Mari didn't expect to have a son on the autism spectrum. And yet that is part of her story. Like a little girl who didn't get her way, she held this truth at bay and pretended that it wasn't so. Until is was impossible to ignore. Read about her journey and see what she learned with regard to God's faithfulness, the importance of community, and the inner workings of pipe organs.

From fear, sadness, and desperation came acceptance and hope.

But it did not happen overnight. Read Jacksonville and travel the journey with her. If this book can help one parent of an autistic child feel that they are not alone she will consider it a success.

Why Jacksonville?

Jack has a beautiful imagination. When he was little and became enchanted with the story in his head, he would gallop around the house humming with a terrific smile of his face. Mari and her husband would often joke and say things like: "They must have inflated the bounce houses in Jacksonville" or "The ice cream truck must be in Jacksonville." They never thought he noticed until one day when Mari asked, "Jack, what are you pretending? I want to go there. It sounds delightful." He looked at her and said, "I've gone to Jacksonville, and you're not invited." When deciding on what to call this book, the answer was quite clear.

As Jack passes me up in height and his voice deepens, I'm in awe of the man he is becoming. But at the same time, I recall the golden-haired boy with clear, cornflower blue eyes who captured my heart & changed me. The boy who taught me to notice. To see.

Mari lives in Carmel, Indiana, with her husband of twenty-six years, Ed, their children Betsy and Jack, and two bichon frises, Charlotte and Dash. She is the founder of the Jacksonville Foundation, jacksonvillefoundation.org, which is dedicated to raising autism awareness, and has launched a theatre company called the Carmel Spectrum Players, carmelspectrumplayers.org, because every person deserves a platform from which to showcase their talents. Mari grew up in Carmel, IN and attended the Indiana University Kelley School of Business where she earned a BS in marketing and an MBA in finance. She spent 25 years in public accounting, but her CPA license is now inactive (and morbidly obese.) She is the founder of Storycast Network, which specializes in digital storytelling. Her interests include photography, video editing, podcast production, website design, and watching documentaries. Mari is passionate about speaking on the topic of resilience. She is at her best when sharing stories that inspire. If you have such a story, she would love to hear from you and can be contacted through her website at marisandifer.com.