Remember the beautiful story about how when you are expecting a baby it is like planning a trip to Italy and when you have a child with ausitm it is like you end up in Holland?

So I live in "Holland." Even though I get to speak some "Italian" with my typical girl, my life still happens in Holland. I know everything there is to know about special education; special diets; treatments for autism. You name it.

But this week I visited a friend in New York and spent some time just by myself with her family. It was like a trip to "Italy." 

She is a very good friend and had always been a model mom to me. She is rasing 4 kids in New York City and enjoys every minute of it. When I used to live there I was stressed out a lot. (Maybe because I did not know yet what was different about my child. It was only after we left there that we got the diagnosis.)

But back to Italy.

In Italy nobody wakes up at 3 am for the day. You actually need to wake the kids up for school.

In Italy the kids get themselves ready for school. You don't even need to tell them. They get dresed by themselves.

In Italy you can make the same lunch for all 4 kids. There are no special diets or special requests.

In Italy the kids walk to school by themselves at ages 9 and 7. The younger ones go with you and listen to you and follow directions at all time.

It is so much easier in Italy!!

But yet I missed Holland.

And when I came back home I got the biggest hug from Dan. No words. Just hug.

And I knew that I would not ever want to switch.

Thank you my friend for the most wonderful 24 hours of culture and fun.

And for the perspective.