My TS Thanks Giving

Thanksgiving, much like New Year's, is a time for reflecting and seeing how things have changed over the last year. Last year at this time, we were still 4 months away from getting Liam his diagnosis. We've had a lot of changes.
This year I'm giving thanks for:

A diagnosis. It was tough prior to having a "name" for what we were going through.

The National TSA. As soon as we got our diagnosis, I spent a great deal of time watching videos and reading articles on the TSA website. Liam had felt so alone and was so happy to find kids his age, with similar interests, who also have TS. He was a different kid after I showed him "That Darn Tic" the TSA's newsletter for kids, by kids.

SELAC (Special Education Local Advisory Committee) One of the first people that I called when Liam was diagnosed was the President of our school district's SELAC. She was able to put me in touch with another TS mom whose son had gone through the system. It was great to get the perspective from someone who had been through what we were going through.

My mom friends whose kids have special needs. I can't even begin to describe the empathy that moms who have special needs kids feel for each other. It's like you're in a private club that others just can't begin to understand. They "get it" in a way that others cannot. Some of the most amazing support through this has come from friends whose kids are on the autism spectrum or have severe anxiety or OCD. It requires a shift in thinking that I don't think other parents can ever understand completely.
And as a subgroup to that- my TS mommies. I've met some amazing moms of other kids with TS. Some of them I've only met online, and some of them I've been lucky enough to get to spend time in person with. I'm incredibly thankful for them.

My adult friends with TS, It's great hearing from an adult perspective what it was like as a kid. And just having grown ups in our lives who have been there is such a source of strength.

Our local TSA- This is probably the thing that Liam gets more excited for than anything else all month. It makes him so happy to be with other kids who he doesn't have to feel self conscious around. Both the other kids with TS and the siblings. It's a great environment.

A good school system- while I have sometimes had frustrations, I've heard horror stories from other folks who couldn't get IEPs or 504 plans. We're very lucky.

Good friends and family.