Normal For Me by tamara k anderson
“Have you ever had a regular day that morphed into a terrible, soul-wrenching day capped off with a life-changing moment?
I fell on my knees, my heart aching. Questions spilled from my anguished, weeping soul: Why do we have two children with autism? Wasn’t one enough? Why is life so hard? Why can’t we just go on walks like a normal family? Why can’t we be a ‘normal’ family?
Somewhere amidst all my blubbering came a firm, yet kind answer. God simply whispered; ‘Tamara, this IS normal for you.”
This life-changing moment inspired me to write a book about my journey from grief to peace with God’s help.
The Anderson Family January 2020
life doesn’t always turn out the way we wanted.
You question why God has allowed these hard things to happen. You wonder if you will make it through because the burdens seem so heavy. You might wonder what it means to be normal. You feel so alone—like no one else has ever experienced what you are going through. What can you do when hope runs out?
My goal is to help you feel less alone
I wrote this book with the hope that some person out there battling through life and struggling to survive day by day will know they are not alone. They will know that someone else has waged a similar war before and survived. I wrote my heart into these pages with one thought, that it would give someone hope—hope that they too can survive, that they too can make it one more day, and then the next. Yes, this book will bring hope.
Here is a great review of the Normal for Me book by Liz Kazandzhy on the Latter-Day Saint Book Nook Podcast.
Donate a Book or Get One Free
When a family first receives a diagnosis of Autism, it is so difficult to digest. Most people feel like their dreams for their children are being torn apart and being replaced with significant confusion. The book, Normal For Me, has a wonderful message that there are hope and tools to survive and then thrive as a family. We want to give the gift of hope to as many families as possible.
Who gets a free book: any family with a child on the Autism spectrum. Just click on the link to share your information. And feel free to share this with others that you know
How can you help: donate a book or many books. Details are below or just click on the link to start your donation.
What Readers Have to Say
“I found Normal for Me to be refreshing, inspiring, and helpful. Fundamental to finding joy in your circumstances is recognizing that your life is “normal” for you and that that is not only okay but absolutely amazing.”
“This book will resonate with more people than those who face disability challenges in their family. Tamara shares that we are not alone on this planet. There are others fighting the same or equally challenging things in their lives. I especially enjoyed Tamara’s real candor, insight, encouragement, prayers throughout the book, and the fact that she got mad! I needed to read that. I particularly related to the night she prayed for angels. I also enjoyed Justin’s supportive perspective from a father’s point of view. This book is NORMAL FOR ME!”
“As a ‘next level’ parent, I can’t think of anyone more qualified than Tamara to support you on your journey. Tamara is the ultimate cheerleader, and her message is hopeful, compassionate, and most of all real. Normal For Me is like a warm hug—reassuring, reaffirming and courage-inducing.”
“Through Tamara’s eyes, I saw normal doesn’t exist for any culture, society, community, or even family. But each of us can accept what is normal for our self, and thrive. It feels good to be normal again.”
“Throughout the book, Tamara shares how her faith in God helped carry her through her darkest days, and helped her grow spiritually, while going through the ups and downs of raising sons with autism. She shares what she learned along the way, and offers steps parents can take to make this journey easier. I believe this book can offer encouragement to parents of children with special needs and help them navigate through the “new normal” for their lives.”
“So many times we look at the lives of others and wonder, Why can’t my life be like theirs? But if you could see deeply into the things we all hide behind closed doors, I think you would quickly change your mind. Tamara opened those doors and shows us how to take joy where we can, learn from the good and bad, and move forward. Always move forward.”
“A powerfully inspirational and compelling read that reminds us that we are not alone in our hard times.”
“I think I needed to read this story. I don’t have children on the spectrum so I don’t think I would have thought I needed to read it. But let me be clear. I needed to read this book. It reached me in such a fundamental way. I think that is why I cried so much while reading it. Tamara’s revelations on coveting basically punched me in the face. I didn’t realize I had been so upset lately because of my covetous reactions to those close to me. I feel as if I have been purged of those negative emotions. I am so happy that this book fell into my inbox when it did!”
“This book was very well written. I lived near Tamara a few years ago when she was in Texas and we went to the same church. She seemed to have it all together even though she had two challenging children on the autism spectrum. It was amazing to read her thoughts and her struggles. I especially liked how honest and vulnerable she was as she recounted the struggles she went though as her boys were diagnosed and she learned how to parent them. I found things I could apply to my life even though I do not have children with autism and was very inspired by her writing. Very well written, great read!”