Laughing Until I Cry

It’s taken me 3 years to write this “About” page. It’s hard for me to imagine it’s important to a reader. Even harder for me to picture having readers. But here goes.

I’m Donna McCamant, native Austinite, wife of Frank, storyteller to anyone who will listen, and mother to 3 gorgeous daughters, Tash, Nani and Meghan. This blog is mostly about my experiences, thoughts, feelings and lessons learned while parenting a child with autism and other disabilities. An experience that I never imagined happening to me and mine. An experience filled with tears and laughter, accomplishment and regret, a healthy dose of exhaustion, and a huge learning curve. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world and one I’ve come to see as a privilege. (OK, so maybe not EVERY moment of the day or night.)

From time to time I’ll write about being Frank’s wife because I have a long memory and the man has provided me with some really great material over the years. He’s also provided love, support, encouragement and pestering to start writing. I won’t leave those other 2 girls out either because they owe me, and besides they are lovely people you should get to know, and my two biggest fans. Let me say now that I’m truly sorry that your children are not as wonderful as mine. Really, really, truly sorry.

So why did I call my blog “Laughing Until I Cry?” Because God gifted me with a love of absurdity (He knew I’d need it), and a very low threshold for uncontrolled laughter which when I’m tired enough (often) goes seamlessly into crying. That phenomena is very much like the cycle of tears, laughter and exhaustion that begins when your child is diagnosed with a life altering disability. I hope it will bring you some laughter and some tears, and a glimpse into a life that is much more like yours than not.