of Union County but the years of doctors, specialists, therapist, appointments, meetings, changes in medications, tantrums, tears, despair, ups and downs for KYLE to get to this point. He is now verbal, is reading, can work the DVR and iPad, loves photography, is silly and well mannered.

Along the way, we have made many new friends and others "welcomed" to Autism and Fragile X. We have also created more awareness, education and helped others get services they needed. Not to mention having the "Proud Supporter of Autism Speaks" logo created for Kyle for Team Aruba which lead to the islands of Aruba and Curacao being connected with Autism Speaks for services there. A logo that I even had to defend to keep on Team Aruba's Ford race car when Cure Autism Now joined Autism Speaks because General Motors was the major sponsor of CAN.

Never doubt the power of one....one person, one thought, one dream and more importantly the ONE who without HIM none of this could have been done. Thank you GOD for this moment in time.

 

April is Autism Awareness Month

Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness

Union Daily Times - Swing into helping Autism

Union Daily Times - Swing into helping Autism

Union Daily Times - Swing into helping Autism

Union Daily Times - Swing into helping Autism

DISABILITY AWARENESS FUN DAY COMING TO FOSTER PARK JULY 31ST

http://wbcuradio.com/news.htm

Disability Awareness Fun Day will be held at Foster Park on Saturday, July 31, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Lunch will be free to those individuals with disabilities and special needs. Donations will be accepted from all others. Entertainment and information will be provided by various organizations: The Big Slide, Especially Ours, Autism Speaks, Pro-Parents, Union DSN, Gifted Warriors, Special Olympics, Carolina Miracle League, Disability Action Center, Family Connections, Down Syndrome Family Alliance, Ultimate Rhythm Special Needs Dance Class, and DJ Big. There will also be many items for sale such as: 50/50 Tickets, Cake Walk Tickets, T-shirts, Car Stickers, Baked Goods, Candy, Funnel Cakes, Boiled Peanuts, and more. You are invited to come out, join in the fun, and support a worthy cause.

7-13-10 Union County Council Meeting

WBCU AM 1460 FM 103.5

Wednesday, July 14

A group of parents of children with special needs appeared before County Council at Tuesday’s meeting, and Betsy Hudson, Kyle’s mom and Autism advocate, addressed the Council on behalf of the group. Their purpose for being there was to promote an upcoming event, Disability Awareness Fun Day, which will be held on July 31, 2010, from 10 AM until 2 PM at Foster Park. They also talked about the fact that Union County offers many opportunities for baseball, softball, football, soccer, golf, swimming, cheerleading, and more, but none is geared towards children and adults in our community with special needs. Ms. Hudson went on to say the former supervisor was approached when the Timken Complex was first being discussed, and asked that children and adults with special needs be considered. She stated that they were told that the County Supervisor had already been talking to someone about this possibility and was informed that a Miracle League field could not be built within a 50 mile radius of one already in existence. That subject has not been brought up again until now. Ms. Hudson stated that the group just recently discovered that this was not the case at all, and that the former county supervisor had been told that they could have the Miracle league field in Union, and that it would be a wonderful idea because of our large special needs population in Union. He was given all the information about how to go about getting grants, and funding, for this project and had the support of our group to host fundraisers to assist. In closing Ms. Hudson said, “You cannot imagine the feeling we had in our stomachs the day we were told that our children could never have this in Union, but the feeling that we had the day we discovered that it was all an untruth was even worse. We ask that you recognize the desire and need of our children and families for a Miracle League field and special-needs playground, confirmation of researching the possibility of such recreational facilities, and ask that the county assist in promoting our first annual Disability Awareness Fun Day on July 31st.”

Kyle will get an education dispite the budget cuts!

The fight is on Union County Schools!!!! You will NOT push our SPECIAL NEEDS children to the side and say they don't need shadows and aides. THEY have just as much right as every athlete is given special accommodations for out of town events and you give money to them. HOW about lets cut some salaries at the district... level FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN!!! I promise WE WILL NOT GIVE UP ON OUR CHILDREN.....& Kyle Hudson will receive an education one way or another and NOT FORGOTTEN! He is smart but learns differently than you! Did y'all even look into the info about Autism Speaks school grants? I'll bet that YOU DID NOT!!!! They don't care what is good for the kids and the fact that the shadows and aides are there because they LOVE our kids and want they to excel! And Kyle has come too far this year because of the aides at Buffalo! We are so grateful for them and how much they love him! And I hear not one of them has been in Kyle's classroom to see what he has done! And the special services director has a child with Asberger's but not in Union!

Here is the latest picture.......

Just Thinking......

As I was cooking dinner tonight (rare these days), it weighed heavy on my mind what my friend Jenna said to me..........UPDATE YOUR BLOG!!! It wasn't just those words but what it meant behind them.......sitting down and taking time to do what I want to do and making time for myself. I so need that but with Kyle and home and work ........okay mostly work these days I don't get to. I actually left work today at a reasonable time 5:30pm and am taking tomorrow off to spend with Kyle who will be participating in the Special Olympics at the SC School for the Deaf and Blind. Gator won't be able to be there because he took the morning off to do a radio interview for the upcoming Poker Run he is doing. I haven't even been able to be much help with that and I feel so bad but what can I do when I am spending days, nights and weekends trying to keep up with all the paperwork that comes with protecting the children of our state. Yet I feel like I am not doing enough at home. I am trying so hard to do everything for Kyle yet keep falling short. I so wish we could give him a brother or sister to know that he would have someone to watch over him if something should happen to us. He is doing so much better and saying a lot more but what if it is all not enough. I don't want him to be in a state home somewhere. We did our wills with the help of my cousin before Kyle was born but still I can't help but worry. Guess that's why my Grandmother still cries or gets upset when we go somewhere or I tell her I have been out and had to remove children from their families with law enforcement. My mom worries too but she doesn't show it like Grandmother. Life is so precious but so short. My goal is to focus a little bit more at a time on allowing myself the time to do something that I want and in the process allow you, our family and friends who don't get to see Kyle often, to catch up on what you've missed out on...........our chunky monkey.