One Year Out Here

On September 5th, 2025, my sister and I had our auras read. During the session, the reader looked at me and asked, “Who are you advocating so hard for?”

I immediately broke down and answered, “My son.”

My son has Level 1 autism. Clinically, this is often defined as having average to above-average intelligence and fluent language skills, alongside challenges with social communication and flexible thinking. But in the real world, parenting a Level 1 autistic child comes with a unique set of challenges. We constantly hear comments like, “Are you sure he’s autistic?” or my personal favorite, “He doesn’t look autistic.” 

Well, he is. He just saves his “spicy” moments for the safety and comfort of our home.

School has always been a massive hurdle for him. He masks and holds it together all day long. Then, the moment he steps through our front door, he finally feels safe enough to release everything he has suppressed. While it is a beautiful thing that home is his safe haven, the resulting meltdowns are incredibly exhausting and taxing on the rest of the family.

It breaks my heart to think about how much sensory overload and anxiety my child internalizes during the school day. On top of that heavy emotional load, I was dragging him to a relentless cycle of weekly appointments. I am a fierce believer in early intervention, but there is no denying the sheer burnout that comes with that lifestyle.

Which brings me back to that aura reading.

After I got home that day, my husband, Casey, and I sat down to talk. I don’t remember the exact words, but the breakthrough was simple. I confessed that I was completely exhausted from constant advocacy.

“I want to run away for a bit and homeschool,” I admitted.

Without hesitation, Casey looked at me and said, “Okay.”

Our plans and details have evolved over the past ten months, but the core mission has never changed. We are taking one year, out here. One year to calm our nervous systems, heal from the burnout, and build new, gentle rhythms that actually work for our family.