I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your comments and compliments. It means so much to me, by reading my stories about Audra, a little of her lives on.

Thanks so much!

Welcome to the Parallel Universe.

The Universe of parents with quirky kids.

Here everything is a little bit different. Nobody judges you, everyone just accepts you for who you are.

Here, nobody cares if you are wearing yesterday's sweat pants or what kind of car you drive, because here everyone is equal. Here everyone is different and that makes us all the same.

We inhabit this universe not by choice but by forced occupation. No one would choose to live here. But none the less we have learned to thrive and survive here.

Our Parallel Universe is made up of therapy appointments, doctor's visits, and stressing about how we may never fit back into that other Universe that we once belonged to.

That Universe where everything was "normal"

We may long for that other Universe from time to time, but those of us who have lived in the Parallel Universe long enough have come to see the gifts it has to offer.

It is not an easy place to exist, I would be lying if I said it was so. It is what it is and the best thing to remember about this Parallel Universe is that you are not alone. There are many who have traveled here light years before us. They are the pioneers, the survivors and one day we will be too..........

Let's face it there are some things that don't go over well with your "normal" friends no matter how you say it. I have learned this by trial and error over the years and now know it is best not to say anything at all, even when you know you are right. The "normals" will rip you to shred's for insinuating anything is wrong with thier kids and if there is something wrong they will find out sooner or later anyhow so why risk your friendship. These are the things I don't say!

1. You know I think Bobby is behind.

2 If you call this number you can have him evaluated.

3. Do you know about Early Intervention?

4. Maybe you should take him to a specialist, I can give you the name of a good one!

5. Have you checked the milestones chart lately?

Please let me know if you have more to add to my list. It would be fun to see how long we can get it.

One fine spring day, when Audra was about 3 years old little Dougy came to play.

He and Audra were good friends as his sitter lived across the street. Dougy was about 4 or 5 years old at the time.

On this day they decided to play out in her playhouse which her Grandpa Swan had built for her. It was a fine house with windows that had shutters that opened and shut and double wide doors that opened wide enough for her wheelchair.

The house was decorated with a complete play kitchen, pots and pans, toy food, dish's, a cradle with baby dolls and a little table and chair set.

I got them settled in and put on Audra's wheelchair brakes and went back into the house, (leaving the back door open) as they happily played.

About 15 minutes went by when I heard Audra screaming in pain! I ran out to the playhouse to find her in tears, yelling loudly. Dougy stood silent against the wall. "What happend I asked him?" scanning Audra to see if I could figure out what was wrong.

Dougy wouldn't say, I looked down at Audra's bare feet and noticed teeth marks on her right foot. "Dougy I said, did you bite her?"

"I wanted to see if she could feel it" he said

By that time Audra had stopped crying, as I explained to Dougy that "Yes, she certainly could" I brought them both back into the house and we found another acitivity to do. I chuckled later, makes sense, he just wanted to see if she could feel her leg's.