It is a gloomy, cold spring day and I am finding it hard to get motivated; so I think I will write. As I am sitting at my desk writing Willow is rolling all over the place and pulling anything in her reach over on her. Every time I turn around she just gives me a big grin, she wants to be on the move and is getting busier by the day. We are working so hard to get her to crawl yet I am not sure I am ready for that, I may never write again once she starts moving.

Last fall Gillian came to me and told me she wanted to grow her hair out really long and then cut it and donate it to locks of love. She had heard about it through my cousin and really was excited to do that. So this week it was finally long enough and Chad took her to the salon and they cut ten inches off. She was so proud and happy to be able to help out another little girl. Her hair looks so cute! We have always wanted to teach our girls compassion and that there is a bigger world out there beyond the small, tiny world they live in. Even as young as they are, this year has changed them. I not only think they have become more compassionate but I think they have become more aware. Awareness is so important; they in a small but significant way understand that there is a hurting world right there in front of them. There is little girl in Gillian's grade that has Down Syndrome and when Gillian notices she is playing by herself at recess she makes it appoint to ask her to play. Her response to why she does this, she would want someone to do the same for Willow. Willow's life has brought out more compassion and a sense of awareness in both Gillian and Ava's lives. They have always been sweet girls but their love for others has deepened over this year. The gift of greater love, greater compassion, and greater awareness has been given to our family through our small but mighty Willow. I think God can use people to act as instruments, teaching us about love, compassion, patience, awareness etc... lessons maybe we would not understand if those people were not in our lives.

changing directions and new gigs

I think it was the day after Willow was born I was sitting in the hospital just trying to process everything going on that I decided I would start a blog. I wanted to use my blog as a way to express my thoughts and emotions knowing that I would have so many. A way for me to heal through writing. I had no idea at the time how many people blog! It has been great to not only share my thoughts but to record her doctor's appointments and milestones- like a baby book online. I only wish I had known about this when Gillian and Ava were little.

I started thinking about my blog and how I want to make some changes. This year has been about change, before this year I knew little about Down Syndrome, the DSG (Down Syndrome Guild), physical therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, aquatic therapy and speech therapy; now I know a lot about them all. I have spent this year transitioning into my new life, a life I never thought I would be a part of but so grateful I am. In the past when a thought would come to me I would write it down. If Willow had an appointment of she hit a milestone I would blog about it but the problem is I have missed so many everyday wonderful moments. I have also missed out on sharing about the other blessings in our lives. So I have decided it is time to share about all the small moments and small ones that make us smile.

I want share that both Gillian and Ava were each chosen by their teachers for the Compassionate Award and how proud we felt when we listened to the letter their teachers wrote about them. I want to share that Willow now has a new gig and it is called LeeAnn Britain's Infant Development Center (we call it IDC for short). She is not crazy about her individual therapy but loves when she gets to go to class with her new friends. She is a very social little girl and loves the other kids. She also loves music and has music class at IDC and Gymboree- the shakers are her favorite. Gillian is now in soccer and loves playing defender- she is not afraid to get in there and attack the ball. Ava is certain she is destined to be a singer and actress- we will of course be covering this idea in many prayers.

My journey keeps changing, it did last year and it will this year. I will continue to share what is on my heart but I also want to share the moments in between...