❤️ℝ𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘_A𝕪𝕒h❤️ (@raisingayah)

You have no idea how glad I am to have Ayah got the flu shot. This required a lot of little steps to get to here but check out the little superstar! #flu #getvaccinated #flushot #success #autism

With Ayah's new belt come new opportunities for advanced classes like Nunchaku or fight club. When we looked over her new schedule we chose certain specialty classes like Forms, Breaking, boxing etc. I immediately said no to Nunchaku classes and that she could choose it after her next belt in about 5 Months. Or even the next one after. But my daughter is competitive and dedicated. We'll see how this goes. #Nunchaku #taekwondo #ambitious #dedicated #autistic

She earned her last black stripe to be ready for testing for the green belt in two weeks. She will not be able to participate in the large belt testing ceremony because she will be at a Music Festival that weekend. So her test will be on October 26. Since it's a make up testing she'll have to do all the kicks, punches, breaking a board with an x-kick, do her Form all by herself. So I wonder if you could cheer up Ayah if I go live to stream the whole test and she'll know her TikTok Family is watching and cheering her on. Would you like that? I don't go live often because I am not sure what people would like to see. Anyway, let me know and I will let you know what time exactly we will be going live #taekwondo #greenbelt #autism #readyfortesting #아야

Ayah and I have been wanting to make this song for a while but things were always crazy. So we sat down and wrote it. Rewrote it, rewrote it a hundred times until we liked it. And now Ayah can't get the melody out of her head. It's still a while until Christmas, but that's ok. 😂#christmas #christmassong #santa #santaisntreal #christmasmagic

Roblox Frustration is real! #roblox #keyboardescape #plusonekeyboardescape #frustration #perceverance

Sides 8 years old now!!#birthday #😭😭😭

I just can't believe how fast the time goes by. You blink and there she is. 8 years old. #birthday #timeflies #growingup

Replying to @katheez I thought she would try to be brave, but that she would change her mind on the water. But she did great! #kayak #autism #lakeday #beingbrave brave

Vacation diary. This morning Ayah is kayaking.#vacation #autism #lakeday #fearless #kayak

#autism #autismawareness ess #nomasking #nodemands #vacation

There is a new chocolate place near us. It's not exactly for us common people, but we tried the strawberry balsamic chocolate. Not worth it in my daughter's opinion.

Ayah got her back to school haircut and it was quite a challenge with all of Ayah's sensory issues. But she loves her new haircut. Less brushing, less struggling through hairstyles. #newhaircut #haircut #autism #autismawareness #sensoryissues

I didn't want to put text all over the video, so I hope you read this story. It had me in tears! So I just absolutely have to tell you about today. (Some of you may know this story) When Ayah was 2 years old we hadn't lived in our house very long and we literally had nothing but a bed, crib, totally mismatched furniture from Habitat for Humanity, (we still do 😅) and household items we got in thrift stores. What we didn't have was a Christmas tree and any kinds of decorations. I asked my neighbors if they could share some lights and ornaments etc. We received a fake tree and decorations that we still use every Christmas. One neighbor was so kind and brought over a bin of decorations and sent a few toys for my daughter. That same neighbor installed a little fairy door in her yard and invited my two year old to come back every day to find a treasure. And we did. On our daily walks we would stop by her house and check for treasures. And there was a new treasure every day. Yep, every day. One year, two years, three years... Every day. In late 2024 I got really sick and ended up in the hospital. It took months to recover and I couldn't walk a lot, so we didn't go on our walks much during that time. Then in May 2025 I became even more sick and it left me dependent on oxygen and I just couldn't walk that long. Today I felt good to go on a walk. And for old time's sake we went our route and checked for a treasure in that neighbor's yard. And there it was. A treasure! I thought we were just saying hello to the squirrel and froggy. (The two places that neighbor put a toy under) But there was a treasure 😭❤️ It made me cry. We rarely went for a walk for almost a year and a half. But there was a treasure today! Ps: The fire hydrant - every single day we went for our walk we had to stop and hug it. It's magic because it turns Ayah into anyone or anything she wants to be. It was always part of the routine she needed. We always had to walk the exact same route, having the exact same rituals. If not, she would get listless and upset later in the day. We didn't know why until we found out she is autistic. And then everything fell in place and made us understand. And with that knowledge the neighbor put construction toys under the rocks - my daughter's first "special interest".#growingup #treasurehunt #neighbors #neighborhood #kindness

So we cook A LOT of Lasagna every week for people who are homeless, families facing food insecurity, elderly neighbors who don't cook anymore or are by themselves, nurses after a long night shift - and many more. We give it away for free including sides and desserts. And Ayah loves to help. I mean, Rumi - Rumi loves to help.#lasagna #foodinsecurity #helpingothers #feedingfamilies #cooking

#fishing #firstfish #outdoors #vacation #adventure

Ayah and I wrote this song together for our neighbors. Not in wanted to share it here too.#helping #homeless

"I actually like Taekwondo again!" Honestly, I started to believe that I wouldn't hear this sentence again. #taekwondo #autism #confidence #keepgoing #nevergiveup @Master Chang's Martial Arts

Also, KPop Demon Hunters cereal??? Absolutely! (Definitely worth $4) #screentime #roblox #kpopdemonhunters #luckycharms @General Mills #cereal

That first plushie that Ayah's dad bought for her. #googoo #babyfirst #baby #cute

She is selling her art to save some money for her big wish - the elusive Mattel Huntrix dolls. But she's also planning to support our Lasagna Wednesday Project. (We cook a lot of lasagna every week and people can come and pick them up for free) But look how she's growing. #artsale #painting

A little throwback the summer of 2020.

😥😥😥😥😥#😥😥😥 #worldcup #germany #lost

😭 #😭😭😭 #iloveyou #adorable #cute

She is obsessed with scary things. #ootd #scarythings #horror #autism #sensoryinput

Yep, she politely told me in no uncertain terms that she was not gonna give me a second chance! #friedeggs #texture #honestreview #nope #autism

Happy Father's Day to every dad our there who loves his kids and would move mountains for them. #fathersday #fatherdaughter #dad #olderdads #lateinlifedad

Replying to @r4nd0m_r4nts0 #nice #kind #beyourself #youreamazing #thankyou

Any advice??#autism #swimming #swimminglessons #pool #autistic

She felt so grown up! Unfortunately the flavor and texture was too much. But Ayah had a lot of fun anyway. #eatingout #restaurant #thaifood #autism #growingup

Gosh, she's really doing amazing. #neurodivergent #obstaclecourse #waterpark #greatwolflodge #autism @Great Wolf Lodge