Elaina Kelly, Neighbor

My name is Elaina Kelly and I've been a local resident of Benicia for 9 years.  I am married to a wonderful husband who is firefighter for Contra Costa County. I am blessed to have the ability to be a stay-at-home mom and raise my two amazing and smart boys who have been diagnosed with Pervasive Development Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), a form of autism.  In my limited time, I love to hang out with my family and friends, travel, and read.  My biggest passion is to continue my education and to help my two son’s be successful in their future.  

One of the reasons I decided to blog on the Benicia Patch is to reach out to families with special needs children.  For years, I have yearned for a place where I was able to bond with other families and share similar experiences.  Since I have yet to find such a place, my husband, myself and two other parents decided to create the Benicia Autism Support Group(http://www.meetup.com/TheBeniciaAutismSupportGroup).  This free group is an outlet for autistic families to come together and share their experiences, form friendships, and allow the kids to be themselves in a safe and happy environment. In conjunction to starting the group, I have also joined the Local Advisory Committee (LAC) which is another avenue to help spread awareness about special needs children and help make positive changes within the local school district. In addition, I started this blog in hope that it will open doors for families who share this similar journey and give them reassurance that they are not alone. In this blog, I will share my weekly experiences, my highs and lows, and offer tips/advice of things that help me get though my chaotic day.  In the end, the goal is to provide a place of resource and support. I do believe that this community, through knowledge and awareness, can make a difference.