Take a Walk on The Happy Side: Down Syndrome Awareness -- A Person's Worth

Friday, October 15, 2010

A person's worth is not determined by their position, wealth or IQ score

but rather by the profound impact he has on those around him...

...and on humankind!

This is true for those of us with 46 chromosomes...

as much as it is for those with 47!

My Motivation

Inspired by the http://happiness-project.com/, I began this blog in pursuit of my own happiness while raising my 3 children -- including identical twins with Down syndrome. On these pages, I endeavor to document the bits and pieces of my life that bring me the most happiness and keep me focused on all the positive stuff going on. Advocacy, Angels and Random Happy Thoughts. These are the threads of happiness that are inextricably woven through the cloth of my life. Staying focused and writing about these things is what keeps me Walking on the Happy Side of Life. I'd love it if you would "Take A Walk on the Happy Side" with me.

THINK THANKFUL

There's barely a better sign that someone -- or some dog -- is happy to see you than when they wag their tail. My Bubba, a 13-year-old black Chow Chow has a curly spray of a tail that she very discriminantly wags... But always ALWAYS rapidly for me when she greets me as I walk into the house. I LOVE that!
I absolutely love the sound of that deep, guttural, laugh-til-I-choke belly laugh brought on by big, wet raspberries. My kids LOVE raspberries. And, I love to oblige just to hear that beautiful, joyful laughter that happens whether they're actually being raspberried or when they're just ANTICIPATING raspberries.
I'm thankful for the feather-soft skin and barely-there blonde peach-fuzz at the base of Brian's and Michael's neck. It is my most favorite place to kiss them... eliciting a giggle that sounds like the tinkling of a crystal bell. I LOVE it!
I love lying in bed beside my daughter at night... each of us reading our respective books. Then, when she finally closes her book and snuggles into her pillow, I listen for that easy and even breathing that indicates she's fallen peacefully to sleep. It is a routine I love. A peaceful way for both of us to end our day.
There is no greater joy than waking up to my children's beautiful sunshine-y smiles each morning!
I am thankful for my boys' healthy and strong immune systems. Brian's recent bout with pneumonia was short lived because his immune system (and the antibiotics) responded well and quickly. I've heard stories of pneumonia lasting several weeks. Thankfully, ours was a quick 3-day hospital stay with amazing results restoring him quickly to good health!
I LOVE the feeling of my sons' warm little hands holding mine when they want to show me an amazing discovery in the next room, or to feel safe, or to drag me and my attention away from the computer and back onto them (where it should be anyway). That simple gesture absolutely warms my heart with love.
I am thankful for my children's laughter. It is surely the most heavenly sound on earth!
As it turns out, I'm thankful my boys were home sick today. Thankful that they aren't TOO sick and thankful to spend a leisurely day with just them. We stacked blocks, painted, played with playdoh, blew bubbles, watched some movies, wrote with our magnadoodles, had lunch together and, finally, put together and played with our new hotwheels track set we got for Christmas. We even got the boiler fixed while we were all home during the 4-hour repair window they give you. What an EXCELLENT day! And, it's not even over yet!
Though I'm not thankful for childhood illnesses like croup which Brian is currently fighting, I am extraordinarily thankful that Brian, Michael and Olivia have healthy immune systems. As they've proven over and over again in their short lives, their little bodies are able to fight the nastiest of germs and win! Fortunately, Brian's already on the better side of it so we should all be healthy for Christmas!
I LOVE to see the sunshine sparkling on the water's surface. And, I'm thankful to live near enough to the water to see it almost everyday. It always catches my eye and makes me slow down to take notice. Ahhh, it soothes my soul every time.
I'm thankful that I have good friends who trust me to be a sympathetic listener when they need one.
I'm thankful for those few stolen moments I occasionally get to take for myself, to quietly watch the sun greet the day, in the wee hours of the morning, before every one else is awake!
It just occured to me that everyone should have a friend like Tammy! Someone who gets you out of yourself and always makes you laugh... even when you're talking about something serious. So, today, I'm thankful for my friend Tammy for helping me always to see the funny side of things.
Thank God for those occasional rainy days that let me relax and just be with my kids without rushing to make a plan or accomplish a task.
Thank God for my yellow fleece blanket. I LOVE to quietly slink into bed, hunker down deep and drift off to sleep... toasty warm!
Thank God for long, hot, uninterrupted showers. Especially after skipping a day because life got in the way!
Thank God that I was blessed with Brian & Michael before science found a way to prevent Down syndrome. Certainly,my life is better for their presence... just exactly as they are!
Thank God for my "online" girlfriends who truly hold me up in cyberspace when I feel like I'm crashing.
Thank God for my strange sense of humor. It keeps me thinking funny thoughts and laughing out loud all day long.

Take a Walk on The Happy Side

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Friday, October 15, 2010

Down Syndrome Awareness -- A Person's Worth

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Take a Walk on The Happy Side

Pages

Friday, October 15, 2010

Down Syndrome Awareness -- A Person's Worth

6 comments:

FOLLOW VIA E-MAIL

... OR READ IN A FEED

... OR ON TWITTER

My Motivation

FOLLOWERS (Click here to follow)

Facebook Badge

BLOG ARCHIVE

VISITORS

LOVE MY DESIGNER GENES

DOWN SYNDROME LINKS

Copywright

THINK THANKFUL

Where I Spend My Time

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed