Well, it’s here. August 1st. Not that it’s a bad thing. Overall August is a great month. The only down side to August is that when August 1st rolls around, we know our summer freedom is quickly coming to an end. Time to get back to the strict(er) bedtime routine (big kudos to those that keep their bedtime routines going through the summer...for some reason, those routines went right out the window around here!). The sound of early morning alarm clocks will be heard very soon. Our “To Do” lists will again include: backpacks ready, lunches ready, school uniforms washed, papers signed, homework done, etc. That “school” thing really gets in the way sometimes! Just kidding...maybe (it’s kind of ironic that we are both educators, eh?)
It used to be that the first thing that came to mind as August approached was “SCHOOL”. We have several family birthdays in August and September, so thoughts of those and some family times together also came to mind. Those thoughts still quickly come to the forefront, but August 2010 added another “first thought” to our minds: LAURYN.
Lauryn was born on August 21, 2010. EVERY one of God’s miracles - every birth - is life-changing for those who are blessed to be a part of it. Lauryn’s birth has certainly changed our lives in ways we never imagined prior to it. We will be celebrating Lauryn’s birth this month, as we begin
It used to be that the first thing that came to mind as August approached was “SCHOOL”. We have several family birthdays in August and September, so thoughts of those and some family times together also came to mind. Those thoughts still quickly come to the forefront, but August 2010 added another “first thought” to our minds: LAURYN.
Lauryn was born on August 21, 2010. EVERY one of God’s miracles - every birth - is life-changing for those who are blessed to be a part of it. Lauryn’s birth has certainly changed our lives in ways we never imagined prior to it. We will be celebrating Lauryn’s birth this month, as we begin
AUGUST AWARENESS
We’ll be making some special posts this month, as we want to celebrate Lauryn’s one year birthday by making a concerted effort to spread awareness.
We ALL want to feel accepted...and included...and valued...and loved. When I became a mother, I found that even more than wanting those things for myself, I wanted them for my children. It doesn’t take much for my “Momma Bear” to come out when I feel like something is threatening that acceptance, inclusion, value or love for my kids (or for my siblings’ kids, or my friends’ kids, etc.). That “Momma Bear” instinct is often ready to pounce when I think about some of the things Lauryn will face in the future...because she has Down syndrome, and because she may not always follow the norm in terms of her physical, emotional, behavioral or intellectual abilities.
We ALL want to feel accepted...and included...and valued...and loved. When I became a mother, I found that even more than wanting those things for myself, I wanted them for my children. It doesn’t take much for my “Momma Bear” to come out when I feel like something is threatening that acceptance, inclusion, value or love for my kids (or for my siblings’ kids, or my friends’ kids, etc.). That “Momma Bear” instinct is often ready to pounce when I think about some of the things Lauryn will face in the future...because she has Down syndrome, and because she may not always follow the norm in terms of her physical, emotional, behavioral or intellectual abilities.
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A reality of Lauryn having Down syndrome is knowing that she will face obstacles and opposition along the way. Will my other kids face obstacles and opposition at some point? Sure. Will those obstacles/oppositions be as frequent, blatant or challenging? Probably not.
Don’t get me wrong...we have high expectations for Lauryn. We know she is going to do great things. We are certain she is going to show many what true acceptance, inclusion, value and love is all about. She’s already formed her own good-sized posse, ready to take on anything or anyone that wants to focus on her differences in any type of negative light (watch out, especially, for “Daddy Bear”, “Sissy Bear”, and “Brother Bears”) and ready to help her conquer any opposition/obstacle that comes her way.
Don’t get me wrong...we have high expectations for Lauryn. We know she is going to do great things. We are certain she is going to show many what true acceptance, inclusion, value and love is all about. She’s already formed her own good-sized posse, ready to take on anything or anyone that wants to focus on her differences in any type of negative light (watch out, especially, for “Daddy Bear”, “Sissy Bear”, and “Brother Bears”) and ready to help her conquer any opposition/obstacle that comes her way.
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| "Daddy Bear" and "Momma Bear" |
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| "Sissy Bear" |
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| "Brother Bear" |
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| "Brother Bear" |
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| "Brother Bear" |
I firmly believe that a key factor in helping our culture as a whole become more accepting and inclusive of those with any type of special need (or of anything that doesn’t follow the “norm”) is awareness...awareness to the fact that we are all special in God's eyes...that we are all so much more alike than we are different.
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Our Passage this month is extra-special. It has been specifically chosen for this month because of the presence and power it had when Lauryn was born. Be sure to read about its meaning to us in the Passages section.
We are changing up the Activities Calendar a little this month. Typically, we include an activity for each day of the month (based on a theme). This month we will be providing a daily fact about Down Syndrome. By the end of August, we hope you are more “UP” on Down Syndrome and ready to help us spread awareness to others!
Of course we are going to have some sort of *shindig* to celebrate Lauryn’s first birthday...but a big way we will celebrate her birth this month is by inviting everyone to be part of the 2011 Buddy Walk. There is now a special section about the 2011 Buddy Walk (it has its own tab at the top!) that will give you information on how to join Little Lauryn’s League of Awesomeness, sponsor Lauryn, and/or somehow support Down Syndrome Indiana in another way. Our goal is to raise $2500 for Down Syndrome Indiana this year. That’s a lofty goal, but we are hopeful that we can reach it! Even the smallest amount makes a difference...it truly does.
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| "Sycamore Sissy Bear" (Claire) lovin' on Lauryn... |
We hope you will help us in making a difference by joining in our AUGUST AWARENESS rally. Help us to spread the word about Down Syndrome and the 2011 Buddy Walk (Little Lauryn’s League of Awesomeness) by forwarding information on to family and friends, sharing our links on Facebook, etc.!
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