First Downs for Down Syndrome and a Moment of Awareness

Today our local Down Syndrome Guild hosted an amazing event that we were happy to attend.  Members of the offensive line of my favorite football team (no fair-weather fans here!) signed autographs, held babies, and smiled for the camera over and over again at a local KFC.  Football is definitely another of my many favorite things about Fall.  It was all part of First Downs for Down Syndrome, a non-profit organization that teams with members of the Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Line to raise money for Down syndrome organizations, raise awareness of Down syndrome, and create positive images of those with Down syndrome.  So this meet and greet photo op was kind of the perfect lunch-date for Day 2 of the 31 for 21 challenge, right?

This event was crammed right into the middle of a very busy day for me.  Those times--when babies are squawking in high chairs and preschoolers are bouncing in booths, when I have to go back to the counter twice to order food because my brain doesn't work well enough to figure out how much I need for myself and two kids--those are the moments where I find it difficult to maintain an awareness of the watchful and vigilant type.  I am glad I took pictures and have the opportunity tonight to reflect a little bit more on our outing.

I enjoyed seeing other babies, toddlers, big kids and even an adult or two with Down syndrome having fun, eating lunch and getting autographs.  They were all pretty excited to meet the players, who towered over almost anyone else in the restaurant.  Some of the younger gentlemen found the cheerleaders to be the most appealing.  (I need to get some of those pom-poms!)  Although Asher wanted to be sure to tell the "girls" he liked their dresses before we left, his favorite was definitely the KC Wolf, our beloved mascot, who I've heard is an all-around pretty great guy.  (Note that Brynnlie was not convinced.)

In the midst of all this fun and chaos today, I had an opportunity to spread awareness of the knowledge type.  I wish I could say I had seized the moment, but I did not.  So I will share it here on my blog and hope that I am bold enough, aware enough, and sensitive enough, to share it in person the next time I have the chance.  A sweet woman came into KFC looking for some lunch, having absolutely no idea the hullabaloo she was entering!  As she stepped up to the counter, she glanced around her bewildered and asked, "What are they doing here?"  I was nearby, and so I replied that it was an event with First Downs for Down Syndrome.  "Oh, Downs!  OK.  That's great.  I was a teacher for years, and I always loved those little Downs kids."  It's funny how much different that sounds to me now than it did a year ago.  

When this sweet woman says she loved those little Downs kids, I am sure she means it in the most positive way.  But my Momma ear now hears her refer to my baby as one of "those" kids, and no Momma really wants her baby labeled into a broad category that is ultimately made up of so many very different individuals.  Brynnlie Grace is not a "Downs kid," she is a kid who just happens to have Down syndrome, among many other unique and special traits. If you would like to build your awareness by learning more about the importance of People First Language, and the correct spelling and punctuation of Down syndrome, please click here.  This knowledge has definitely made me more aware of the labels we place on one another, and how limiting any label is for truly knowing a person.  We all possess so many different gifts and abilities, and it is the whole, not just one part, that makes us who we are as individuals.  For now, I will just say that I promise not to refer to your beautiful and unique child as one of "those" kids, if you promise to do the same for me, no matter how harmless the label we put upon them may seem.

Thanks to this amazing article I read today, I'm including this photo, although it is difficult for me to do so.

The Mom Stays in the Picture

Tomorrow I hope for a shorter post, or there's no way I'll make 31 for 21!  I'll be watchful, like this guy, and find time to be aware of something new.

Loves!

Welcome, October!

My one-and-only Pinterest creation!

October has always been my very favorite month of the year.  It is my birthday month, and I have always been just a little spoiled on my birthday!  It is also the time of the year in the Midwest when the stifling heat begins to give way to cooler breezes.  The humidity level finally drops, and the cicadas cease their deafening cries.  The relief from the heat has never been more welcome than this year, after a very hot summer of drought, with parched grass and cracking earth.  As the thermometer finally falls below 80 I feel as though the world is becoming a little more quiet; perhaps the noises are muffled by the leaves falling to the ground.  The back-to-school buzz has passed and we finally take a breath, reconnecting with our routines.  Twilight begins to darken just a moment earlier, calling us to make the most of gorgeous evenings while they last.

I could go on for hours about the goodness of Fall.  I delight in the flavors of pumpkin spice, caramel apple, and creamy cocoa.  I am in awe of the changing leaves, golden grasses, and sweeping landscapes that are evidence of an incredibly artistic Creator.  Tonight my heart was lifted by a quick walk with my littles--there was a cool breeze blowing, red and gold and orange leaves turning and peewee-football-practice-whistle-blowing in the park.  We followed up our little walk with the first caramel apples and cocoa of the season.  A perfect way to say, "Welcome, October!"

One year ago, I learned I had yet another reason to love October.  October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  I was five years old when President Reagan signed a proclamation enacting that in 1984, yet my first knowledge that such a campaign existed was last year, when I was still learning all things new about my own Baby Girl with Down syndrome.  The common definition of awareness is having knowledge   Prior to last year, I had very little knowledge about Down syndrome, or that National Down Syndrome Awareness Month even existed.  I have learned many new things, and I would say in the last year that my knowledge has increased.  There is, however, also an older definition of awareness.  The more archaic definition of the word is simply vigilant; watchful.  I am intrigued by this concept.

This October, I want to be aware of Fall as it unfolds around me during a very busy month.  I want to breathe deeply the scents, taste the flavors and enjoy the coolness of this month of reprieve.  I want to be vigilant in exploring our world as it changes each day, watchful of the leaves as they subtly color and fade over time.  I also want to develop a better awareness of what Down syndrome means to me.  I want to engage in vigilant, watchful contemplation of my daughter, and explore my thoughts and feelings about her life and ours.  It is not always breezy walks at twilight and cozy cocoa sipping around our house.  I want to develop more appreciation for and awareness of those moments, but I also want to explore the deeper current of how I have been feeling since my precious girl was born.  I want to notice and learn more about other individuals and families with Down syndrome.  I want to do more than just see these incredible people, I want to become aware of them.  

I hope to record and share on my blog throughout this month of exploring and cultivating awareness, and I hope you will join me on this journey of celebration.  Cheers!  Here's to National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, to Fall, to caramel apples, and to hot cocoa mustaches!  May your October find you vigilant, watchful, aware...

After posting this, I learned that many people choose to blog throughout October as a way of raising awareness during this special month.  What a wonderful way for me to get my blog off the ground and to stick to my plan to be vigilant and watchful during National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  I am joining the blogosphere in posting 31 times throughout October to raise awareness for our special friends with extra copies of chromosome 21.  31 for 21.  Thanks for sharing the journey with me.  To learn more, or to join the 31 for 21 challenge, visit Big Blueberry Eyes.

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