3rd Thanksgiving Picture

Okay...so I am still very prejudiced and want to keep posting pictures of Frank. But see, I put Josh in it this time!!!

Josh is a very special and perceptive young man, who knows when something is wrong and stays away from certain people. Why? Well, Josh has autism, which (for those of you who don't know), autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. The autism spectrum disorders (ASD) also include related conditions with milder signs and symptoms.

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by multi gene interactions or by rare mutations. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Other proposed causes, such as childhood vaccines, are controversial, and the vaccine hypotheses lack any convincing scientific evidence. The prevalence of ASD is about 6 per 1,000 people, with about four times as many boys as girls. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.

Autism affects many parts of the brain; how this occurs is not understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. Although early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills, there is no known cure. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but some become successful, and an autistic culture has developed, with some seeking a cure and others believing that autism is a condition rather than a disorder.

What does that have to do with Josh being special? After Frank and I got married, I'm afraid that some very bad misconceptions began to go around, and rumors abounded on who and what Frank was. I'm very sorry to tell everyone that he is not a vampire, or anything out of the ordinary. No, he is not possessed by any special demons, (and no, I am not joking. I've heard some very nasty things, and I'd like to put some curiosities to rest. ) But I knew when my dear uncle and aunt invited Frank and I to go over to their place for dinner, that the ultimate test would be when Josh and Frank met. I kinda dreaded it in some ways, but I wanted to see what would happen. In the end, I trusted that Josh would love Frank just as much as I do. Can anybody guess what happened when Frank and Josh collided? Let's just say we are all trying to think of different ways to get Josh to do something other than jump on Frank's lap, beg him to go push him on the swing, and hog all the attention for himself. I guess any ideas I had that Josh might not like Frank were completely ungrounded. Between Josh always saying "more" for more fun time with Frank, and Abby showing the devoutest devotion to Frank by being the sweetest, most endearing creature when he's there (yes, I have to fight her for his lap, his kisses, and the privilege of sitting by his side!) when we go over I almost have my family to myself. I can only say that Josh is always right. If Josh loves Frank so much in his limited knowledge (which I daresay is more unprejudiced, simplistic, yet sophisticated than other persons in my acquaintance!) than everyone else who still has a problem with my husband needs to humble themselves to Josh's level and realize that they need to take a second look on how they are dealing with their opinions of my husband. And just as a reminder, if you, my dear reader, are getting the slightest bit upset about what you're reading, than I daresay you have a guilty mind. If it doesn't apply to you, then thank God right now that He has opened your eyes to His truths. And trust me, a guilty conscience is not a happy bedfellow. So if you can't sleep tonight because of too much on your mind ~ maybe it's because it isn't clear.