Rocky Parra
Wife to Brett, mom to BethAnne, Peyton, Walker and Matthew, retired CPA, career volunteer, avid sports fan, and adorer of old Catholic Churches. Rocky passionately advocates for her son, Matthew, and autism acceptance. In 2015, she began writing about her family’s experience with autism on Facebook. In 2020, she published her first book, "Embracing Mrs. Mommy – Learning from, Living with and Loving Someone with Autism." Always in the back of my mind is Luke 12:48, “to whom much is given, much is expected… ” You can find her on Instagram as @mrs__mommy.
Autism + Anxiety + Puberty :: My Challenging Era
{Subtitle: "Where is my sweet boy, and what have you done with him?"}
Sixteen years ago, our family began celebrating Autism Awareness Month shortly after my youngest son received his autism diagnosis. Until that point,...
Desperately Seeking Sleep
If sleep comes easily to you, just keep scrolling; this post may not be for you. If sleep eludes you now, or for decades like me, stay right here and keep reading.
Jules Verne once...
How to Achieve a Reading Goal
Successfully completing a reading challenge requires creativity. A busy mom completing a reading challenge requires effort and creativity. After exceeding my Goodreads Reading Challenges in 2021 and 2022, I set a more aggressive goal...
Lessons Learned From My Adult Children
Twenty-seven years ago, I struggled with infertility.
I filled my head with idealized visions of my parenting plans should that day ever come. How I would teach my future child, or children, how to read,...
The Gift of Giving in Pensacola: Where to Donate Household Items and Make a...
Each year, as the holidays approach, I conduct a bit of a household purge. Specifically, for every item coming into the house, an item needs to go out. Not necessarily items of equal value...
Back to School with a Special Needs Student
In many households across the country, the state, and the county, many moms and dads celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. The kids head back to school, and...
Why I Love Summer
If you asked me to list my favorite season, winter immediately comes to mind. Christmas(my favorite holiday), my wedding anniversary, and my birthday fall in winter. Celebrations I look forward to each and every...
An Introduction to Fiesta Pensacola
"To celebrate our heritage, promote tourism, and build pride in Pensacola through festive activities which enhance the quality of life in our community."
Fiesta Pensacola, founded in 1949 as the Fiesta of Five Flags, began...
A+ Gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week
"A good teacher is like a candle, it consumes itself to light the way for others."--Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
Many of our children spend more waking hours a day in the presence of their teachers than...
Becoming Your Adult Child’s Legal Guardian
April is Autism Awareness Month.
I feel a certain obligation to write about my personal experiences with autism each April. When I first held my sweet Matthew for the first time over eighteen years ago,...