Back to blogging 31 for 21 day 1

It has been 5, almost 6 months since I last blogged.  I really wasn’t sure if I was going to do the 31 for 21 Down syndrome awareness challenge, but I felt that this would be a good way for me to try blogging again.  It has been almost a year since I opened this blog up---for two years this blog was mine, sitting here blankly with not one thing written.  It isn’t as if I am not inspired because if you know me, you know I am constantly talking and I am inspired by so many things in my life.  Of course my children are my biggest inspiration.  I think of how much I have changed in the last 3 1/2 years since my Katie was born.  My eyes have been open to so much more than I knew possible.  So why wouldn’t I want to share?  I guess that I am constantly trying to find time to fit things into my schedule and I just didn’t want to commit the time in keeping my blog current.  Anyhow…..I’m back and that’s really all that matters I guess.

So this month is Down syndrome awareness month.  This is a way to further bring Ds to the forefront.  I know that I really didn’t give Ds a thought prior to Katie being born.  I had heard the words and had a couple of limited encounters with people who had Down syndrome, but that was it.  It just wasn’t part of my world so to speak.  I have said this before, but one of my purposes in life became so much more defined since her birth.  It is one of my life’s missions to educate those to the world of Down syndrome, to change people’s perception of what they thought they knew about Ds, to show families that life is not doom and gloom for those living with Ds.   Sure we have therapists, we have IEP’s, we have stares among other things, but we do everything any other family does.  I like to think of our lives as being enhanced by Ds, most definitely not defined by it. 
My sweet Katie has been doing very well since I last updated in April.  We enjoyed our summer and started back to school in August.  It was a rough two weeks to start with, but my girl loves school now!  First day of school pic!  An instant classic!
She cannot wait to go everyday. I thought that I was going to fall apart at the beginning of school when Katie would cry every day as I left her, but her teacher made me see the crying as something encouraging. She told me that Katie was aware that she was being separated from us.  Separation awareness meant she wasn’t just in her little world anymore.  After she told me that, I was at peace with the crying as I left her.
The other day I started to keep her home from school as she acted like she wasn’t feeling well.  When I told her we were going bye bye, she said school and looked at her backpack and said pack.  (I had left it on the counter because I thought she was just going to stay over at my mom’s.)  She wanted to go to school and I guess she wanted her backpack!  How dare I try to leave it on the counter!  Off to school she went.  She is doing so well in a routine and learning so much.  I can’t believe the change in her since those first few days.  We have her going 2 days a week to a private preschool, full inclusion and the other 3 days a week she is at the public school in a special needs class.  She is thriving in both places.  Her personality came alive!  She is finally initiating play with her toys by herself! Now I have to clean up all the toys and everything else she pulls out all around the house whereas before she never touched her toys unless I pulled them out.   It really is amazing to see all of her progress.  How blessed I am to have her two schools and the staffs teaching Katie.  They are incredible and I am so grateful that she is exactly where she needs to be.  We get the best of both worlds. 
 Enjoying some playing time with her classmate Juicy! 
Her beautiful smile! 

My sweet/sour tween Blake is doing well also.  He is playing football and staying busy with school and his social life.  There is a 9 year age gap between my kids.  I feel like I am raising two only children.  In a few short years, my son will be graduating while my daughter will be in 3rd grade.  I wish that Katie had a younger brother or sister, but love the 2 God has given me with all my heart.  Heck, I wish I had about 4 more kids!  Who knows what life will bring for me? 

Blake and Katie at the zoo this summer.
So, look for a post everyday from me.  I am going to try to mention Ds in each one.  How can I not share all the wonderful awareness Ds has brought into my life these last 3 years?!