Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that ex perience can instill in us. ~Hal Borland

Emma Sage and I [and our whole family] are wishing you and yours a Glorious and Blessed 2009. May your year be filled with Wonder, Magic, Faith, Joy, Health, Love, Friendship and Family.

Happy Birthday.......

Sweet brother.


Today you would have been 44 years old.......Emma Sage made you cupcakes and we sang to you. She is just so precious and I know that you were there smiling down at her joy as she celebrated the day you were born.

We miss you..........Rest in Peace.

I have an Angel......

Who found me and has been creating amazing gifts for Emma Sage and I.

This is one of the new layouts my friend Fran has created for us.....isn't it just beautiful.

“Friends are angels sent down to earth to make good days and help us find our way.” ~ unknown

Thank you Fran,,,,,,,you truly are an Angel friend.

When I look back, I am so impressed again with the
life-giving power of literature.

If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of
myself in the world, I would do that again by reading,
just as I did when I was young.~ Maya Angelou ~

Exciting times......

Well, two years ago, I was excitedly sharing Katrina's wonderful news of her acceptance to college. I can't believe she has already finished her third semester of college [and she is loving it]

So now it is Greta's turn to celebrate her acceptances..........her list is longer than Katrina's [as Katrina had one school that she was in love with and applied with a binding early decision] Greta on the other hand is unsure exactly where she wants to go, knows her major [she is planning on pursuing a degree as a Nurse-Practitioner or Nurse-anaesthiologist ] but where she wants to get that degree is another story. She has had schools courting her and offering her waived application fee and priority scholarship opportunities, so she is taking advantage of that. Which means she might be going to school anywhere along the east coast, as she has applied from as far South as Florida to as far north as New Hampshire.

Here are her first acceptances......

She might be student at:


or



or




These are her first three acceptances ~~ Exciting times, I say, very exciting times.

Shhhh......

Don't tell anyone [well, Emma Sage told everyone, so I guess it is not a secret anymore] but Brad Pitt and I celebrated our Birthday's today and we turned the big........4*5

I had told Emma Sage that I would drive her to school on my Birthday [I told her this early this fall] and guess who remembered that this morning, my little girl!!!

So off to school we went, and as I had pulled up to watch her go into school, I see her walk happily up to Mrs. Harrington and here her say "Today is my Mommy's birthday. SHE'S 45!!!!!" and then up the walk to Mrs. Gross and the say big "Hello...and then today is my Mommy's Birthday, SHE'S 45"

She must have told me a 100 times tonight...with excitement in her voice...."You're 45".

So guess what, I'm 45 today and it feels like I'm still 25 [OK, maybe 35!!!!]

My Joy.......

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

This was taken last weekend at the Welcome King Winter Celebration at the RiverValley Waldorf School.....I have many more images and moments to share, but alas, time is of the essence. Enjoy one of the main sources of my JOY.....this little girl just loves music and to dance.

Oh, the leg movements......she wants to be an Ice Princess [ice skater] so that is what she is doing...skater twirls and leg in the air moves [just incase you were wondering! lol!!!]

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.

Just walk beside me and be my friend.-- Albert Camus

Rest in Peace my dear friend......Rest in Peace

In the dark, cold days,

There shines a light

To make my heart

So pure and bright!

Giving the Big Guy a Kiss.....

What Child is this........

Christmas is my most favorite time of year.

It is a time of celebrating the birth of a baby......

Come see the celebrations of these precious babies who have found their forever families through Reece's Rainbow. [come click this link and see the joy of these children and their new families]

This year, I gave myself the gift of donating to a few of these very special children's accounts that are still waiting for their forever families. If you have a little extra to spend and want to give a gift........of a child, I encourage you to find your way to Reece's Rainbow.

Are you a denier?

Original
Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.
Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.

Translation:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
~ Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)


Are you a denier?

Read this editorial to see if you are.............................Please, for Emma Sage.

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Sweetness......

Emma Sage woke up this morning and she had developed a bad cold overnight.....the kind of buggy nose that just begs for you to keep a box of Kleenex with you.

After 'blowing' out a few times, she looks at me in all seriousness and says

"I am ill, and I can't go to Greta's banquet tonight. I don't want to get everyone sick!"

Awe.....my sweet little girl.

I tell her...."are you sure? Abbie will be there"

She replies...."No, I think you need to call PopPop and I can go there and cuddle and read books"

So I called PopPop during the day while she was at school [yes, I sent a sick kid to school.....as I said, it came on over night and she had a good 'blow out' in the morning, and I sent her with a box of Kleenex]

She got home and her face looked like it had been through a war......red and chapped and she was blowing full steam ahead.

So she went to PopPop's to cuddle........and now she is sleeping soundly and I am going to keep her home from school tomorrow. My smart little girl was right, I don't want her getting others sick.

Here is a picture taken a few years ago......but when I think of the 'Sweetness' my little girl expresses....this image captures her sweetness perfectly!

One of my favorite

writers on the topic of Disability Advocacy and Awareness is a man by the name of David Hingsburger at 'Chewing the Fat'.

Well, he has a piece up called 'The Storey Man' and it is a must read, really it is.

You see, David writes about meeting a young man named Steven Storey and how he views disability [his to be exact] and other wonderful things. The first thing that made me smile from ear to ear is the photograph of Steven, as he is holding a pint.

Now I know you might think that is a funny thing to make me smile, but it is........because that was one of the weird things that crossed my mind when I was pregnant with Emma Sage [yes, pregnant] was the fact that I wondered if she would ever grow up to enjoy a glass of wine or a nice cold beer [or follow in her Momma's footsteps and have a passion for a Margarita once in a while] For some strange reason, I always had this misconception that people with disabilities didn't drink. Don't ask me how that misconception crept into my mind, but it was there. The other big misconception I held was on the topic of S.E.X........yes, for some strange reason I'm a prude. lol!! Actually I'm not, but the thought of a healthy physical and emotional relationship was another topic that I really never thought about for Emma Sage given her diagnosis of Down syndrome. See how much I have learned in 7 short years!!!!!!

The rest of the story will touch you in many ways........trust me, it is so worth clicking on this link and taking a few minutes for a great and very insightful read. ~The Storey Man

If you have a moment.....

to browse, this is a very beautiful and powerful website.

It is the writing and art of a young woman with Autism,,,,,,that reaches deep within the soul.

Are Your Eyes Listening?....Sarah Stup

A must read.......

This columnist touches upon many things that I believe.......it is an article in response to an article that appalled me [on many levels] and I'm so thankful that this journalist had the eloquence and words that I could not find in response.

The Sunday Times
December 7, 2008

You forgot about love when it comes to Downs Syndrome, Minette Marrin
When a fellow columnist argued that babies with Down’s should be aborted, India Knight, who has a disabled child, was outraged

If you would indulge me.......

I have submitted another photograph in the theme contest at JPG Magazine.....the theme is Fairy Tale. We would love your votes....really, we would!!!!

Well, I'm behind.....

so far behind on life, posting and stuff........living it to the fullest, just not enough time to pause and update here. [and boy do I have things to post,,,,,pictures, activities, firsts, seconds and everyday joys [and funnies]]

But here is one funny for you:

A few weeks ago [OK, this part is not funny, it is quite scary] Greta ended up in the ER because of a severe allergic reaction to Mango's. She had a reaction a year ago to the skins [she was peeling them and reacted] but this time, she wasn't thinking about Mango's being in the tropical fruit smoothy she ordered out at the cafe' with friends and within a short while, she was covered in hives and her breathing became difficult. Thank goodness she was fine, the ER gave her two shots and she now carries an Epi-pen.

Well, last weekend [this is the funny part] Emma Sage was hanging out with her sister, and she wanted to do something and Greta told her "NO".....

Little Miss did not like that answer and replied "Well, I'm going to put Mango's in your Mouth!"

Oh my.....for a sweet little imp, she can be quite devilish!!!!

as a Momma, I have to chuckle at the thought process involved in this comment [even though it was mean and could be very dangerous] my little girl remembers and knows that her action could cause a reaction [no pun intended] and thus used it to retaliate her sister and her "NO".

I Wish......

Playing with the wishbone with Greta.......



My sweet little girls says "I wish........"


"I had super powers!"

So there you have it.....her wish. So if you see a sweet little girl lifting cars over her head, or flying through the sky, you'll know who it is!!!!