Uplifting Down Syndrome

The newest book is published and available on amazon.com.  This is the third book I have written. I am happy with how this book turned out.  I wanted to write something inspirational for all the parents who are traveling this journey.  I think I accomplished that with this book. 

The real beauty of the book is it would be a good read, with many lessons and inspiration, for any parent or adult.  I hope you enjoy the new book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blessings,
Katrina

Pink Earmuffs are sometimes necessary

I need to share a story with y'all.


 Since getting my medical clearance and being able to again lift Cora, I have been taking Cora with me to Pickford when I run errands and to encourage her walking skills.


Adventures always motivate!


 While walking into the grocery store an older woman pulled up in her car. She got out of her car, the whole time watching Cora, and walked over to us.
"Oh, she is so adorable. How old is she?" She asked me.
 "Thank you," I said, "She is almost three years old.". 
 "Well," the woman replied as her smile faded away and was replaced with a stern look, "She should be walking so much better than that. You shouldn't be holding onto her hand and she should be walking on her own!". 
 I looked up and smiled at the woman. This beautiful, over seventy year old woman who was my elder and deserved the respect from me that her years demanded. "I think, for a child who has endured two open heart surgeries, she is doing phenomenal. Have a blessed day."
With that I walked away. Cora said "Bye" and blew her a kiss as we walked away.  Cora in her adorable snow boots crunching the snow as she worked at walking across the parking lot and into the store.

There continues to be moments on this journey where I long to be able to turn off the sound of another person's voice.  To push a button that floats in the air so I won't hear the words spoken in negativity to the progress that Cora has worked so hard for.  Often we have to find the next best thing.


While walking away from this woman and trudging through the parking lot as a snail's pace, each step a victory for my Little Button, I had one final thought about the encounter as Cora navigated the  step up and through the sliding doors and into the store, Where are Cora's pink earmuffs when I need them!!!

This journey with Down syndrome has taught me many lessons, lately the new ones seem to have a common theme.  I am learning to not take on another's comment, to not hold them as personal attacks.  I leave the conversation, or situation, with my head held high and my gratitude/peace of mind intact.  I refuse to allow another person who is negative to take up residence in my mind, after all they aren't going to pay rent for the space they occupy!  

I leave you with that thought today.  Increase awareness, defend your child, but do it with gratitude in your heart and a "not for rent" sign posted on your forehead.

 

((Lately Cora's favorite pasttime has been putting on the pink ear muffs I use in the summer time when I mow the lawn.  For an inspirational poster with her picture go to:  www.facebook.com/thegiftedchoice))

 

Cora keeps on growing!

Having reached the 90% on her growth chart, and spending time shopping for new clothes for the growing girl, I really noticed the change in her today.  She was playing in her favorite kitchen cupboard when I kept hearing her say, "Ouch".  I turned around from doing the dishes to find my Little Button was hitting her head on the cupboard interior.  She has grown so much she can no longer just reach into the cupboard without banging her little noggin on the wood.

Sep 2013

Jan 2013

This New Year is bringing many changes into my and Cora's life.  I hope you are open to the many changes it offers you.  Strive to grow and thrive in 2014, instead of staying stagnant and in the same ole rut as usual.  Stop and ask yourself, "Am I still banging my head on the same closed doors or am I making adjustments so I can move forward?" 


Keep enjoying our travels as we walk the road paved with Down syndrome and I will continue to challenge you just as Cora's daily adventures challenge me and teach me Life Lessons.


Blessings,
Katrina

"Shotgun"

As the month of Down syndrome awareness draws to a close I am once again astounded by the changes in Cora.  she has added a consistency in signing two and three word sentences along with a lessoning of random verbal words.  she has become quite adequate at saying "Brother", "Sister", "All done" and several other words.

I delight in knowing that she is able to be understood by others and not just myself and her siblings.  This month of Down syndrome awareness had me giving a speech at a book signing for the book that I wrote.  I found that while I was talking about the book, I was also sharing some heartfelt memories that Cora has offered me along this journey.

In the talk I could feel myself slipping into the role of Life Coach and Mother.  The two blending perfectly as I talked on and on for a half hour.  I met new people who share this journey with their own children who were born with Down syndrome, and I met people who had no idea what this journey is like.  After the talk I was given countless praises and compliments on my ability to engage a crowd and lift those that attended into a new degree of awareness.

Earlier in this month I spoke of a challenge for you to advocate for Cora and others that might be walking this path paved by Down syndrome.  I found myself again thrown into an arena of onlookers who were crying with me, laughing with me and enthralled at the healing that Cora was granted from our Creator.  While I have experience in public speaking and it does not bother me, I understand this is not for everyone.

As this month draws to a close and the Down syndrome awareness takes a backseat for other causes, I encourage you to keep in the front seat and riding shotgun with you until this time next year.  In the smallest of ways, or the biggest or ways, continue to advocate for Cora's growth and others too.  Try not to hide your support under a cloak of fear, share this journey with pride.  Grab the keys and rev the motor....

You just might hear a little voice shout "shotgun" as she signs "outside"!

 

October Awareness

Being that October is Down syndrome awareness month I thought this would be a great way of advocating for Cora.  I came across this little banner on pinterest and it held my interest.  LOL.

I was going to write a wonderful, heartfelt blog that would hopefully leave you with a hidden message and blessing for the day.  Then, when I found this little banner I thought to myself, this truly says everything I wanted to write today.  So with that I leave you with this...

Have a great weekend and know that you are supporting others with Down syndrome simply by reading the blog and smiling when you read the banner. 

Ever the advocate

In this journey with Cora I was thrown into the role of advocate before I felt ready for it.  I fought that role.  I held tight to the comfort of my child and my home and hid within the walls of protection I felt they gave. Then in one sudden movement I was shifted into the advocate role as though I had been wearing it all along.  My walls of protection soon became the foundation for writing the book, advocating for not only my child, but perhaps yours as well.

October is Down syndrome awareness month and I challenge you to ask yourself ,"I am sharing this journey with Cora, what have I done this month to advocate for her?"  or maybe the question is "I am sharing the journey with my child who has Down syndrome, what have I done this month to advocate for my child?"

We are all different and with that comes the reality of having different comfort zones.  I understand that and I respect that, I even cherish that gift of individuality that Creator bestowed upon us all.  Thinking of your own comfort zone, how will you advocate for Cora this month?  How will you advocate for your child if they have Down syndrome?

For me the greatest fear that the word advocate held was the social belief that comes with it. I believed it meant I had to take on the world, become extremely vocal about everything pro Down syndrome and fight like a lioness against everything negatively said or displayed about Down syndrome.  In truth, advocating can be done in small steps or huge leaps.  It can be done in stealth mode or over a PA system.  It can be something as silent as changing your facebook picture to a Down syndrome support picture for the month, or as visible as walking in a Buddy Walk to show your support.

I again challenge you to answer the question I have posed earlier in this post, "What have you done to show your support for Cora and her journey during this month of awareness?" For me, its changing my personal facebook photo to one that says I am a proud mama of a child with Down syndrome.  It was becoming a National Down Syndrome Society Ambassador for Michigan.  It was walking in the Buddy Walk that was three hours away. It was starting the facebook page - The Gifted Choice - to not only promote the book but more importantly to help empower the moms/parents of our beautiful children instead of just focusing on how our children look.  That's my comfort zone.  What is yours?

The beauty of summer

The beauty of this summer has been added to by the many milestones that Cora has succeeded in achieving.  While the days have simply flown by, there have been moments when she has encouraged everyone around her to slow down.

Some of those moments were seen in her ability to randomly say three, four and five word sentences.  Some of those moments happened when she let go of the couch and walked across the living room as though this was an everyday occurrence.  One of the especially heart stealing moments was when she grabbed my face, gave me a kiss and then hugged me while saying "wuv eww".

Yes, this life with Cora continues to offer many opportunities to slow down, relax and just take a breath.  A lesson that I am aware of, but usually the first one to forget.  Full of energy and with a mind that seems to be always be thinking of ways to make things work better I often need that reminder to slow down.

I continue to be blessed with Cora's ability to teach me more life lessons.  Even then I don't know if she is teaching me them or merely adding to what I know and just haven't put into practice.  Either way, I prefer to see the glass partially full and will continue to give the sermon that Cora has taught me many life lessons.

Were you able to slow down this week and have moment where you sipped your coffee and enjoyed the simplicity of the moment?  Were you comfortable in the quietness that enveloped you in that moment or did it make you uneasy? 

Take time for yourself and just breathe.  Take a moment to slow down and listen to what your heart whispers. You could very well be rewarded with a heart fell whisper that says "wuv eww"

 Cora blowing me a kiss as she walks with her stroller.