Good people.

I am currently taking a special education class in this graduate program that is for teachers who don't teach special ed. More to acquaint you with the happenings of special ed I suppose. Right now we are talking about Autism. Sort of a laugh and a half to me. I love that the book is attempting to tell me about what I've personally lived and lived everyday for the first 18 years of my life. And guess, what....it doesn't completlely account for a large percentage of elements as well as being a very biased and somewhat biggoted book. Since I think this about content I am familiar with, I wonder how accurate the other sections are? Anyway. I came across this quote and have been holding on to it for a few weeks.

I've taken into consideration the concept of quality in many regards in addition to the quality of the company one keeps. There are many folks who wouldn't probably consider Patrick to be good quality company, but for our family he has been the best. When I was younger I used to say that I had the best brother ever. Because when I told him something, he never repeated it. While this is slightly...something....(because Patrick can't talk)....it was a way to deal. 

This photo was taken of my brother and I in June of 1999. I was a sophomore in high school, Patrick was a senior.  I remember having these photos taken as though it was yesterday. It was quite the  task.  Patrick is not known for sitting, posing or doing what you want him to do in a timely fashion in any regard.  He's more of the "let's do what I want to do and when I'm finished you can have your turn" type of fella'. I'm not sure if that's an Autism characteristic or a Dow characteristic! HA! Some of both I'm sure.