A good friend of mine once said, “I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.” Her name was Whitney. Whitney Houston. Our friendship started when I was in elementary school. To be honest, it was a little one sided. Whitney would do all the talking. I would … More I Believe The Children Are Our Future…
You’re looking at the Christmas card that never made it to the printers. If I’m being honest, it never even made it to the website that magically turns pictures into cards. So, I guess you’re just looking at a picture. It’s off-center, kinda blurry. There’s a pile of stuff in the corner. My son is … More 2020 Vision
I never thought it would feel this way. I thought I would cry more. I thought I’d be anxious. I thought I’d reconsider our decision to let her go. Instead, I’m sipping coffee, enjoying the quiet and smiling at the thought of what my youngest daughter, Willow, is up to right now. She’s at kindergarten. … More What it Feels Like to Send My Daughter to School
A few people have asked me if I’ve stopped blogging. The short answer is “no.” The long answer? I don’t have time. And when I do have a spare moment, I don’t have words. I want to write. It’s my release. It’s my “thing.” I’m just having a hard time finding the words to describe life … More My Return And (Temporary) Farewell
As a parent you hope you can teach your kids a few things. That is our job, after all. That, and embarrassing our kids when they become tweens and teens. Or are those considered perks? I digress… While I’m trying my best to be a good teacher, I am amazed at how many things my … More The Unexpected Thing I Learned From My Daughter
My 5 year old daughter throws fits. She kicks, she screams, she runs. When she misses her nap, it’s worse. When playing with other children, my daughter sometimes hits. Most of the time it’s out of anger. Sometimes, it’s just for fun. At times, my daughter makes it her mission to do the opposite of … More The Pressure of Raising a Child With Down Syndrome
Tis’ the season of stress! I swear, if we even think about getting together with friends or family, someone in our house gets sick. And making plans to Christmas shop almost always means something in our house or garage will break and require expensive fixing. Forget visions of sugar plums. I dream of wine and … More My Own Little Joy To The World
Day #31 “Thank you.” I started this blog for personal reasons. Writing helps me process emotions. Raising Willow stirs up many. I anticipated a few friends and family members reading my blog. I always try to keep it updated with her latest accomplishments and obstacles. Still, I never expect people to read. So if someone … More Day 31 – Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Day #30 Never be afraid to ask questions about Down syndrome. Questions help. Assumptions hurt. This is a picture of a woman who knows diddly squat about Down syndrome. Flash forward 5 years…. This is a picture of a woman who knows a lot about Down syndrome. Not everything, but pretty close. My daughter, Willow, … More Day 30 – Down Syndrome Awareness Month
Day #29 There are 3 types of Down syndrome. Trisomy 21, Translocation and Mosaicism. Trisomy 21, the most common form, is when a 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome is present in every cell of the body. Translocation, the most rare form, occurs when a piece of the 21st chromosome breaks off during cell division … More Day 29 – Down Syndrome Awareness Month
