October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This pic says it all… champion siblings, and a mom holding on to all of them in the background. A good friend of mine, when talking about the fight of advocacy, said after years of experience raising her child that she is but a bandaid on this system. She … Continue reading Throwing Bandaids, Growing a New Way of Being
Miles of Memories: Marking Two Decades of Community
Community is everything. 💙 Wil enjoying the music and festivities at a Buddy Walk past. To celebrate Wil’s 20th Buddy Walk, I penned an article for the Manchester Mirror all about the power of showing up, local love, and the amazing people who make it all possible. We are endlessly grateful for the support right … Continue reading Miles of Memories: Marking Two Decades of Community
Love the not-so-normal norm
Do you want me to tell you it’s all sunshine and rainbows? It’s not—but there is a lot of that. I really don’t think you can enjoy the full extent of the sunshine without the rain, though. And can you really see all the colors of the rainbow without a cloudy backdrop? I’m writing this, … Continue reading Love the not-so-normal norm
Creating Space & Saving Spoons
I was just kinda wondering about a few things. Like, why do we get burned out? Why on some days do I love my son’s stuttering. It’s really not even stuttering, it’s halting, starting a word, bringing it back in and reforming it. Then it all tumbles out until the next words get backed up … Continue reading Creating Space & Saving Spoons
Creating Companions
Wil (in backwards cap) & friends To see our teenagers sit together comfortably, easily, familiarly — that was the goal many years ago when we parents joined Down Syndrome Support Team. We parents were just trying to figure out what the heck this life with an extra chromosome meant. We laughed, we cried, and we … Continue reading Creating Companions
Turning the Tide: A Story of Growth and Inclusion
Growing up, Wil has loved boat rides with his Grandma and Grandpa. So when his sisters were invited on an impromptu trip around the lake with some of the neighbor's kids, they jumped on — and Wil stayed back with his grandparents. My dad noticed a shift in Wil’s demeanor. He didn’t say anything, but … Continue reading Turning the Tide: A Story of Growth and Inclusion
Down Right Perfect
I remember one day wearing a “Down Right Perfect” t-shirt as I marched up to the high school doors to collect Wil after school hours because he had run from getting on the bus. He booked it up the steps to the second floor and hid. Once he was found, Mr. Walsh walked him down … Continue reading Down Right Perfect
Paradoxical Path
A singular new word Wil calmly adds to his vocabulary, in a such a way that only I — or his closest educators — would hear stands out like a stacatto flashing me back in time to a movie reel loop when he was 5 or 7 or 10, working a skill on a repeat … Continue reading Paradoxical Path
Wil is graduating; this is a hard one. Raising Wil I’ve gone through what I think of as “3 acceptances” so far: Acceptance of Ds Acceptance of new behaviors of puberty. (That was a tough one!! That truly took a village!) Acceptance of transitioning out of high school. Wil is ready to graduate, though; he’s … Continue reading
Wepa!
Wil has a very set — and happy — routine in the morning. His alarm goes off, I go to his room, sing him a song and give him a hug (definitely a daily stop and smell the roses moment for me — making time for songs and hugs are Wil’s priorities and remind me … Continue reading Wepa!