Downs and ......

This in NOT the face of a happy camper. We went to our church for pictures for a church directory and  the girls were dressed up in their Easter dresses ( because, silly me, I thought I might actually be abel to get a nice picture of them together in them) and we were all ready to go. AND THEN...

 And then, half of the lights were off in the church basement and that must have done it. She wanted to leave RIGHT away. Her headphones and music didn't help at all. Nothing was working. We took her on the elevator, she just wanted to leave by a different door. The photos below were taken while trying to calm her and get her prepared for the photo. Mind you, we have had these kind of photos taken before and nothing LIKE THIS occurred.

 So daddy decided that we were going to take the picture no matter what Gracie was doing. This wasn't my choice(reschedule) but I did it anyway. So now there will be a photo in the church directory and people will look at it and see "the Kulps and their autistic daughter." I  am torn between 1) ok, we did it- we did what we had to do this is the way it is-end of story  ,or do it again and say, see it CAN be done just like the rest of you, or maybe then , no, it can't be done and this is how it is. Does that make sense? 

I guess what I am trying to say is do we try to be "TYPICAL" ( the new progressive word for NORMAL) or 

do we just be what we are. Is it better to just get out there in public and be who we are or put on a front that we are something other than that.

I want a copy of the picture, I guess mostly because I can say this is who we are and it's OK. To help show other families living with autism to say it's OK. This is who we are.