What a Magical and Beautiful Birthday I had

Oh What a Magical and Beautiful Birthday I had......While there were many moments that tears came to my eyes ~ they echoed beautiful thoughts of my Mother, who I missed dearly today ~ But the most amazing thing was I felt her presence around me all day long. There were two moments of the day, that I truly believe my Mother's Spirit was involved with.

I received happy thoughts from my online friends at Trisomy21Online. While I have not been an active member this past year [I actually made a New Years Resolution to pull away from the Internet this past year to focus on family and home more.] But as the events of the year unfolds ~ it was my online friends who many times carried me through these moments.....so it was to them I turned to this morning.

Two Birthday Buddies from the board are my friends Kathi [Mom to the beautiful Lizzy] and Belen [Mom to Sir Reece]. We have celebrated out shared birthday online for the last five years. I've met Kathi in real life once and Belen and I are both home schooling our precious ones with T21.

My dear friend Rebecca [again, an online friend] who came into my life because of the blessing of Down syndrome in our lives] made me a beautiful virtual Birthday card with one of my favorite pictures of Emma Sage ~ She also called me on the phone to say "Happy Birthday" because she knew how much I was missing my Mom today.

While I was visiting the board, I posted about my dillema with Emma Sage and her one and only request from Santa ~ ELMO [the new, you can't find him anywhere Elmo]. You see, in the fall, I happened to be at Walmart the day they got them in.....shelves full. I showed him to Emma Sage and she laughed and laughed and I asked her "Do you think you would like Santa to bring this to you?" to which she replied "No, I want a Baby Doll"....and off she walked towards the doll section. I didn't buy Elmo that day, as I figured, while she laughed and laughed and thought he was cute, she didn't really want him.

Well, I was wrong. Her Christmas list had gone like this all along.....'Dear Santa, Please bring Baby Doll, Love Emma Sage' and she would sit and write that list over and over again [we used this as handwriting practice].....well about 10 days ago, in the middle of writing her list, Emma Sage asks me how to spell E*L*M*O,,,,,,to which I tell her and now her list and her request is just that.......'Dear Santa, Please bring ELMO, Love Emma Sage'!!!! and Elmo is no where to be found.

Over the weekend, Greta and my sister-in-law, Heidi searched far and wide....finding out that on Monday morning Toys R Us were supposed to have some on the shelves when the store opened.....only problem being for us is......the one person who would help me, my Mother, was not able to lend a hand, as she always did my whole life. I provide in-home childcare, so I can't get out, but my Mother would always come over to sit for me, if I ever had to get out somewhere..........and then!

This is where I felt my Mother's spirit so strongly.........I get a post from one of the new Mom's [on this beautiful journey of the road less traveled], who mainly just lurks on the board to e-mail her. We talk on the phone and it turns out that her Mother heard about my little girl who changed her mind at the last minute with her Christmas List, and got an ELMO doll for Emma Sage! So Michelle's Mother played Christmas Elf and brightened my day and made me realize the precious gift we have in family and friends. Thank you Michelle and Mom for blessing me with such a beautiful gesture!

As my day moved forward, I got a few calls from family and friends, making my heart sing from all the love shared with me......and every few minutes Emma Sage would come over to me from what she was doing and give me a big hug and say "Happy Birthday Mommy......I love you SO much"! in her sweet little voice.

The most powerful realization for me that my Mother's Love & Spirit still surround me was as I was finishing up lunch with the children and I realized it was getting very close to the moment, where I always got a phone call from my Mother celebrating my birth........a few tears came to my eyes. Just then I hear a truck pull up in front and I see the UPS man delivering a box - I bring it in and open it -

Inside a red box, tied with a white ribbon was the most beautiful silver Motherhood necklace [from AJ, one of my sweet little babysitting crew]......................and a card that describes the pendant as Motherhood, an eternal bond "MotherHood - Celebrating the eternal bond of Mother and Child". I couldn't hold back the tears to the powerful message of this gift - and the timing of its arrival.......I can't help but think my dear Mother was trying so hard to let me know that her love and spirit will always surround me.

Shona and AJ, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I've never had a Motherhood necklace and will wear this one all the days of my life.

and the rest of the day was filled with lots of laughter and joy....and a few more tears.

I made my favorite dinner and Greta and Emma Sage made my favorite cake. As I sat at the table with my precious family, I gave thanks for the gift of life, the gift of family, the gift of friends and the magic of a Beautiful Birthday!