Down Syndrome Awareness!

I can't believe it's October 1st!  This means we are heading into the holiday season and the New Year is right around the corner!  I don't want to get ahead of myself, and trust me I consciously try to live in the moment-day-by-day, but our annual Halloween party will need to be planned soon, then Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas will arrive (plus a million other great days in between) and boom, 2013. 

What forced me here tonight is something very personal.  Anyone who reads my blog is aware of my (our) story....our youngest daughter, Kamryn has Down syndrome.  After almost drowning in grief the first year of her life (do to her diagnosis), I am back to being on top of my world.  Embracing my life, soaking up the joys that exist in each day, taking the challenges in stride and just feeling incredibly blessed. And HAPPY.

It's good. It's really good. In fact, I don't want to brag, but my life is pretty amazing! One (of the many) heartaches I had during the first year was that our life was no longer normal. That we were now different from everybody else.  And this wasn't a good different. This was an uncomfortable different.

I am no longer uncomfortable with my life, and sadly, it was never my life I was uncomfortable with. I was uncomfortable with Down syndrome. 

October is Down syndrome Awareness Month. The blogging community challenges those of us to a 31 for 21 campaign.  Post everyday on your blog (31 days), to spread awareness about Trisomy 21 (the medical term for Down syndrome).  I hesitate to jump into this challenge, because as you can see by my blog I don't even post weekly!  But I sit here tonight and plan to participate. I am reminding myself, just like I remind my girls,  "Just try your best and we are proud of you!"  I will try my best to post something every day to join in the effort to spread awareness.

My life is not normal.  Read the definition and you won't want your life to be normal either..."conforming to the standard or the common type, average."


This is definitely not normal. :) I know the last thing I said when I stepped out of the car was,  "Stay in your car seat and keep your seat belt on!"

Please take a minute everyday to visit my blog and share it with someone. Down syndrome awareness, PASS IT ON!