Do you know what today is? It’s my “Bloggyversary.” Yes, I am channeling my inner Tony Toni Tone because Sailing Autistic Seas turned 1 today.

I have to admit that this Web site has been therapeutic for me. When Angel was diagnosed with autism, I needed to find an outlet to express my emotions and share information with other parents. Sailing Autistic Seas has been that outlet.

When Angel was diagnosed, I felt alone. I was not physically alone but I felt emotionally alone. I wasn’t sure how to articulate my feelings to friends and family because I was still processing them myself.

This Web site has given me great opportunities to meet some wonderful people and expand my support system. For a parent of a child with autism, this kind of support means more than words can ever express.

I know that I cannot put a price on what it feels like to know that someone understands how I feel. It is priceless! I also know that there are not many special needs bloggers who look like me. Trust me I have looked. I think the few of us that exist are trying our best to fill a void in the special needs community. This whole experience has been a journey that I have embraced.

From the moment I wrote my first post, I was committed to posting twice per week. But life happened. As home, parenting, and work commitments increased, my guilt of not devoting enough time to this Web site increased as well. Then, I made a decision to go easy on myself. This was not supposed to be a source of stress but a source of stress relief. So, I decided to write when I have something to say.

I have learned so much over the last year and I look forward to learning more. Over the last year, I have also developed a keen interest in special needs advocacy. I want to pay it forward and help others as I have been helped.

I want to thank each and every one of you for following my journey with Angel. Your support means so much and I hope I have been able to offer you the same support when you need it.

Sailing Autistic Seas will continue to evolve. Sailing Autistic Seas will also continue to be informative, resourceful, and engaging. Now, I have some questions for all of you. What will you like to see more of on my Web site? What has been the most helpful? What has been the least helpful?

Share your thoughts in the comments below and thank you for sailing the seas with us this past year. I appreciate you staying on board as we sail into another year.

Sincerely,

Miz Kp