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Grown Up Autism

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Grown Up Autism

They're Autistic, no longer children, but not really adults - now what?!

The thoughts, fears, frustrations, discoveries and laughs of an Autism Mom, and the adventures of day to day life with 2 grown sons with autism.

06/18/2026

Today we spent some time at the Orlando Science Center, exploring the exhibits and enjoying a change of scenery together.

There is something comforting about spending a day learning, observing, and simply being present. We wandered through the exhibits, tried a few hands-on activities, and took our time discovering new things. It was a gentle reminder that even during difficult seasons, there are still opportunities to find moments of curiosity, connection, and joy.

The Orlando Science Center offers a welcoming space to explore at your own pace, and we appreciated the chance to spend meaningful time together while making a few new memories.
Some days aren't about grand adventures. Sometimes they're simply about being together, finding small moments to smile, and continuing forward one step at a time.

06/16/2026

What happens when Dad doesn't come home from the hospital - when Mom has to tell 2 autistic sons that the only father they have ever known, has died . Aaron with limited verbal ability and Ian totally non-verbal.

I knew Aaron understood what death was from loosing pets - and we had talked about everything that is alive will die one day. Yet, he had never known a human being to die.

It was difficult to know what Ian understood. His communications were usually through physical actions. He never learned to use communication devices or sign.

Aaron has asked me everyday at least once and sometimes more - "Daddy Don die?" usually with tears in his eyes. He has begun to sit in Don's recliner to watch TV. He has been subdued.

Ian has been grumpy. He can't seem to find the right movie to watch or the right food to eat. He is unsettled.

I have often thought the boys to be intuitive empaths picking up on my emotions and moods. I try to remember that and stay calm- but there are some feelings you just can't control - grief it seems is one of the hardest.

06/06/2026

When dad goes to the hospital unexpectedly, and mom needs to be by his side life keeps moving... but somehow it doesn't.

We still wake up in the morning.

We still eat the same breakfast, but it's a little bit lonely.

We still get dressed and go over the schedule.

But things are different.

The blinds don't get opened right away, or at all.

We don't call Grandpa on Friday.

We don't go to the pet store on Saturday.

The routine is the same... except for all the little parts that aren't.

Lunch is still lunch, but afterward we don't watch the movies we usually watch when Mom is home. Instead of the familiar rotation that fills the afternoon, there's only one movie, and it's ones we may not have ever seen before.

The snacks we ask for every single day suddenly aren't the snacks we want, or we skip them all together (which is not a bad thing)

Dinner comes, and somehow the foods we usually insist on don't sound right anymore either.

At bedtime, everything feels familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

The blankets are tucked in.

The lights are turned off.

The words are almost right.

"Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite."

But maybe someone says "baby brother" instead of "baby boy."

Maybe the "I love you" isn't shouted back exactly the same way.

Maybe one of the words is missing.

Maybe all the words are there, but they sound different.

We go over the schedule.

And then we go over it again.

And again.

And again.

"And"

"And"

"And?"

We know what tomorrow looks like.

We know breakfast is coming.

We know where we're going.

We know where lunch will be.

We know when dinner is.

We know when bedtime is.

We know.

But somehow we don't know.

Because the routine isn't just the routine.

It's the person who lives inside the routine.

It's the tiny things nobody thinks about.

The order things happen.

The words that are said.

The places we go and the ways we go to them.

The movies we watch.

The way the blinds open in the morning.

The way "I love you" sounds at night.

The days are the same.

But they aren't.

And while we're trying very hard to be brave and flexible, we're also quietly wondering when our person is coming home.

Until then, we'll keep following the schedule.

We'll keep asking questions.

We'll keep checking that tomorrow is still tomorrow.

And we'll keep loving the people who are helping us through the days that feel the same... and completely different all at once.

05/28/2026

Today we visited the Gillespie Museum at Stetson University in DeLand, and honestly… Aaron may now believe he’s destined to become a crystal hunter.

The glowing fluorite cave display completely pulled him in. I spent a good amount of time thinking about how AMAZING it would be to find “treasures” like that out in the wild someday. Unfortunately for us, Florida’s geology mostly offers sand, shells, and the occasional suspicious-looking landscaping rock.

But the museum itself? An absolute GEM.

They’ve created such a fun and welcoming setup.
Interactive displays
Microscopes kids can actually use
Hands-on mineral and gem digging activities (FOR ALL AGES!)
Incredible crystal and mineral collections
A calm space that makes science feel exciting instead of overwhelming.

Like minerals under pressure, autistic minds often create beauty in ways the world doesn’t immediately understand.

05/14/2026

Today’s adventure took us to the Motorsports Hall of Fame Museum where the smell of rubber, the sound of engines, and the history of racing all come together in one place. 🏁

Mommy liked the old gas station she reminisced and admired the gas prices, although she doesn't remember it being that "cheap" she can only remeber back to 35cents per gallon (wow).

We went in with one very important mission: find a PURPLE race car.
Success was finally achieved during the movie portion (which conveniently became Ian’s favorite part because it meant we got to sit down for a few minutes 😂). Somewhere between the air conditioning, the giant screen, and the comfy seats, he suddenly became deeply invested in “the cinematic experience.”

Meanwhile, Aaron was completely fascinated by the airplanes hanging overhead. He may have spent just as much time looking up as he did looking at the race cars. Honestly, between the suspended cars and airplanes, half the visit turned into us wondering, “How did they
even GET those up there?!”

The museum was packed with incredible pieces of racing history — legendary cars, historic helmets, trophies, and stories from drivers who helped shape motorsports into what it is today. One of the coolest facts? Some of the display vehicles are actually suspended from the ceiling using industrial rigging systems and cranes during installation. Which means somewhere out there is a crew of people whose job description basically includes “carefully hang priceless vehicles from the ceiling.” No pressure there. 😅

05/11/2026

Another Monday brings a walk in our favorite park.
Today was full of winged friends.

05/02/2026

Our latest adventure took us to the Daytona Beach Aquarium and it was abundantly clear it was going to be a fantastic day when Ian wore a shirt that was not the Sriracha hot sauce - a miracle!
The array of fish, reptiles, and rainforest dwellers exceeded expectations.
Austin joined in on the fun, and along with Aaron, they had an absolute blast.
Watching fish somehow seems to peacefully relax Ian.
This adventure truly had something for everyone.

04/27/2026

It was one of those windy Florida days where the trees never quite stopped moving and the trails felt a little quieter than usual. Wildlife was keeping a low profile no turtles sunning, no birds putting on a show just the sound of the wind and water.
But if you looked close, there was still life everywhere. At the spring head, a colony of bees were hard at work, completely unbothered by the breeze, doing their thing like tiny professionals on a mission. And off to the side, one lone squirrel made an appearance, probably wondering where everyone else went too 🐿️
Not every visit has to be full of action to be worth it. Sometimes it’s just about being outside, getting a reset, and appreciating the quiet moments in one of our favorite places 💚

04/23/2026

Spent some time exploring the New Smyrna Museum of History today and it was a nice, easy stop with a lot of local history packed in.
Aaron was especially into one of the displays with the old weapons and pipe he made sure to check out all the little details on the various swords and Daggers. Definitely his kind of exhibit.
Ian, on the other hand, was perfectly content just walking around and people watching.
Mommy liked looking at the relics from "back in her day" and remininsed of child hood days.
We also had a mini adventure on the way out, Aaron spotted a sewer grate and immediately had to stop and investigate… making sure nothing was living down there 😅 because apparently that was just as important as the museum itself.
Overall it was a laid-back visit, a little history, a little exploring, and just a good way to spend some time together.

04/09/2026

Spent some time today at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park and I’m convinced we somehow got flagged as “highly suspicious museum guests.” 😅

Every turn… there was someone watching, appearing, or just there. Like… we get it, we look dangerous around glass. 😂
But honestly this place is incredible.
Aaron was all about the “treasures” especially the detailed glass pieces and anything that looked unique or a little unusual. And fun fact: a lot of those pieces are from Louis Comfort Tiffany’s studios, where they used layered glass instead of paint to create shading,
Basically… what looks painted is actually tiny pieces of colored glass fused together. Wild.
We also have natural conversations about any piece that features an animal of any sort, which if you know him, is 100% Aaron.

Ian locked in on the stained glass, especially the big windows and I don’t blame him.
The “Tree of Life” style pieces are designed to tell stories through symbolism, and the crazy part? Tiffany glass gets its color from mixing metals into molten glass (like copper for reds and gold for rich yellows).
So some of those windows literally have real gold in them.
A few things that stood out from today:
The massive stained glass garden window with the columns and vines? It’s designed to feel like you’re looking outside, even though you’re inside. Early “immersive experience” before that was even a thing.
The chapel was originally built for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and later moved piece-by-piece to the museum. Walking in there instantly drops the noise level in your brain and creates a sense of calm.
Those iridescent glass vases (Favrile glass) change color depending on the light—no two are exactly the same.
One of the paintings half of us saw "The Wreck" (the desert scene with the skeleton and riders) is from the 1800s and was meant to symbolize mortality and the passage of time basically the artist saying, “we all end up here eventually,” just… more dramatically. (I had to google since I missed this one)

So yeah… incredible art, slightly overachieving security presence, and a mix of “wow,” “how did they make this?” and “are we being followed again?”
10/10 would go back… just maybe try to look less suspicious next time 😅

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234 E Michigan Ave
DeLand, FL
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