A set of symptoms occurring together; the sum of any morbid state;
Any combination of signs and symptoms that are indicative of a particular disease or disorder.
The association of several clinically recognizable features.
A group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition.
A set of concurrent things as emotions or actions that usually form an identifiable pattern.

There are many syndromes…I ran across an abstinence syndrome…I even fund what is called organic brain syndrome

Down syndrome was given its name in order to recognize Dr. Langdon Down, who is credited in its discovery.

It seems that sooooo much has happened since this time last year.  Life is wonderful!  Thank you for visiting DownsDaily!

Last year this time I was pregnant and my doctor had ordered me to bedrest.  The only ‘privilege’ that came along with this bedrest was that I could use the bathroom.

So no blog posting was allowed.
I have been soooo busy!!
But I did miss this platform and communicating with everyone!!!

I am very excited about sharing with you again.

Our family has grown. I have grown.  I will share it with you and I look forward to hearing from you as well!

Here’s To 2012!

Daviette

When my mom died I was more than eight months pregnant.  I could not imagine how life was supposed to go on.  I remember someone saying to me, “Life will go on.  It’s just up to you to participate”.

I guess that person was right.

Life is going on

And I choose to participate.

Exactly
WHAT does a person MEAN when they say,”I am trying to get my life together.”?  I guess it depends upon the person.

Sometimes it seems that they are referring to acquiring possessions.  People seem to judge you by your material possessions.  They classify you as a person who has their “life together” if you have the right home, car, etc.

That statement has never made sense to me.

So today I ask myself…what do I value?  what things constitute having ‘my life together’…what’s my point of view?

I believe that I am more concerned with living the life that God wants.  I believe that it is important for me to raise my children so that they know God.  I believe that it is important for me to obey God’s commandments.

I believe that it is important to treat people that way that i would like to be treated.

A big part of that lifestyle includes forgiveness.

I watched a documentary last night where famous people discussed God and the movie “The Passion of the Christ”.  The one theme that they all ha in common was forgiveness.

Forgiveness does not mean forgetting.  In order to properly forgive, you MUST remember….so that history does not repeat itself.

You must walk in your aggressors shoes.  You must also forgive yourself.

graduates

We are so proud today!!!

Isaac graduated from his full day kindergarten class today.  He officially moves forward as a member of the class of 2023!

We are so happy.  Many of us shed tears of joy.

The ceremony was great.  The children sang songs.  They also walked on stage and received certificates.  They also shared with us their hopes for what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Isaac said that he wants to be a doctor….

Let’s get it!!!!!

Right now I spend my days in part preparing for the summer.  Even though we are officially on break from school, its is usually a time of relaxed learning in our home.

One of the most important things that we do is to simply enjoy our time together.  We try to communicate and to talk and to share.

I also plan activities that allow us to build our strengths.

I also throw in some review work from the school year.

It’s important to me to keep specific goals in mind…after all,summer vacation doesn’t last forever.

Have a wonderful evening…

Parent adn new baby

Motherhood is such a wonderful and sometimes exhausting gift!~

We just finished the last official season of the Oprah Winfrey show.  it’s id the official end of an era.  orpah has inspired many.  Her final show inspired me.  She spoke of gifts and of platforms.  She spoke of human obligations.  She sopke of blessings.  She might have used some slightly different words than I am choosing.  I am speaking of my own interpretations of her words.

From what i have learned, we all have gifts …or talents that are given to us by God above.   We are also given callings…what I think of as ‘hearts desires’.

I feel extremely blesses to be in a position to follow my calling.  I feel sooo fortunate to have a platform. My platform includes my children and family and friends.  My family also includes those who am a blessed to help with my knowledge…My platform includes this blog.  I hope that I can give help and hope and inspiration.

Tomorrow Isaac graduates from kindergarden!!!

Talk to you then..

goodbye 2010

It has certainly been a great year….a great decade.

We are thankful for our family and our friends. We are thankful for the wonderful strides we have taken in life.

We have learned many life lessons and hopefully gained a bit of wisdom in the process.

Thank you so much for sharing our lives…

Daviette

family christmas 2010

Christmas…what a wonderful holiday season!  This year we have definitely enjoyed our family time.

It’s the season to remember all that we have been given with the birth of Jesus.  Most folks honor that giving by more giving.  It is beautiful to behold.

Our family had been given an extra gift this season….you see, we are expecting another baby!

And we are thankful!

DAviette with boys

I recently had someone say to me, ” If you are too beautiful, people will hate you.”

This statement was made when referring to a picture that I had posted online.  These words have been nagging at me for a little while now.  You see, I am guilty of spending much of my life shrinking so as to avoid the ‘hatred’ of others.  My mother would say to me,”  God made you and He made you beautiful.  If someone has a problem with that, then you tell them to just take it up with HIM!”

It took me a while to put on that armor and to use it.  I am not about to stop now.  I have NO intentions of shrinking in order to avoid jealousy or envy.  The truth as I have learned it is that you can’t really please everyone anyway.

I am who I am.  Now I’ll be honest and say that these last few years with numerous pregnancies have taken my appearance on a bit of a roller coaster ride.  But I am still the same.  And soon after I am done with baby-making, I am sure that my body will also jump off of the roller coaster.

The following poem written by7 Marianne Williamson reminds me to go ahead and shine..

Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small
Does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking
So that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,
As children do.
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us;
It’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we’re liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

The thing that I believe is particularly cruel right now is this…I get the impression hat Mama is trapped inside her own body and that she cannot communicate or express herself fully.  Let me give you an example of what I am trying to explain.  a Several years ago, when Mama first showed obvious signs of dementia, she would repeat herself over and over again.  We could talk for hours and hours and she would never tire of telling me that same stories over and over.  She would sort of get stuck…almost in an obsessive-compulsive type loop.  There also came a time when she would struggle to put together the words to tell me these stories….Because I had already heard the lessons, I could fill in most of the blanks for her, or say something that would jog or prompt a memory for her so that she could get back to teaching me again.

Well, right now it seems to be harder and harder for her to make body produce the right words.  She talks to me with her eyes and with a certain touch.  Sometimes ONE single word is packed full of meaning.

While I was down south, one of my family members questioned me and my motives for building this blog.  She questioned my aspirations for focusing my career upon helping children with Down syndrome to learn.  She accused me of being selfish for not using my degrees in engineering to work for someone Else’s corporation right now.

I have to say that I was a bit surprised by the accusations.  But I also have to say that they were also a blessing to me.

Here’s why..

I have made a shift in my life and in my way of thinking.  I have experienced some things that leave me with NO DOUBT about whose approval I am seeking….about whose path I am following…about who I seek to glorify and to honor.

I want to please God.

I believe that he gives me the desires of my heart.  One of my desires happens to be learning and helping others to learn.  He also gives me the talents to use to honor him.

I hope to make massive progress with taking away the fear and ignorance surrounding Down syndrome.  It is a shame that this fear and ignorance had lead to the slaughtering of at least 95% of people with Downs syndrome even before they are born.

I hope to help transform that fear and ignorance into acceptance and victory.

Many of the differences regarding folks with Down syndrome are displayed in their brains.  I am hopeful that unlocking these mysteries will also unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer’s.

So I will count my family visits as a blessings…wonderful blessings.

I hope that you will do the same.

DAvietteandDanielle