31 for 21: Family (16)

When I started this blog, my original intent (and I am kind of embarrassed to admit this) was going to be a place that I was going to use to "vent" about the diagnosis we had just received.  I signed up to start blogging about a month after Colin was born but when I actually started writing, I already started to feel like I wanted to share what things were like for us (instead of feeling like I needed to vent about it) and all of the great things Colin was already doing.  By that time, we had already settled into our new life of having a newborn and while we will still fearful of what the future would bring, Colin was already showing us his way.  We were starting to figure things out and we were excited about the things Colin was starting to do from little smiles, to giggles and laughs to all of the big things he was working on as well. 

As time went by, the blog sort of evolved into a place where we would highlight the things that Colin was doing on a daily basis.  At times, I blogged my frustrations or concerns and even bigger fears and found comfort in the comments that I would receive from my friends in the blog world.  Four and a half years later, I can look back and see how the blog has evolved even more.  While I still like to share the unique challenges and accomplishments that we see because of Colin and his diagnosis every day, the blog is now a place to include ALL of life for our family.  Both of our children have changed Chris and I in many ways and BOTH of them bring unique challenges in the way we raise them.  While we do have a child with a disability, for Chris and I, it just feels like our normal.  We raise both of our kids the same way and expect them to follow the same rules and routines around the house.  We are a family and all bring something different to the table.  

I have gotten asked a lot how I find time to keep the blog going on a regular basis and my answer always is that I just fit it in as though it's just as important as other things.  For me, it feels good to share all of the things that we go through together as a family regardless of whether or not it's related to Colin having Down Syndrome.  I hope that one day when someone is facing a new diagnosis themselves, they will stumble across my blog (much like I found some of the ones in the beginning that I still like to follow today) and see that Down Syndrome isn't so scary.  I want them to see that we are in fact, a very typical family that likes to do fun stuff together when we can, who are really happy, and who, despite the fact have a child with Down Syndrome, don't treat him any differently than anyone else.  I hope that through this blog they realize that he goes to school and has friends and plays with his sister and learns ABCs and counts and sings and dances and laughs and smiles and is the most wonderful child you will ever meet. I hope through this blog they see Down Syndrome has its challenges but so does every thing in life....

..."Being a family means you are a part of something really wonderful.  It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.  No matter what."