• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Join Me On

Love Always, Joann

Stay Connected!

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Disney
    • Recipes
    • Disney Planning
    • Disney Vacation 2019
  • My Story
  • Special Needs Parenting
    • Autism
  • Blog
    • Health & Beauty
    • Sponsored Posts
    • Product recommendations
    • Cooking & Baking
    • Travel
  • Etsy Shop
  • Privacy Policy

on April 2, 2021 · Leave a Comment

World Autism Day 2021 – Answering Your Questions About Autism.

I can’t believe a whole year has passed, but it’s here again today – World Autism Day 2021.  I thought long and hard about what I wanted to write about for this year.  Again, I am so happy to be collaborating with my friend, Jessica Holley, from at @Blessedjess.  This is our third year doing this together and I am so honored to be able to share this very special day for our families with her. 

We weren’t sure what we wanted to share this year but, after thinking about it and tossing around a few ideas, we were able to come up with this year’s theme.  I decided to ask my followers on social media what questions they had about autism.  It could be anything from questions about Michael’s autism diagnosis, his therapy, or being an autism mom.  As always, my friends did not disappoint, and they sent me so many excellent questions.  I’m going to answer those questions here, but coming soon, I’m also going to share on my YouTube channel as well.  In addition to collaborating with Jessica, I also asked some of my autism moms who follow me to share what they would like everyone to know about their child with autism.  I’m grateful that this platform has given us all a voice to be able to express how we feel, educate, spread awareness and hopefully develop more acceptance for our children and our families.  This is so important to us all.  Whether your child’s disability is autism, down’s syndrome or cerebral palsy, all of us want you to know there is so much more to them then their diagnosis.  So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all for allowing us to have this day to share our love for our children and have the opportunity to educate and advocate for a more inclusive world for our families. 

Now let’s get to the questions!

How did you feel when he (Michael) was diagnosed?

 It was probably one of the most difficult days of my life.  Hearing the doctor very abruptly blurt out, “Yeah, he has autism,” was awful.  She was very nonchalant, like it was just another day at the office for her.  By her, I mean the Pediatric Neurologist who initially diagnosed Michael.  I also must share that two months before Michael’s diagnosis, I lost my mom to cancer.  I was already very depressed and I’m afraid the autism diagnosis took my mental state down to a whole other level.  The one thing I can say is, I already had a gut feeling that she would say he had autism.  I had friends whose siblings had autism; and, even though I did not know firsthand what their life was like, I was familiar with a few of the hardships.   

I felt very lost in the beginning and even now, the feelings can come back without warning.  I felt alone then and not having my mom to help me during that time made things even harder.  I had way too much to deal with in a very short amount of time.  The process of getting through the diagnosis was and is very slow.  I also wonder if I would have been able to handle it better if my situation were different.  I think my circumstances made it so much more difficult.  I, of course, had my husband’s support.  I would have never made it through that without him.  He is always more optimistic than me and, at the same time, he is a realist.  He has never sugar-coated anything so, with him by my side and by our son’s side, I knew we could get through anything.   

The one thing that I wish I had done differently is not allow myself to get hung up on the doctor’s words and opinions.  Michael’s first Pediatric Neurologist had the audacity to say, “Hopefully, in time, he will grow out of this.”  I will never forget that.  She said or suggested that Michael could actually “grow out” of autism.  I hung onto that, although, knowing deep down, there is no growing out of autism.  Yes, things can improve, but it is not something you grow out of.  The second thing she said, and what really was the deciding factor in finding a new doctor, was when we returned a year later for another visit.  She looked at Michael for a few seconds and said, “Oh my God, he’s still not talking?!  What are you doing?” She really caught me off guard and I left the office annoyed, but knowing that was it for her. 

Although Michael’s initial diagnosis and prognosis was difficult, we have seen progress.  The progress is slow, but it is still progress.  As the years have gone by and Michael has progressed, there is always something else that comes up.  My understanding is this is typical.  Our autism journey will never end, but we are always hopeful that Michael will have a bright future.  

It took me a long time to get where I am now with his diagnosis.  I am not going to say it does not really bother me at times.  It is difficult, but there are some beautiful moments along the way.  I love to see Michael communicating, learning a new skill, or just seeing him happy.  His biggest accomplishment this year is a leisure activity we’ve been working to teach him for quite a while.  He will now sit independently and watch a TV show.

How did you know something was wrong?  

Michael was hitting all his milestones up until a little after a year old.  Michael has a twin brother and I could tell the differences between each of them.  Although Michael started to walk first at 14 months, it seems after that he slowly started to change.  I could not really pinpoint what was different and that was frustrating to try to explain to his pediatrician.  As the months went by, I just had a gut feeling that something was not right.  He did have eye contact; he was not a toe walker.  He was babbling and starting to say a few words.  By October of 2013, I knew for certain that something was not right.  After talking again to his pediatrician, even though she insisted every child’s development was different, she gave me the information to have him evaluated. 

I had both boys evaluated at the same time and the results proved that Michael was very behind and that Alex could also use a little assistance.  When the evaluation was completed and presented to us, I was extremely overwhelmed.  I remember asking from the very beginning, did they think Michael had autism?  No one would answer me directly.  I know now that they were not able to share their opinions.  The Early Intervention Team suggested Michael would need EI twice a week and Alex once a week.  About a month into EI with Michael, his therapist asked if it would be okay for a Behaviorist to come and observe Michael.  We agreed not knowing exactly what he was observing.  After he spent some time with Michael, he very nicely said, “I would like to suggest taking Michael for an evaluation with a Developmental Pediatrician.”  He told us it could take several months to get an appointment, but felt it was necessary.  To everyone’s surprise we found a doctor to take him right away.  The wonderful (not!) doctor I spoke about previously had an opening, so we took it.  At 21 months old, Michael was diagnosed with Autism.  Even though, I knew deep down that he had autism, it was still very upsetting to hear. 

Is Michael able to socialize with anyone other than close family? 

Yes, Michael is very social.  He loves to be around people and interact with them.  He is a big hugger and, although he may not be able to communicate with words, he is able to interact.  It can be difficult to understand what he wants if you are not familiar with Michael.  He does use his AAC device (Augmentative & Alternative Communication device) while at school and he is able to communicate effectively with it.  We will occasionally use it at home but, for the most part, we already know what he is asking for.  He also loves to be with the kids in his class.  This past year has been very difficult for him with virtual learning.  He loves to be with people and, hopefully, that will change soon. 

How do you cope with the unknown?

To be honest, this is something I am consistently working on.  This past year, I made a conscious decision to try and focus on the here and now; but occasionally, the worries of the future come creeping back.   Whereas most parents’ responsibilities of taking care of their children end when they turn 18, a special needs parent must think beyond that and even when they are no longer living.  It is a lot to think about.    As the years go by, you will have to address these issues.  If you are just starting your autism journey with your child, my suggestion is to focus on what you can do right now to help your child.  You will, no doubt, be inundated with doctor and therapist appointments.  It is important to get them set up as soon as you receive their diagnosis.  Once you have that in place and things are moving along, you can try to start thinking about the future.  The beginning, it is so overwhelming; so just remember – one day at a time. 

This concludes the questions that you all asked.  Thank you so much!

Now, as I said above, I am featuring some personal stories from other autism moms.  There is a saying that if you meet one child with autism, you met one child with autism.  This is so true.  Although, they may have similar characteristics, every child with autism is very different.  I thought hearing the autism journeys of other families would be helpful to understand autism. 

Hi! my name is Lauren Petersen.  I am a Mom to an amazing kiddo, Aiden, who has ASD.  Aiden was diagnosed with ASD at 3 years old.  Looking back, I had always known that something just did not seem ‘right’ when it came to his development.  He met all his ‘marks’ at his visits, up until his 18-month well child visit.  After his 18-month-old visit he suffered a seizure.  His body shut down after spiking a fever of over 107.0 degrees.  My husband, who is a firefighter, was on shift that day.  I was home alone with Aiden and our 3.5-year-old daughter.  We called 911 and, by the time the firefighters got there, the seizure happened and his body regulated his temp (praise God).  From that day on, he just was not the same kiddo.  He went into what we now know as, “Regressive Autism”.  He stopped speaking; he stopped looking us in the eye.  He would just lay on the floor and stare.  Loud noises would trigger him into severe anxiety.  He became aggressive and would hit and yell; echolalia was all the time.  ‘Stemming’ and rigid behaviors began. 

We asked our PCP for a referral for speech therapy.  The speech therapist who performed the consult was, unfortunately, not trained in spotting ASD and misdiagnosed him with just a “speech delay”.  The typical, “He is a boy and just learning slowly.”  Well, as a ‘Mama Bear’, I refused to just accept what she was saying after almost a year.  I sought out a referral from our PCP for a consult at Seattle Children’s Hospitals, Pediatric Behavioral Health.  At that appointment, they called a “combative code” on us because he was so aggressive in the waiting room over the juice box not being ‘correct’.  At that appointment, they gave us a referral to the Autism Center for a consult.  They said the waitlist was one year long.  I refused to wait, so I contacted a family friend who had worked at the Children’s Hospital, trying to see if she could get us in sooner.  No go.  I asked her if there was ANYTHING she could do.  She then gave me the name of a friend of hers who worked at the Autism Center, but also had a private practice as Child Psychologist.  She was able to get us in within one week for an evaluation, but insurance would not cover the visit and it was going to be $1,500.  We made the appointment and Aiden received a diagnosis of Autism three weeks later.  We were handed a packet of the assessment and recommended treatment plan.  I remember sitting in the office, looking over the recommended therapies and said to her, “Wait, this is over 50 hours of therapies a week.  I would have to quit my job in ordered to do this.”  Her response was, “Yes, it is a lot of therapies.”  That is all she said.  Being professional, she of course could not tell a parent what to do or tell them to quit their job.  But, she did not have to say anything else.  I just knew.  The look on her face said it all.  I called my work that afternoon, quit my full-time job, and started calling every single therapist on the list and vetting all the clinics in the area.

Three months after Aiden’s diagnosis, he was in ABA therapy 5 days a week, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy, and Developmental Preschool.  We drove 200 miles a day, 5 days a week, 5 hours a day, traveling in the car to therapies.  We did this for three years and honestly, it was one of the most difficult times in our lives.  It was truly a dark time for our WHOLE family.  Aiden worked SO hard for years and after those three years, he was talking, his eye contact was improving, aggressive behaviors were going down, etc. 

In addition to traditional therapies, we left the standard western medicine world and tried numerous holistic treatments, which were amazingly successful for him.  We learned that Aiden had severe levels of toxic metals in his blood.  His gut was depleted of ALL good and bad bacteria.  He had numerous food sensitivities.  He had genetic ‘snips’ that made his body unable to detox and use B vitamins correctly, among many other issues.  We were lucky enough to have a doctor that specialized in Special Needs individuals and helped us use a holistic approach to help healing Aiden.  She is truly a miracle for him and our whole family. 

Having a child on the Spectrum is one of the most challenging, yet one of the most rewarding experiences.  I can honestly say that I would not have been able to say that just two years ago. It has taken a lot of mindset changes (on my part) to be able to see the gratefulness of this experience.  Aiden is one the most kind and loving kiddos I have ever met.  He absolutely lights up a room when he walks into it.  He brings a smile to anyone’s face.  He is the loudest person in the room, but he brings the most joy.  I am so grateful to be his Mom!  xoxo 

It is important to all special needs families for others to learn about our children.  The more you learn about autism, our life, our difficult times and the beautiful ones too, the more our children will be accepted.

If you would like more information or have additional questions about autism, please comment below.  I would love to share more info with you. Please share my information if there is someone you know who can benefit.   

Tweet
Pin4
Share
4 Shares

Filed Under: Autism, Special Needs Parenting Tagged With: Autism, Autism Awareness, autismacceptance, autismfamily, worldautismday

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Previous Post: « Let’s Make A Recipe from Epcot’s France Pavilion!
Next Post: Let’s Make Disneyland’s Nostalgic S’mores Bake At Home! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our mailing list

Recent Comments

  • Joann on 5 Kitchen Tools You Need In Your Kitchen Today!
  • Joann on 5 Kitchen Tools You Need In Your Kitchen Today!
  • Jamieadstories on 5 Kitchen Tools You Need In Your Kitchen Today!
  • Lisa | Mind and Body Intertwined on 5 Kitchen Tools You Need In Your Kitchen Today!
  • Joanne on Let’s Make Disney’s Churros at Home!
DisneyStore.com

Recent Posts

  • The Best Mother’s Day Gift Guide For Every Mom You Know!
  • 5 Kitchen Tools You Need In Your Kitchen Today!
  • Let’s Make Disney’s Churros at Home!

Archives

  • April 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018

Categories

  • Autism
  • Beauty
  • Cooking & Baking
  • Disney
  • Disney Planning
  • Disney Vacation 2019
  • My Story
  • Product recommendations
  • Recipes
  • Special Needs Parenting
  • Sponsored Posts
  • The Little Things….Monthly Favorites
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

lovealwaysjoann

Lovealways,Joann
Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video t Yesterday on my YouTube channel I posted a video talking about how I handle stress associated with being an autism mom.  Thank you so much for those of you who have watched and for your kind comments.  Thank you to everyone who also reached out to  me privately. It’s nice to hear that something I said either resonated with you or has helped in a small way.  I love the feedback as it’s a way for me to know if I should continue with autism related content or not.  If you haven’t had a chance to watch yet, I hope you will consider adding it to your watch list.  Thank you for your support, it’s truly appreciated. 

.
#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife 
#bloom #teachyourkidaboutmykid #rise
Did you know that during a typical day an autism Did you know that during a typical day an autism  mom can experience more than two stressful events? Autism moms  are more likely to experience fatigue, depression and isolation.  Mother’s of children with autism have stress levels comparable to combat veterans. 
I do not handle stress well, but I am consistently trying to get better at managing it.  If you watched today’s YouTube video, and you are an autism mom, I hope you know you are not alone.  I hope I was able to help in some small way.  My way of handling stress may not be the way for you, but I encourage you to find something that does. ❤️ #stress #stressrelief #stressmanagement #autismstress 

.
#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife 
#bloom #teachyourkidaboutmykid #rise
It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as It’s not often I get to spend time with Alex as much as I like to.  It’s not easy having a sibling with autism but Alex loves his brother.  Today, Alex and I went to the movies to see Sonic 2.  We had a great time together but the best part of my day was him thanking me for going with him.  He said,”I really appreciate it Mom!” This picture is from his last year’s birthday party.  I can’t believe it but in a few short weeks my twins will be 10 years old! ❤️ #autismsiblings #sons #momsofinstagram #momandsons #theboywhostolemyheart #autismmom #autismlife
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The last recipe I shared is the Blueberry French Toast.  French Toast is one of my favorites for breakfast. When you mix  it with the blueberries and the eggs, it just takes it up a notch.  Don’t forget to sprinkle some powdered sugar on top! Direct link in bio.  #brunch #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #frenchtoast #blueberries #frenchtoastcasserole
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video this week? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The second recipe I share is the Hawaiian Breakfast Sliders.  Ever since I watched my friend Jess over at @blessedjess86 share her Baked Hawaiian Rolls recipe, I’ve been really obsessed with the Hawaiian Rolls!! Out of the 3 recipes I made, this one is my favorite! These are perfect to wrap up individually and take your breakfast to go.  Direct link in bio.  #brunch  #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #hawaiianrolls #hawaiianrollsliders
Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video yeste Did you happen to catch my new YouTube video yesterday? In this week’s video I’m sharing 3 easy Brunch recipes! Each one is easy to make and can be made-ahead  of time. 
The first recipe I share, “Sweet Potato Hash,” is from @ww.  Whether you are currently on the program or not, If you’re a fan of sweet potatoes,  this one is for you.  Direct link in bio.  #brunch #brunchrecipes #breakfastideas #ww #wwrecipes #sweetpotatohash
When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it When your child is first diagnosed with autism, it is difficult to wrap your head around the amount of information given to you. It’s so important to have people in your child’s life that you can connect to.  Develop a comfortable connection  with the pediatrician, neurologist, the early intervention team, as well as your immediate family. You should be able to know that you have respect, trust and compassion in these relationships. I talked about our early relationships with Michael’s team in my “Let’s talk autism - Early Intervention - Pediatric Neurologist- O.T.  Therapist” YouTube video in March.  If your child was recently diagnosed with autism, I hope you find this helpful. Direct link to my channel in my bio. New autism videos coming soon.  #newautismdiagnosis 

.
#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife 
#bloom #teachyourkidaboutmykid #rise
Good evening friends! Last month I had posted abou Good evening friends! Last month I had posted about a question from another special needs mom asking me to talk about how I handle stress.  I also asked if anyone wanted to share as well to please let me know so I could pass those suggestions and ideas along.  I didn’t receive much feedback and I’m not surprised at all.  This tells me that there are many of us who are still trying to figure out how to handle their stress or maybe you’re not comfortable sharing.  Either way I can understand, I’m still struggling to figure out what works best for me. 
It’s been awhile since I sat down to talk autism but this week I will film my next autism video.  Any guesses as to what that will be about? 😂 As always please feel free to DM me if you prefer or aren’t comfortable sharing in the comments about anything related to autism.  I know it’s hard to put yourself out there when you’re never sure how you will be received, but always remember you have a friend in me.  #stressmanagement 

.
#autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife 
#bloom #teachyourkidaboutmykid #rise
A very happy 50th birthday to my husband Gabe! We A very happy 50th birthday to my husband Gabe! We ❤️ you! #birthday #50thbirthday #family
My sister and I wanted to wish a very Happy Mother My sister and I wanted to wish a very Happy Mother’s Day to our dad’s girlfriend Cheryl.  A few months ago I shared that my dads cancer had returned and asked for you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  He’s getting better every day but we know it’s because of the excellent care Cheryl has been giving him.  We just want to thank you for taking amazing care of our dad during these last few months. We are truly grateful to have you in our lives. #thankyou #grateful #mothersday
Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Moms out Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Moms out there! Enjoy your day! A very happy heavenly Mother’s Day to my mom. I’m so happy for all the years you were a part of my life, I just wish we could have had more time together.  I miss you so much, I love you and until we meet again, you’ll be in my heart. Love always, Joann 🥰❤️🙏 #mothersday #imissmymom #heavenlymothersday
New YouTube video! Please consider subscribing and New YouTube video! Please consider subscribing and become part of the family! #maythe4thbewithyou #starwars #starwarsday #wookiecookies #disneykitchen #chewbacca #disneysnacks #disneyfoodies #disneyrecipes #baking #bakingfortheinsta #disneylover #disneyfood #disneyhungry #disneylife #disneymom #disneyhome #disneygram  #disneyeats #mydisneylife #mickeyshapedfood #disneylove #disneyinsta #disneydesserts #disneylifestyle #disneyfamily #disneybaking #mydisneyhome
Have you checked out my YouTube channel yet? Over Have you checked out my YouTube channel yet? Over the last year and a half, I’ve made 35+ Disney food and snack recipes! Please consider subscribing and become part of the family! #smallyoutuber #smallyoutubersupport #smallyoutubercommunity #disneykitchen #disneysnacks #disneyfoodies #disneyrecipes #baking #bakingfortheinsta #disneylover #disneyfood #disneyhungry
#disneylife #disneymom #disneykitchen #anyonecancook 
#disneyhome #disneygram #disneyeats #mydisneylife #mickeyshapedfoods #disneylove #disneyinsta #disneydesserts #disneylifestyle #disneyfamily 
#disneybaking 
#sharingrecipes
#repost Use my code lovealwaysjoann for 10% off yo #repost Use my code lovealwaysjoann for 10% off your order! #affiliate 
#😱Our rebrand is LIVE y’all! Tag a friend in the comments below, and let us know what you think! 
—#repost 
#wishescandleco #magiccandles #pincandles #handmadecandles #handpoured #allnaturalsoy
Good morning and happy Sunday! We are on our secon Good morning and happy Sunday! We are on our second day of driving back home to New Jersey.  It’s a beautiful morning here in North Carolina! The sun is shining and I’m praying for a smooth ride home with no traffic.  Enjoy your Sunday! #sunday #homewardbound #northcarolina
On our final night in Florida, we surprised my hus On our final night in Florida, we surprised my husband Gabe with a small  50th birthday party.  He turns 50 in May, but I wanted him to be able to celebrate with his family.  We are heading back to New Jersey.  Although we had a few rough days it was nice to get away and see our family.  Now we countdown until August when we visit again.  #homewardbound  #family #vacationmemories
New on my YouTube channel! What’s for dinner? Ri New on my YouTube channel! What’s for dinner? Ricotta Meatballs! Link in bio #recipes #easyrecipes #cookathome #homechef #momsrecipes #familyrecipes #cookbook #weeknightdinners #homemade #baking #cooking #madewithlove  #foodie #recipecollection #recipeideas #recipesoftheday #ricottameatballs #meatballs
Thank you so much for all your prayers for Maggie. Thank you so much for all your prayers for Maggie.  She was sedated, given oxygen and medication at the animal hospital.  She is doing much better now.  She has been diagnosed with Laryngeal paralysis.  This is more common in older, large breed dogs.  She is home resting now.  We were given medication to help her and make her comfortable.  We will follow up with our vet when we get home.  Thank you again and I really need a vacation now! Oh wait, I’m on one!🤣 Have a good evening and hopefully, we will all sleep well tonight.  #prayersanswered #thankyou #goodnight
Wishing you and your family a very Happy and bless Wishing you and your family a very Happy and blessed Easter! #happyeaster #hehasrisen
Good evening friends! We finally made it to my mot Good evening friends! We finally made it to my mother-in-law’s house about an hour ago.  We are all tired but happy to be here.  I hope you all have a great evening.  #floridalife #saturdaynight #autism #autismmom #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismlife #autismlife #autismheros #autismadvocates #autismeducation #specialneedsmomlife 
#autismacceptance #autismstars 
#specialneeds #ourautismjourney #specialneedsfamily #littlecornerofmyworld #littlestoriesofmylife
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Joann Salas and LovealwaysJoann.com, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (including photos and videos) without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Joann Salas and LovealwaysJoann.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Footer

lovealwaysjoann · Copyright © 2022