Birthday weekend was upon us and there was an air of magic all around. Ian sprinted down the driveway and practically jumped into Grace’s arms. He had been anxiously awaiting her arrival for weeks. Asking me, probably every day, “Is Grace coming home, Is Grace coming home?” To which, again and again, I answered, “Yes, […]
HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY IAN! Every year, a few months before his birthday, Ian requests that we start a list with his crazy ideas, so that we are prepared to fulfill all of his birthday wishes. I often catch him on Amazon searching for the next ‘big’ toy or watching product videos of a family blissfully […]
When the four of us reminisce about all of our crazy adventures, formerly known as vacations, we all agree that many of our fondest memories are of times that did not go as planned – mostly due to Ian’s shenanigans. With each excursion, Ian steps out of his comfort zone a little more, and we […]
Waking up on Easter morning with everything in its place, I open my eyes to an animated Ian – just what I need at 6 am. Despite that he is almost 15 and starting high school this fall, Ian views life through the lens of a little boy. With incredible enthusiasm, he bounds through the […]
Shenanigan, according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose; tricky or questionable practices or conduct; high-spirited or mischievous activity. Shenanigator, a made up word I found on Pinterest, is defined as, “A person who instigates shenanigans.” Ian challenges us daily, but at least life is never boring with […]
“There’s no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a person as more.” -Robert M. Hansel On World Down Syndrome Day, I dedicate this blog not just to Ian, but to all of those individuals with different abilities who teach us more than we could ever teach them. The world is a […]
“My view of Down syndrome has been very clear since I could understand what it meant. Growing up around Ian has made my view very concrete. I know it is a congenital disorder by definition but, in my head, I see it more as a blessing. The world needs people who have such a positive, […]
Alice: This is impossible. The Mad Hatter: Only if you believe it is ~Alice in Wonderland Many ideas for Ian’s future job have been tossed around over the years, usually at the dinner table. Though he is not a big conversationalist, like me, discussing his future profession always brings out his talkative side. Immediately, […]
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. – Mark Twain Like so many evenings, I am happily sitting in the stands attending another hockey practice, loving every minute of watching Ian skate. I hope to experience every skill finally perfected, every puck in the net, and every […]
“Yes, I gave you life, but really you gave me mine” -unknown According to Wikipedia, in Aeronautics, a soft landing is any type of aircraft, rocket or spacecraft landing that does not result in significant damage to or destruction of the vehicle or its payload, as opposed to a hard landing. Ian’s Space […]
