Grateful.

It's the first word that pops into my head to describe how I feel every day as I sit in the car-line, dropping my four year-old son Jack off at school.  You see, Jack is a rambunctious, cuddly, fun-loving, downright beautiful kid.  He's also severely disabled by a mysterious disorder called autism.  In case you haven't already heard, autism now affects 1 in every 150 children.

Although Jack deals with incredible challenges, he's a lucky kid.  He spends every school day at Nashoba Learning Group with devoted professionals who know how to help children with autism reach their full potential.  They are committed to sweet Jack and that beautiful mind of his.  As he tumbles out of the car every day, I know in my heart the sky is the limit.  He's in the right hands.

Not only do they work with children like Jack, they also work with adolescents and young adults with autism.  The work is hard.  The pay is minimal.  But every day, as I sit in the car-line, I see them place their arms lovingly around their students. 

And I'm so grateful...

To express my gratitude, I'm lacing up my running shoes and hitting the course of the historic Boston Marathon on April 21st.  To be honest, I'm a little nervous about the run.  I'm not getting any younger and have just a few short weeks to train.

But on race day I'll grab a Sharpie and scribble the names of those beautiful Nashoba students all over my arms and legs.  When fatigue inevitably hits, I'll glance at a name ... and put one foot in front of the other heading up Heartbreak Hill.  (It's nothing compared to the hard work they put in every day...)

You won't see Jack's name scribbled on my arms or legs.  I'm saving a special spot for him right over my heart....

I hope you'll consider supporting my run for Nashoba.  Any donation, big or small, would be incredibly appreciated.

With gratitude,

Judith Ursitti

(Jack's Crazy Mom)

To learn more about our family's journey, please visit my blog on Parents.com.