This is Me Organized Chaos

In this blog, I will discuss a wide range of topics. Children, marriage, money, careers, life, sex, autism, and anything that comes into my world.

My life has always been a mix of organized chaos, even when I was young. Now, at 40, it is even more so. I have four kids. A 23-, nine-, seven-, and six-year-old. My nine and six-year-old have autism and are non-verbal. The nine-year-old Asher uses an AAC device to communicate (sometimes) and is your stereotypical autistic child. He prefers to play alone and dislikes others intruding on his "bubble." He lines up his toys and becomes particularly agitated if they are taken out of order; he sways and rocks, performing actions in repetitive motions.

Hazel, the six-year-old, is the complete opposite. If Asher is order, she is destruction and chaos. Hazel has sensory challenges that make her like to destroy everything constantly. She also has PICA. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a disorder where she basically eats anything and everything. Her favorite non-food item is plants. Because of this, my husband and I now know every toxic plant on the Eastern seaboard.

My oldest, Cayla, is fantastic. She is an old soul with Peter Pan syndrome. She has an outstanding work ethic, which she obviously inherited from her dad. She is the best big sister and a truly good person. She makes me thankful every day that I raised such a beautiful and kind-hearted child.

My other blessing is Prudence. My "Dear Prudence". She embodies the quintessential essence of a middle child. The one who always comes up with a truce and finds love and patience in every situation. And she is only seven. She is undeniably patient and caring with her brother and sister to a fault, more so than her father and I sometimes. We are truly thankful for her and know she will do amazing things one day.

Next is my husband, Andy. We have been together for geez sixteen years and married for ten, I think? It's hard to remember. He owns his own handyman business, is our family's sole provider, and has been ever since we had this younger set of kids. I love him to death, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. Marriage, however, is hard. Plain and simple. I feel like I read somewhere that 80% of parents with autistic children end up divorcing. We have two. It is crazy stressful. Marriage, in general, is stressful; add in all this extra...well, it makes you a lot of wine with a Xanax chaser.

Then there is me. I've been a cosmetologist and cosmetology instructor until I had the kids and flipped my Jeep too many times, realizing my back wouldn't let me stand on my feet for eight-plus hours a day anymore. Thankfully, the introvert in me secretly rejoiced that I wouldn't have to converse with the general public any longer, as I typically find socializing exhausting. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how I ended up in the hair industry in the first place.

Going back to school to earn my master's degree was enjoyable. I enjoy school and would pursue a PhD if anyone would like to fund me in this endeavor. :) However, now, the job market mystifies me daily. How does one gain experience if you do not hire me? I digress.

Throughout it all, I have been a mom. It is by far my favorite job and always will be. It doesn't mean I have perfected it by any means. I typically am a hot mess. I am the mom whose kid can be found eating dirt instead of the twenty-dollar organic Cheetos from Whole Foods. However, before you start commenting, I want to clarify that I do not judge anyone for their approach. We are all doing our best out here, just trying to take it one day at a time. So, let's all commiserate together. We moms gotta stick together.