21 things...

In honor of World Down Syndrome Day here are 21 things about Sara...

1.  124 CD's.  Sara loves music and listens/sings every day.
2.  1 boyfriend.  Sara loves William.  He is her "hot tamale"...
3.  Sara has 1 sister and 2 brothers.
4.  3 parents- Sara is very lucky to have a happy blended family.
5.  5 grandparents.
6.  86 signs painted this year for The Happy Soul Project.
7.  168 books.  ALL of them are her favourite.
8.  2 dogs- Sara loves animals.
9.  24 bottles of perfume- Sara collects fragrances.
10.  64 strands of Mardi-Gras beads.
11.  194 Special Olympics medals and ribbons.  Sara competes in track, bowling and swimming.
12. 288 cards- Sara keeps every single card she's been given and reads through them each week.
13.  18 pairs of shoes- the girl loves a pretty sneaker.
14.  2 times a week- "Tell me about the day I was born".  It's her favourite story.
15.  365- the number of days she tracks till her next birthday.  It is her favourite day of the year.
16.  2 times a day- "I love you" and "I love you more".
17.  1 time a day- "Can I call William?"
18.  States visited- 9
19.  Number of swear words she uses- 2
20.  Number of years she spent in high school- 6
21.  Number of chromosomes Sara has- 47

Happy World Down Syndrome Day to Sara and everyone else out there who is lucky enough to be so much more than just a number!

Pear Tree Greetings Giveaway...

Sara has started the tradition of giving out personalized Valentine's cards to her friends.  She loves choosing the photo(s) and the layout, along with the wording and deciding who will recieve them.  One of Sara's personality traits that I adore is her blatant honesty.  She will always offer a hug or an I love you, and you never have to wonder where you stand with her.  Sara will tell you her favourite holiday is Christmas, but Valentine's Day is a serious contender for first place.   It's the one day of the year that speaks Sara's complete love language- words of affirmation, touch and gifts of appreciation.

This year we were contacted by Pear Tree Greetings to choose some cards for Sara and then host a giveaway for our readers.  We looked through all of the card options and decided to use their Valentine's Day Photo Cards.

Sara knew that this year she wanted to include a picture of her and William aka 'hot tamale' as well as a photo of herself.  So we went with these...

Then we looked through the various designs and settled on the Kid's Valentine's Photo Cards Photo Paper Happy Heart Day.  Sara loved that she could add her name along with some x's and o's...

Sara's favourite Valentine memory is the first Valentine's Day that her and William celebrated as boyfriend and girlfriend.  She walked in and he was standing there holding balloons and flowers along with a very large box of chocolates.  I know his parents well, and I can honestly say they raised that boy right!  Sara was so over the moon about it and had so much fun telling everyone that approached the table that he was hers.  They have been dating now for two years,  and they are hands down one of the cutest couples I've ever known.  Not that I am biased or anything, but when your daughter is born and you are given the laundry list of things they will never do and then by golly they DO  those things- well, you celebrate it.  Big.

Leave a comment and tell me your favourite Valentine memory and Sara and I will choose a winner to receive a $25 credit to Pear Tree Greetings to pick out your own Valentine's cards!   We will choose a winner by February 1st.  Good Luck...

xoxo,

Around the tudor...

With Travis working this turnaround schedule I seem to spend the majority of my time in the kitchen.  Not that I mind, I adore my little kitchen.  For such a small space it really is light and bright, and so easy to cook in!

Of course, the nicer the meal the more dishes you have to dirty!

I got my slipcovered chairs back from Lsslipcovers, and just like any other pieces they have done for me- they are divine!  I said the word "ball gown" for my vanity chair and they delivered!

Sara's gallery wall finally got painted.  Projects are at a slow pace right now, so getting this one wall done was the limit for the month...

I also traded in Mr.Darcy, my Mini Cooper, for Mr. Bingley, my new Mini Cooper.  I lease my vehicles because I love new cars and can't just live with one!  I upgraded to a bit larger car- the Countryman S.  It seats five, so it feels so much bigger!

Sara and I walked the Step Up for Down Syndrome this past weekend.  I love how aware she is of Down Syndrome and how confident she is in talking to others about what she is doing with her time now that she is out of public school.  She loves homeschooling and adores the classes she takes on Thursdays.

I did get a new rug for the living room- Dash & Albert rugs are my very favorite! I love how preppy this one looks...

Fall decorating is at a minimum this year.  Most of our attic things are still in storage, and we won't get to cleaning that out until Travis is back on a regular schedule.  So the kids and I picked out a mum and a few pumpkins and called it a day...

We are busy with classes, reading, painting signs and just being.  I don't really feel the need to change things around or shop- I'm just content to be here.  I am taking that as a sign that we are exactly where we need to be- wacky neighbors and all ;)

Happy notes...

When Sara and I started painting signs for The Happy Soul Project it became obvious to me that aside from the painting, Sara's absolutely favourite part of the entire process was the wrapping and addressing of each sign.

"Where is it going?"

"Who is it for?"

"Do they have Down Syndrome too?"

The only thing that she loves more is when people post pictures to Instagram or Facebook of their child with the signs we make.  I think for Sara she enjoys the creative process, but the real joy lies in the giving.  And who can fault her for that?  Giving is a good thing.  So the opportunity to use some thank you notes by Tiny Prints was the perfect addition to an already perfect "job".  Sara loves to sit and write out a small thank you to each person who purchases one of our Happy Soul Project signs...

My main focus at this point is to ensure that Sara is doing something worthwhile, and that we are spreading the message that people with Down Syndrome are productive members of society.   Ocotober is Down Syndrome Awareness month, and while I think people are pretty aware of Down Syndrome, I think the emphasis needs to be more on acceptance.

Sara wants what any other adult wants- she wants purpose, a job, something to call her own and take pride in.  Painting signs does just that, and the thank you notes we send out mean so much more than the few sentences Sara writes on each one.

So thank you to each of you who have purchased a sign and given Sara a chance to spread a little happy...

eShakti...

Several months ago I was contacted by the online clothing company, eShakti, to review one of their clothing items.  eShakti is a unique online boutique that allows the customer to custom fit their pieces, and I immediately thought of Sara and the upcoming wedding we were going to attend in June.

Anyone who is related to, or has raised a person with Down Syndrome knows that it's not easy to find clothes that fit right.  At only 4'7 and 130 pounds, Sara is not an easy fit.  Being contacted by eShakti at that moment was nothing short of divine intervention.

I went to their website and used the handy customized measurement calculator to determine what size Sara needed.   The sizes are customized with your specific measurements and then the dress is created to flatter just you.   After you have entered in your measurements you can choose the length, neckline, sleeve type, or waistband to suit you.   Since Sara is on the short side we adjusted the length and changed up the sleeves a bit.

Sara's dress came in and I held my breath as she tried it on...and it fit perfectly!  The quality was amazing, with material that was a heavier cotton and lined.

We chose an apple green and she accessorized with some silver strappy sandals and her signature pink pearls.

 Sara and William danced the night away and Sara received so many lovely compliments on her dress...

eShakti doesn't just sell dresses, they also offer tops, skirts, and wedding attire.   This was such a fabulous experience and I know we will be ordering more clothes from them in the future!

What makes you different...

Sara and her buddy, Sarah...

Yesterday Sara and her buddy participated in an all day training to become an Ambassador for the Best Buddies program.  She was assigned her own speech writer and they spent the afternoon talking and co-writing a speech.   They talked about what qualities Sara possessed and what Best Buddies means to her.

Here is her speech:

My   name   is    Sara ,   and   I   am   from   Houston,   Texas.    I    have   been   in   Best   Buddies   for   6   years,   and   now   I   am   a   Best  Buddies   Ambassador.

My   favourite   quote    is   “What   makes   you   different   is   what   makes   you   beautiful”.

Being   a   best   buddy   is   one   of   the   things   that   makes   me   different.  

Best   Buddies   teaches   us   to  celebrate  the   small  things.   To  find   the   happy  in   something   simple-  like  going  to   get   a   yogurt  with  a  friend,   or  catching   a   movie  on   a  rainy Saturday  afternoon.   

Best   Buddies   also  teaches  us   about  honesty  and  good  character.   I   see  people   for   who   they   are   on   the   inside.  I   don’t   care   about   what   clothes   someone  wears   or  how   they   dance,  as   long  as  they  are   a nice   person.  

I   have   Down   Syndrome.   It’s   what   makes   me   different,   but   it’s   also   what  makes   me beautiful.   It  makes  me  happy   to    meet   other   people   that   are   like  me  and   to  show   other   people  that   we    are   really   not   that  different.  

My  name  is   Sara,   and   I’d  like   for    each  of    you   to   think   about   what  makes   you   different,  and   what   makes   you   beautiful.      

Thank   you   for   seeing   the   beauty   in   me!

A HUGE part of what inspired this speech is the work that Sara is doing with The Happy Soul Project. The signs we create are so much more than just sayings painted on wood- they are heartfelt reminders of how Sara chooses to live her life, with happy, celebrating differences, and being a real friend.   Sara understands the key to living a happy life- live in the moment, celebrate the small things, and seeing people for who they really are.

Her differences make her downright beautiful...

This needs to stop...

Friends, I am asking that you look at  THIS  seller and leave a review for Amazon.   Those of you who follow me on FB, or know me personally, know that I am passionate about my pledge to end the use of the R word.  It's a slur- an ugly one, that needs to disappear.   I am working so hard to make our society a place that sees people with Down Syndrome and disabilities as ones who can be productive and purposeful in society.  The phone case that I discovered this morning featured a girl with DS on the cover and the R word in the product title.  It has since been taken down by the seller, only to pop up somewhere else in the hopes that the 200+ people who left negative comments wouldn't find it again.  This type of senseless "consumerism" boggles my mind.  Who would want to be seen spewing such hate?   Would you look at this picture and call my daughter the R word, or advertise it on your tshirt or phone case?

Please go HERE and leave a review for Amazon.  I will NOT be ordering items from Amazon until this product is removed.  I'd also like to see an explanation/apology as to why this type of garbage was listed in the first place.    Let them know that this is not acceptable- that we have a voice and it will directly impact their bottom line.  Because in selling trash like this it is obvious to me that Amazon values their bottom line more than the people it serves.

Our beginning...

One of my favourite sayings floating around the internet lately is "don't compare your beginning to some else's middle".   I love that saying because I am so guilty of doing it.  I think we all do, whether it's pretty rooms on a blog, parenting, or even our own bodies.

Lately for me it's been the issue of parenting.  Specifically my own kid's success.  This is the time of year that everyone is shouting out on FB colleges their son/daughter will attend, scholarships they have won, awards they have received, and future plans.

Sara is finishing school this year.  As in done.  No more public education.  Just finished.  It's incredible to me that our system is designed to start when they are babies- three years old, and then go until they are 22 and kick them out into the world with a "don't let the door hit you in the ass" kind of feeling to it.

Not that I think the public education system should continue to educate my child, but beyond school- there is virtually nothing for adults with special needs.  It's still as uncharted territory as it was 40 years ago.  I talk with other parents and they are making their way and creating their own havens for their adult children.   They get creative, but all of them agree that there should be more.

Another struggle we have been dealing with lately is stubbornness.  Otherwise known as "I am 22 and you can't tell me what to do".   Last night was a humdinger of an evening.  Sara fights us about bath vs. shower, so we created a system of one night bath, the next night shower so that she has choice in the  matter.  Yesterday was hot, she was sweaty, and I explained to her that she really needed to take a shower even though it was a "bath night".  She agreed and went upstairs to take her shower.

Only she didn't, she took a bath.  And I pretty much lost it.  I've been dealing with a lot of back talk and rudeness lately from Sara, and this was the proverbial straw for me.  I even spanked her on the bum at one point.  I think that got my point across and she took the shower.  This morning she woke up with diarrhea and vomiting.  Could have been the food we had last night, or the fact that she went to bed upset- which we both did.  This is a hard balance- giving her choice and acknowledging her adult status, and also recognizing that mentally she is about ten years old and I am still very much the parent in her world.  I am her legal guardian and as such it is my JOB to ensure that she is taken care of, but lately it has been challenging.

I know I've talked before about keeping it real here on the blog- about sharing more of the real stuff that goes on.  I struggle with that simply because by putting it out there SOMEBODY will judge me, my actions, or my feelings.  Mind you, that person will never really know what I deal with on a day to day basis with Sara, or the fears I have as I get older while my "child" remains ten years old on the inside.   That one day I will not be able to physically take care of her, or deal with a 125 pound person having a tantrum.   That scares the crap out of me, and I am not one to easily scare.

The beginning is not looking good today, but I know that it will look better on other days.  Still, it's hard to ignore the shout outs about colleges, wedding engagements, and bright futures of other's kids.  To not compare it to Sara's beginning.  Wondering what the future will look like, how she will thrive, and how we will keep the balance of parent and adult child.

Wondering what our middle will look like.

Moving on...

Sorry for the absence of posting.  It's been a whirlwind week over here at the cottage.  The house sold in record time, which threw us into packing mode.  We don't play.  Our entire home is packed up except for the kids rooms and what we absolutely need to cook for the next four weeks.

We ordered one large pod to hold all of our furniture and boxes, and we rented a local storage room to hold our garage tools.  That way, when we do find a town house, we can jump in and begin the renovations.

Which leads me to the fact that there is NOTHING for sale in the town home category in the area we want.  We went ahead and did our pre-approval process where they tried to tell us that we qualified for DOUBLE the amount of our current home.  That was met with some explaining as to the fact that we are trying to cut our living expenses in half so that we can do more- travel more- LIVE more.  What is up with these mortgage companies trying to get you into the very top of your budget?  And then when you go to a price point that is under half of what you qualify for they look at you like you are nuts.  Maybe we are, but we are going to be traveling nuts!

I do have other things on my plate...

• This week is my last class at the university with my writing kiddos. We are having our celebration and then I am going to begin planning my next year of teaching in a new position.  I will be teaching Digital Literacy with a homeschool group grades 2-9.  Very excited about the possibilities this class will present and how quickly the "school" is growing.  

• Sara has prom coming up- the theme?  The Red Carpet.  We shopped yesterday and found the perfect "pink princess dress". She is going to look like Disney threw up on her, but that is exactly what she wants and I am happy to oblige since this is her very last prom.  

• I am also finishing up a large piece I transformed for Country Chic Paint- I am hoping to have that one wrapped up by the weekend.  Throw in some sign orders for The Happy Soul Project, as well as a few custom signs- and yes, I stay busy. 

• Hunter is half way through his 5th grade math program.  This year has been about getting him caught up on math and getting him to fall in love with learning again.  So far I'd say the year has been a success.  So much damage done to him by public schooling and lots of healing took place this year.  

• Sara and I spoke to a group of college students yesterday morning about putting an end to using the "r" word.  Words matter, and yesterday I believe our words resonated with those young adults and made them think.  I love that Sara and I are embarking on this adventure together and doing something to change people's perceptions of Down Syndrome and people with intellectual disabilities.  

The cold blew back into Texas last night.  We awoke at 2:30 this morning to temps in the 40's and a blood red moon.  So cool to see and Hunter was excited that we woke him up to witness it.  Needless to say we all slept in and are still in our warm pjs for the duration...

I will keep y'all posted if anything new pops up in the next few weeks.  Until then it is going to be more packing and getting settled into my parent's house until a property opens up.  I am incredibly lucky that my parents are letting us stay with them, but time with my parents is a gift, and I am looking forward to all the things we can do together without being tethered to a house!

Best best buddies...

Sara has been involved with Best Buddies for all six years she has been in high school.  It is one of the most amazing programs out there for pairing up special needs students with regular education students.  Best Buddies work hard to change perceptions among the student population, showing what true friendship looks like- and that each group has more in common than they do differences.

Sara has been lucky enough to have Sarah as her buddy for the past two years.  Sarah is the real deal.  She is in this program for all the right reasons and is one of the most genuine people I have ever met.  Her walk matches her talk, and that goes a long way for me.

Sarah goes out of her way to schedule fun outings with Sara, participate in school events together, and even stop by the lunchroom to say hi to Sara during the school day.  Today they walked the Buddy Walk together.  Sarah was asked to give a speech about what Best Buddies meant to her and I wanted to share what she said with y'all today, because there is so much real to it and cuts right to the heart of what we try to teach our children about what a true friendship is.

This is what she wrote...

This is my second year being buddies with Sara, and in these past two years she has become one of my best friends.  Meeting her was one of the best things to happen to me in high school.   She has taught me all of the words to every Justin Beiber song and she has taught me lessons that you don't learn in a classroom, you learn by experience.  Sara doesn't judge other people by how much money they have, or how they look, she only notices their character, and she is nice top everyone no matter what.  More people in this world should be like that.  Being her friend has made me a better person, and I'm grateful for that.  
Our friendship means everything to me and this being Sara's last year in high school makes me sad because I won't see her everyday at lunch anymore and I won't see her walking down the halls, but I know she will be off in the world doing bigger and better things, and I'm confident in saying that we will be lifelong friends and I know we will keep in touch.  
Sara always dances like no one is watching and never fails to put a smile on my face, or anyone's face for that matter.  I love Sara like a sister, and I have been so lucky and so blessed to have met her.  I'm so grateful for the impact she and all of the buddies have made in my life, and I hope that everyone gets a chance in their lifetime to have a friendship like ours.

In reading what she wrote I cried.  Not sad tears, but oh so happy tears, because all those years ago when I held my little girl and thought she'd never have a friend- I was wrong.  I was so wrong, and for that I am so happy.

World Down Syndrome Day...

Today, March 21, 2014 is World Down Syndrome Day!

Reposted from The International Down Syndrome Coalition...

I had Sara when I was only 22 years old and honestly a bit lost as to where my life was going.  She ended up being such a compass for me and became the yardstick that everything around me had to measure up to.  She is my own personal hero—watching how she embraces life and truly experiences things to the fullest is such a powerful thing to witness.

Sara’s strength is her keen sense of being aware.  She watches, listens, and remembers.  She has compassion for others and always remembers someone’s name after she has met them.  When you are with Sara, you feel that she really cares about you.

Sara’s dreams are like any other 21 year old girl’s—she dreams of love, companionship, friendship, a job, and fun.  She wants to work in a hospital and help people to feel better.

Down syndrome has both changed my life completely and didn’t change a thing at the same time.  I think I appreciate the little things far more than I ever did.  I look at others and notice abilities before disabilities.  I am more tolerant and understanding because Sara sets a perfect example of how to do that every day.

I would like to tell the world that Sara is every bit as successful as any other kid her age.  She is bright, witty, sincere, and helpful.  She contributes in a way that I never imagined possible and her love is genuine and without conditions.

The Happy Soul Project Shop is OPEN...

It's official, The Happy Soul Project shop is open for business!  Painting Outside the Lines signs sold out in less than a day, but that is okay- each sign is custom made and can be customized to your colour specifics.   The apparel shop is open as well, and the t's are beyond cute with a very important message about how we are all different and there is genuine beauty in those differences.

If you haven't met the blogger and founder behind The Happy Soul Project, Tara, go here to read her story.

But the best part, the heart of Happy Soul Project is here, in Awesome Eh?  It's so much more than selling some signs or t-shirts...

 "And so a portion of proceeds from every sale at the Happy Soul Project Store will be going towards our new Awesome Eh? Project, which is random acts of awesomeness proving to others that there is hope and happiness out there...It could mean buying a teenage girl with Down syndrome a prom dress or sending a new momma who is struggling with her baby's diagnosis something special...It could be anything yet to me it is everything. To me thinking of someone feeling so special and having nothing to say except, "Awesome Eh?" is pretty damn special."

Nominate people who need a bit of awesomeness in their life - Doesn't matter who they are, where they live or what they need...If there is something we can do to bring them kindess then lets do it. To nominate someone, contact us HERE.

Just click here to shop and support.  

It is happy with my soul...

It's official!  Tara of The Happy Soul Project has released the details of the collaboration between Sara and I and The Happy Soul Project.  We are officially known as Painting Outside the Lines, and I couldn't be happier about working with such an amazing momma and team!

It truly is one of those things where fate meets kismet meets karma and all is right with the world.  I spent many hours praying and hoping that something would fall into place for Sara upon aging out of our public school system, because for most kids there is just nothing.  Where their eight hour days of teachers, routine, and friends leaves off there is a void of limited choices that most times do not fit the young adult they are intended for.  But all that has changed for Sara.  Instead of me sending her off to a "day hab" situation, or a workplace where she would be minimally supervised and gullible to who knows what, she will be working for a purpose- doing something she loves- painting.  Spreading the word that it is our differences that make us beautiful- that we should choose happy and embrace our unique abilities.  That my philosophy matches up perfectly with Tara's over at The Happy Soul project just shows me again, that we are on to something, and that the world has so much to learn from our kids.   We will be painting signs with the lovely messages that speak truth and give hope to other families with kids who are told "they will never" or "don't expect..."  Words that I now know mean nothing, because honestly, your perfectly abled kids don't come with a guarantee either, but all children do come with the capability to love, to give back and to teach.

Happiness is a choice, and doing something about other's perceptions of beauty, worth, ability and love is also a choice.  I choose happy- I hope you will too!

Visit our site over at The Happy Soul Project- Painting Outside the Lines to order your own custom sign!