Welcome to My Life

When Skyler was three years old, he was diagnosed with severe, non-verbal autism.

When he was seventeen, his mom wrote a book about his amazing life. Even though he has no words, he has so much to say, and Laurie is honored to help him share it.

“Welcome to My Life is an educational memoir about a family’s unconditional love and fierce advocacy for a child with autism, and demonstrates how these traits are, sadly, of absolute importance when navigating a medical system not yet fully aware of the special needs of these special children. I am honored to have met Skyler and his remarkable family. With this book, you will meet them too.” -Arthur Krigsman, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterologist — Clinician, Researcher, Author

I believe we each have a warrior inside of us, and it doesn’t take much to rile up that fighting spirit of a mamma bear—especially when it involves her children.

We all deserve a voice, even the voiceless.

Laurie found her voice early, and she has never stopped using it to stand up for her son with severe, non-verbal autism. In fact, she’s made it her life’s mission to not just use her voice on his behalf but through her book, Welcome to My LIfe: A Personal Parenting Journey Through Autism, her hope is to give a voice to the community of caregivers and loved ones who courageously embrace raising a child who relies on parental assistance for every need throughout their whole life.

Living on little sleep, unexpected daily challenges and a world that doesn’t always seek to understand difference, Laurie opens up her life and welcomes readers into the mundane and the monotonous… the challenges and the triumphs… the heart-aches and the blessings. She’s candid and vulnerable in sharing her mishaps and family’s learnings, with the goal of shedding light on how families and caregivers navigate daily life with a special needs child.

There’s nothing easy about it. But through the hardship, she’s learned much about Skyler’s love for life and how she is beautifully made to be his mamma warrior!

Buy the Book

Welcome to My Life invites you to take a journey with Laurie and her son and explore

How Skyler’s autism diagnosis shook and then restored Laurie’s faith

The realities of navigating divorce, co-parenting and new love when your child has special needs

The emotional and physical toll (on Skyler and his family) of countless medical and behavioral treatments

The difference between hope, false hope, acceptance and gratitude in the face of disappointment, uncertainty and fear

The effects of autism on sibling relationships

How autism can challenge and strengthen a marriage

Why laughter is good medicine for us all

“An excellent book infused with faith and hope by an author who offers practical wisdom, humor, honesty, and grace. A MUST-READ for every parent and professional in the autism community. You’ll experience autism from a new perspective of unconditional love and acceptance by Laurie’s raw, honest, and humorous stories.”
Ron Sandison, Author of A Parent’s Guide to Autism: Practical Advice. Biblical Wisdom. And Founder of Spectrum Inclusion
“I love a book that rings true right from the get-go. As the mother of an adult son with autism, I know what real is, and Laurie nails it. Most of us struggle to just make it through the day, yet she somehow managed to pen this gloriously gut-wrenching, perfectly raw and honest book while still in the trenches. I can’t imagine how. A trust warrior mother, her determined fight for her son and her family is a magnificent read. I can’t wait for the movie!”
Janet Pope, RN, BSN, Founding Member of Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) and Fellow Autism Warrior Mom
“Welcome to My Life is a heartwarming and at-times heart-wrenching memoir that beautifully illustrates the incredibly brave journey that autism parents and their autistic children take to advocate for inclusion and acceptance. Laurie’s writing gives a voice to her extraordinary son’s courage and achievements while navigating life with autism. This book is a must-read for any autistic person, parent, caregiver, teacher and professional who wants to become a strong advocate for autism inclusion.”
Samantha Setty, MA, BCBA, Behavior Analyst and Director, Methodology: Excelling Through Behavior

Go Beyond the Book

Speaking

Through her compassion, humor and desire to educate the world on the importance of understanding and inclusion, Laurie has the ability to motivate audiences to gain a renewed perspective and take action, individually, locally and on a large scale.

Podcast

Learn from Laurie and others who support families and children with special needs through the Living the Sky Life Podcast where she openly shares her ongoing learning raising an autistic son and invites others to share their stories of hope and resilience too.

Autographed Book

Order a signed paperback copy of the book, Welcome to My Life, for your personal bookshelf or as a special gift for a loved one who could benefit from her family’s honest and inspirational story of living and learning about the struggles and blessings of autism.