Friends

I have been slow at posting this month. I know that it is Down syndrome awareness month and I have sat down many times to write about this but, words cannot describe who I feel about Mariah and about Down syndrome. I have chose today today about something that means so much to a mother of a child with Down syndrome. those of you who have children with Down syndrome or any special need will understand what I am feeling. Mariah has always been very social and has made friends easily. I put Mariah in a preschool with typical developing children and there was always a couple little kids that would take Mariah under their wing. They would help her(a little to much mariah caught on to this pretty quick)with her coat or her shoes. I loved watching them interact with each other.I was afraid for kindergarten I knew it would be a whole new ball game now. Kids would start realizing that she was different and kids would start being mean. I would like to think that this doesn't still happen but, it does. So you can imagine how I was feeling when a mother came up to me and said that her little girl has been asking her everyday to play with Mariah. Someone was actually asking to play with her it wasn't me setting up play dates someone wanted to play with her. So, Mariah went to her house that day and had a really good time. both little girls continue to ask us if they can play. This mom has no idea how grateful I am that she looked pass the Down syndrome and saw a little girl. Yesterday we had Kataya come to our house and I watched theses to little girls playing Katya listening to Mariah talk and actually understood what she was saying. They played babies and jumped on the tramp I even heard them making plans for the next play date. This month I have been thinking about the 90% percent of babies with Down syndrome that get aborted. What has this world come to? Are we really to the point where we think the value of ones life is based on being less than "perfect" My hope is that someone will read my blog and realize that Down syndrome does not define who they are. And, I wish I could send this to the two kids in Miranda's school that use the phrase "what are you Down syndrome" or I like this one too " duh, you must have a little down syndrome in you" really? kids still say stuff like this. I must really be naive don't they see what I see? This is what I see take a look

Answered Prayers!

I was checking on the RR website for our little angel Shannon that we have been praying for and she wasn't on there. I emailed Andrea and she said that she found a family. I am so happy that she did. Heavenly Father is looking out for these kids.

Cascade springs with the United Angels Foundation

Today we and the privilege of going to Cascade Springs with the United Angels Foundation. This foundation is so wonderful. They offer Support for families who have children with Special Needs. They have really fun activities for the kids and today was one. The Forest service volunteered by teaching the kids about fire safety, and we even had a visit from Smokey the bear. Home depot donated some things that the kids could make out of wood they had a bird nest, a boat, helicopter, butter fly house and a couple other things. Costco, donated back packs and some school supplies for the kids. they had volunteers come from Costco and home depot. It was a really fun day. We went a little hike down by the springs and got to listen to a story about smokey the bear. Our next activity will be the halloween party at Hee Haws.

A day at the park

   I took the little girls and Tim to the park yesterday, and at  the park there is a  stage, Mariah and Cianna love to just play on it pretending to perform she pretends to go in the dressing room and puts on her make up, then she comes out and sings and dances. I wish she would do this at her dance recitals. Cianna is right with her. It was fun to watch them. I took Tim's picture off because I don't think I can put it up because he is in foster care, but he did so well yesterday he is terrified of trees. I have been working with him every morning on the way to the bus rewarding any kind of effort to get near a tree with M&M's he will do anything for this. He walked under the trees at the park and seemed to be calm. the park is full of trees there is no avoiding them. In the past he would have sat down and refused to walk. so we are making progress now if we could do the same with hair cuts this will be a longer battle. Have any of you seen the oreo comercial with the brothers one having Down syndrome and it flashes back to when they were little all the way through college. I love it, That is how Mariah and Cianna are together always hugging each other they really are best friends. Here are some cute pictures of them yesterday. I know I post  a lot of pictures of the little ones but, the bigger ones never come.

camping with friends

Mariah and Travis

Alivia

Whitney

girls on the four wheeler

Mariah

Mike and Alivia

Sophia

Cianna and Travis

Mariah, Alivia, Sophia, and Cianna

Alivia and Sophia

Alivia

This memorial weekend Travis went with is friend Mike camping to train the dogs for the up coming bird hunts. I couldn't go camping for the whole weekend because I can't leave Tim that long and I can't take him because he is terrified of trees we are working on this and the kid will do anything for M&Ms but, the reality of it is that he hates them and we do not have a bathroom to take care of his colostomy so he stayed with his mom over night and Ivy and I (she is Mikes wife) decided to take the girls down for the day. She has four girls and I had the two younger girls. Mariah and Alivia are a couple months apart and sophia and Cianna are a week apart. She has a nine year old and baby Hallie is four months old so all together their were six little girls. It was a 2 and a half hour drive to get there and they were all so good. We had lots of fun And we were both happy to get home. That is my kind of camping for the day. I grew up camping all the time and enjoyed it for the most part except for the dirt. But, lately it just seems to be more work than it is worth and the little girls get bored after a day anyway so it was perfect. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Just a swinging

Look what Mariah can do she has learned to pump herself on the swing. That takes some coordination she pretends that she doesn't know how because she wants you to push her but,she can do it all by herself.

Stranger under the tree

I really can't think of a good title to this post but, I want to share an experience actually a couple experiences I had this week. Today as I was driving through town for the 5th time I was lost in my thoughts of what I needed to accomplish today and how I wasn't getting anything done, when I notice a man wearing a long sleeve shirts dirty levi's his hair was long and he had a scruffy beard. He walked bent over from the weight he was carrying on his back. He had a pack the kind you wear hiking, a rolled up sleeping bag and a rolled up blanket. He looked tired and hot, as I past him I wondered what his story was, where he was coming from and where he was going. Was he a homeless guy with a mental illness or maybe he was on an adventure walking acrossed the states. My mind soon wandered back to my list of things to do. Later that day as I was walking out to get Tim off the bus I saw something under the tree that was at the end of our property and along the side of the road. I couldn't see what it was I thought someone had dropped off some garbage. As I made my way to the tree I saw him the same man that I saw earlier. He was sitting under the tree with his shoes off. I smiled and said Hi, he replied back with a smile saying that it was so refreshing to sit under this tree on such a hot day. I asked him where he was going and he said to Provo and that he had left Nephi this morning. I told to have a good day and I walked back into the house. I couldn't stop thinking about him I wondered if he needed a drink or if he was hungary, should I take a chance what if he comes back and he is dangerous no, I am going to take my chances I told the little girls that there was a man under the tree and that he was walking along ways because he didn't have a car so I was going to go and give him some water or a pepsi. So, me and the two little girls walked up the driveway to find the man still sitting under the tree. I asked him if he would like some water or a soda and he said"probably both" He took the drinks from me and then he said" can I do anything for you maybe a job or something?" no, thats ok have a good day and I walked back to my house. Cianna who just turned 3 said "mom we should build him a house and give him our car. I wish I knew his story but a very small three year old with a big heart  learned a good lesson in serving others. Then I thought to myself how many times have been to busy with my own life to notice those that could use some help.  or how many times have I been to scared to help or just figured that someone else will help.I am going to be more aware of those around me and try to teach my kids the same thing after all that is why we are here, to serve others and help those that need help.