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| Reece |

@reece_annette

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2100

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Believer🙏🏼I Wife👰🏻‍♀️| Mother👸🏻
God✝️ Family❤️
In that order📶

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Our youngest baby boy... the last Jedi!

It has truly been such a blessing watching him grow and progress.

Titus was diagnosed with Level 2 autism at 2½ years old. His journey looked a little different because his older brother is also autistic, so we already knew what to look for. As soon as we received his diagnosis, we jumped into action. We had him enrolled in ABA at the same center as his brother, and he was able to start right away.

Titus showed signs such as fixation, repetitive behaviors, stimming, organizing and arranging, toe walking, intense meltdowns, speech delays, and more. We knew his journey would be unique, but we were prepared. Through consistent therapies such as speech, occupational therapy, ABA, and more; we are incredibly grateful for the village that has helped support him and get him to where he is today.

Watching his growth from birth until now has been a powerful reminder of how faithful God has been, is, and will always be in our lives.🌿

I know some parents experience sadness because of the unknown or the loss of the life they once imagined for their child. But an autism diagnosis is not the end, it’s the beginning of a new story. A new book. And as parents, we have the opportunity to help write those chapters by providing the resources, support, and love our children need.

We are beyond grateful that God chose us to steward such precious gifts.🤍

#Autism #AutismAcceptance #ABA #Love #Faith by @reece_annette

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7 months ago

On December 2025, my autistic son’s IEP was discontinued after only four months at his new school. Despite concerns about his speech, language, reading comprehension, inferencing, writing, sensory needs, and social struggles, I was told accommodations would be enough.

Something didn’t sit right, so I started asking questions, requesting evaluations, and learning my rights as a parent. After months of meetings and testing, the school ultimately decided he was “too smart” to qualify for services.

But intelligence does not erase autism.
Good grades do not erase struggles.
And masking does not mean support is unnecessary.

This journey has been exhausting, heartbreaking, and eye opening. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: educate yourself, request documentation, and never be afraid to advocate for your child.

Nobody will fight harder for them than you will. ❤️

AutismAwareness GwinnettCounty
IEP SpecialEducation Advocacy by @reece_annette

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4 months ago

The journey we have undergone with this diagnosis has been truly humbling and reshaping as a parent.🌿

Years of intensive therapies like ABA, speech, O/T, and other activities to get to this point.✍🏼

Cylus was diagnosed at the age of 2 in a half with Level 2 autism. He was non-communicative pretty much up until he was 3 years old. The first time I got to hear my baby say I love you was when the world froze.🥹

Cylus is such a smart and loving kid. He loves space and planets. He learned to name them all by pictures by the age of 3 in a half. He is now learning the moon phases and can tell you what type of moon is outside just by looking at it.🧑🏾‍🚀 🌕

Cylus journey is and will look different from others like him. He still has his struggles, but we will always celebrate the wins. Because autism can’t win!🏋🏽💙🕊️🙏🏼♾️
#autism #autismawareness #autismacceptance #AutismFamily #Love by @reece_annette

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10 months ago

Ten years of marriage, and one of the best pieces of advice I can give young women is this: Choose a partner who is willing to grow with you and adjust as life changes.

You’ve heard me speak about my husband’s kindness, his patience, and his selflessness. I’ve said it, and if you know him, you’ve probably experienced it yourself. He has a heart that considers others, often before himself.

But recently, the Holy Spirit placed something on my heart that made me appreciate him even more: through every season, and especially most recently, he has been willing to adjust with me.

As I’ve grown, as our family’s needs have changed, and as life has asked more of us, he has continued to listen, make room, and walk beside me. There is something so meaningful about being loved by someone who gives you room to grow while remaining willing to grow too.

We didn’t get to do much to celebrate our ten year milestone. A particularly difficult situation has required so much of our time and attention. Of course, I wanted us to pause and celebrate everything these ten years have meant, and that will come later God willing..😊

But God is teaching me, and He continues to teach me, that my timing is not always His timing. I’m learning to trust Him with the things I hoped would happen by now, the plans that have changed, and the moments I cannot control.

Even in this difficult season, I can see reasons to be grateful. I see them in the man who keeps showing up, in the ways we keep making room for each other, and in the grace God gives us to keep going.

Ten years later, and I’m so grateful for my husband, for the life we’re building, and for all the growing we still get to do together. Forever and always…

Love,
Your Mrs. Fears 🤍🖤🤍🖤

#Marriage #Love #Family #Growing #Faith by @reece_annette

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18 days ago

This story isn’t about me. It’s about every parent who has had to fight a big system to get support for their child.

It’s about knowing your child needs help, asking the system that is supposed to help them, and finding door after door slammed in your face.

@reporterandy’s investigation found that Gwinnett County Public Schools spent more than $720,000 in taxpayer dollars on special education due process legal fees from January 2023 through February 2026. Fayette County spent more than $343,000 over the past three years. And that doesn’t even include settlements and payouts to families.

If it costs more taxpayer money to fight a parent than it would cost to actually figure out what that child needs, something is deeply wrong.

And this is why I answer phone calls late at night, early in the morning, and on weekends. Sometimes I’m giving advice. Sometimes I’m helping a parent figure out what to put in writing. Sometimes I’m just listening because I know how overwhelming this system can be.

Too often, we wait for kids to crash out academically, emotionally, or behaviorally before deciding their needs are serious enough. Then we start treating what years of failure did to the child instead of addressing the underlying issue that was there all along.

That is not early intervention. That is damage control.

These moms are why we advocate. They’re why we keep talking and keep showing up.

Parents should not need an advocate, an attorney, a crash course in federal law, and thousands of dollars just to get someone to listen when they say, “My child needs help.”

Thank you to Andy Perotti and @atlantanewsfirst for continuing to investigate what families are experiencing and where our taxpayer dollars are going.

👇 Comment “INVESTIGATION” and I’ll send you the link to Andy’s full investigation.

#specialeducation #parentadvocacy #dueprocess #dyslexia #specialeducationadvocate by @reece_annette

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a month ago

GCPS math:

A $3,000 evaluation?🙅‍♀️❌

Tens of thousands in attorney fees? Run that card!🙆‍♀️💳😂

At this point, it no longer feels like it’s about understanding families or working collaboratively with parents.

It feels like politics and protecting egos. Let’s take politics out of our schools and put the focus back where it belongs. Helping children and preparing them for the future.

Our resources should be used to support students and address urgent issues. Idk, maybe like the literacy crisis, Or how about investing in programs that support students early in their reading journey? Better yet, stop passing struggling children from grade to grade just to make the numbers look good while simultaneously allowing their learning gaps to grow even wider! Not wasted fighting the very parents advocating for them and their future!💪🏼

Do better, let’s all work together by being transparent and finding a path forward!👏🏼

#ParentAdvocate #SpecialEducation #Autism #Education #GwinnettCounty by @reece_annette

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a month ago

Our story is finally being told.

I recently sat down with Atlanta News First investigative reporter Andy Pierrotti to share what my son Cylus and our family have experienced with Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Cylus is now eight years old, autistic, and has documented language and comprehension weaknesses. He previously received services through a speech IEP. After transferring schools, the district reevaluated him earlier than his scheduled triennial reevaluation and eventually removed his IEP even though concerns remained regarding his receptive language, pragmatics, inferencing, reading comprehension, and written expression.

Afterward, Cylus went through SST interventions and approximately 12 weeks of data collection. In May, the district found him ineligible for an IEP despite testing that showed significant weaknesses, including a Listening Comprehension score of 71 and a Receptive Vocabulary score of 68.

These are not simply numbers on a page. These weaknesses affect Cylus in real life. I have watched him read words without understanding their meaning. I have watched him become overwhelmed, cry over assignments, and spend hours studying only to struggle to retain the information.

When I disagreed with the district’s evaluation, I exercised my right to request two Independent Educational Evaluations, a psychological IEE and a comprehensive speech language IEE.

The district initially denied the psychological IEE and filed due process against me to defend its evaluation. They were prepared to use taxpayer funded attorneys to take me, the parent of a disabled child to court because I requested an independent second opinion. Keep in mind that the cost to simply give a parent an IEE is pennies in a bucket compared to them obtaining an attorney and taking a parent to court for due process.

Cont in comments…

#GwinnettCounty #SpecialEducation #IEP #IDEA #Autism by @reece_annette

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a month ago

POV: When you’ve spent months fighting for your child and God starts making a way…🙌🏽😭

Let me tell you!!! This journey has been anything but easy!!!

Last December, my son’s IEP was dismissed despite his longstanding autism diagnosis and documented speech and language needs.

After reviewing the district’s evaluations, I believed they failed to comprehensively assess him in all areas of his suspected disability. So I requested Independent Educational Evaluations(IEEs).

The district approved one but denied the psychological evaluation I believed was equally necessary.

Instead of simply honoring my request, they filed for Due Process against me to defend their evaluation…

So I got to work. I looked up information, researched, got the best Parent Advovate (@misspurcelladvocates), and buckled down…

Y’all my parent advocate assisted me in really helping me understand certain aspects of all of this and guide me through this process… She was a guide, a therapist, an advocate, a friend… Be sure to get you an advocate who really cares… If you are in GA, go with Missy!❤️

I learned IDEA. I studied my son’s records. I compared evaluations. I read case law. I asked questions. I cried. I broke down. But overall and most importantly, I prayed. I kept showing up, even when I was exhausted…

I was recently informed the district intends to withdraw their Due Process complaint!🙌🏼

This isn’t just about “winning.”

It’s about making sure my son receives the comprehensive evaluation and educational support he deserves.

To every parent in the middle of advocating for your child: don’t let the process intimidate you. Learn your rights. Ask questions. Keep records. Stay respectful. Stay persistent.

And above all…

Trust God🌿🙏🏼

Because sometimes He fights battles you never could. 🤍

“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”
Exodus 14:14

Also, don’t come for my shouting, haven’t done that in so long. But in the spirit of God moving, it was very much needed!!🤣🥰❤️

#IEP #SpecialEducation #Autism #IDEA #Faith by @reece_annette

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3 months ago

Whew!!! I won’t lie, this entire process has left me overstimulated, overwhelmed, and emotionally exhausted! There are days where just have to take a break, breathe, and rest from it all!😅

Now, after advocating for my child the district is threatening to file due process against me if I don’t withdraw my request for an IEE…

Am I shocked? Absolutely!🫢

Am I intimidated? Not even a little!🙅🏻‍♀️

I stand ten toes down when it comes to my children. I will never apologize for advocating, asking questions, or pushing for their needs to be met!💪🏼

My goal has never been conflict, it has always been collaboration and ensuring my child receives an appropriate education!👩🏻‍💻

Through it all, God has sustained me!❤️
He has placed incredible people in my corner, and I am beyond grateful for every prayer, message, and word of encouragement!🌿 They have certainly
carried me on the days when I felt like giving up...🥹🙏🏼🤍

I didn’t come this far to back down now!🏋🏻‍♀️

One thing about me: I will always choose being an “inconvenient parent” over being a silent one...✍🏼

If I have to fight, I’ll fight! With grace, with discernment, with knowledge, and with God leading me in everyone of those every step of the way!!!🙏🏼👣🤞🏼💙

Stay tuned… I’ll be sharing more of this journey…

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Deuteronomy 31:6 ✨

#AutismAdvocate #SpecialEducation
#IEP #ASD #Faith by @reece_annette

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3 months ago

✨30-F I N E✨
or whateva y’all be saying😝

Aging like fine wine!🍷

Stop playing with me lol!😌💅🏼

Seriously though, seeing another year is nothing short of God’s grace. Being able to experience life and view it from a different perspective, especially after losing two people this past year, has truly changed me. It reminds me how precious life is, how short it can be, and how intentional we have to be with the time God gives us.

Every day is a gift from Him. An opportunity to love deeper, walk in purpose, and pour into those around us. As I reflect on this past year, I’m beyond grateful for God’s covering over me and my family. Even through loss, He has been faithful, sustaining us and allowing us to be a light and an example to others.

This past week has been a BLAST!💥 I’m honestly overwhelmed by the love and support I’ve received. The prayers, texts, messages, gifts, acts of service, and words of encouragement have meant more than I can express. I love my village soooo much!!! My heart is so full, and I thank God for each and every one of you.🤍 #CheersToMyMidThirties #Faith #Love #BirthdayCelebration by @reece_annette

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6 months ago

l just...
I thought we had more time. Now it will forever be with me that I should have went back sooner and never left your side...

#cancer #loss #grief #healing #Love by @reece_annette

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7 months ago