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When my husband was diagnosed with autism, things changed ... but also they didn't.

We were only together for six weeks before my husband proposed to me, and I said yes.

I think our quick engagement had a lot to do with him being so many things I am not — this balances us out. That balance, we've come to find out, has a lot to do with him being autistic.

We always knew our personalities were in opposition: I’m outgoing while CJ is more reserved. I’m a bull-at-the-gate personality while he is more practical. I have to learn things by making mistakes, diving in and making a mess … whereas he rarely makes mistakes because he is calculated and methodical.


All photos via Jessica Offer, used with permission.

I’m sure I can be difficult with my haphazard, carefree nature, but it’s been so long now that he barely raises an eyelid at my wild ideas. We are the push and pull to each other, and I have stretched him out of his comfort zones bit by bit. He’s reined me in where I need it, too. (And I’ve definitely needed it at times.)

People tell me my husband is blessed to have me, but the truth for me is, it often feels like the other way around.

We will have been married for 10 years this coming October, and it wasn’t until our seventh year of marriage that we learned he has autism spectrum disorder.

His diagnosis happened after our eldest daughter was given hers. Since then, another of our four daughters has been diagnosed too. So half of the family members within our house are autistic — all with unique strengths and triggers.

I remember, looking back, how frustrated I used to get when we’d go out for lunch or dinner together and he could never make a decision about where we should go or what to eat. Often, we argued for hours and then eventually come home without having eaten. Hindsight tells us now that this is because CJ finds on-the-spot decision-making really hard and overwhelming.

Now, we plan where we’re eating beforehand so he can peruse the menu. And what do you know — there have been no more arguments about eating out since!

Over the years, we’ve had to come up with different ways of doing everyday things.

Autism doesn’t define my husband, but his diagnosis definitely liberates us in terms of his strengths as well as his limitations. Because he is autistic, I don’t blame him for being a "stereotypical male" when he puts off doing the dishes. Instead, I know that it’s because he has sensory issues surrounding temperature and tactile defensiveness.

And there’s no way I would ever expect him to fold something made of microfiber! But he’s awesome at grocery shopping (he knows the aisles and order of products by heart), and I love how much he has to teach me.

We plan our weekends in advance and take social overload into account very seriously.

This means I aim to only have one day per week on the weekend where I expect CJ to be out of the house and around other people. He needs the other day to recharge and chill, and that’s fine by me. In fact, he heartily encourages me to go out and pursue my interests and friendships, even if they aren’t the same as his.

And what may be obvious and automatic to others isn’t for us.

Friends ask us about the key to our marriage and we both answer "whiteboard" enthusiastically in unison.

It has saved us from many arguments, and it’s prevented many feelings of built-up resentment. It’s kept in a communal space in our house where everyone can see it, and we each write on it things that need doing or things that the other person needs to remember. That way, there’s no nagging. I don’t need to expect CJ to read my mind, and he can’t accuse me of not having told him something because it’s *right there*. I have even used it to write down what I needed from him in terms of support when I was unwell, and it was super-effective.

I take for granted that not everyone can fix physical things in the blink of an eye like CJ can.

In our house, if anything breaks there is never any hesitation before I say, "It’s OK; Daddy will fix it." CJ’s incredible intellect means he can piece things together in the blink of an eye. It’s awesome being married to someone so handy ... not to mention sexy.

His attention to detail also makes him an incredible chef.

CJ makes pancakes for our family every Sunday morning that automatically come out identical in size and width. And his pizzas and cakes are basically professional replicas, only better.

At the end of the day, this is what I hope folks can learn from CJ and me:

Being married to someone who is autistic is not really that different from being married to someone who is neurotypical: Everyone has their own set of strengths, weaknesses, and areas that need sensitive consideration. And just like any marriage, you compromise and find ways to get to a place that works.

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When you love someone, you don’t love them in spite of their diagnosis ... you love them because of it. Because without their diagnosis, they wouldn’t be the person you fell in love with anyway.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from the democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets.

But perhaps the most silly-yet-surprisingly-heated household debate is the one in which we argue over which way to hang the toilet paper roll.

The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. There is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper, according to health experts as well as the man who invented the toilet paper roll in the first place.

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Some who saw the video thought that Asero came off as entitled and exemplified the younger generation’s lack of work ethic. In contrast, others sympathized with the young woman who is just beginning to understand how hard it is to find work-life balance in modern-day America.

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I told a kid a riddle my dad told me when I was 7. His answer proves how far we've come.

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"A man and his son are driving in their car when they are hit by a tractor-trailer.

Photo via iStock.

(We were driving at the time, so of course this was the riddle he decided to tell.)

The father dies instantly.

The son is badly injured. Paramedics rush him to the hospital.

Photo via iStock.

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How is that possible?!"

Without missing a beat, I answered:

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