Monday, October 01, 2007

31 for 21

Today is the first day of Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I have been learning more about this syndrome as I now frequent Michelle's site (http://mdbeau.blogspot.com/) about her daughter Kayla. She has received a challenge to "31 for 21", upon which she put out for everyone else. This means to post every day in October (31 days) to raise awareness for Down syndrome, 21 referring to the 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome have. You don't necessarily have to write about Down syndrome in each post, but to explain that is why you are kicking it off would be nice!

As I sit this first hour writing, I am smiling to myself at how much has changed in the past two years since Brady was born. Not regarding the Williams diagnosis, or just having another child in the house, but just the friendships that have been created and brought together because of our children. When Michael was just a toddler, I created friendships with women whom I am still close with to this day -- even though our children may not be close anymore, we still share a bond.

With Brady, my ties with people across the country through the internet are just as close. Why, just this day alone, at 1 p.m. in the afternoon, I have already mentioned Erik, Clare and Lisa (LOL). I speak of them and others as if they were just at my house yesterday. How can this be??? Well, Clare could have been :) but Avery is in Indiana, Erik in Oregon, Daven in New Mexico, Tatum in Maryland... and the list keeps growing.

I found Michelle's site through another blog and now I follow along Kayla's journey, as I do with all of the other WS mommies out there. It is helpful and refreshing to have the support and education from everyone... thank you all.

2 comments:

Nancy said...

I hate those many miles between us (Could you LIVE any farther away?) BUT I adore you and your family. No matter what, we will be friends. I will never be thankful for WS, but I am so grateful it has made my life richer, anyway. It has opened up so many doors for us.

Michelle said...

Thanks for participating! I know what you mean about the friendships made online; I live in a smallish town and don't know anyone else with a child w/Ds (at least not close to Kayla's age) so I get my support from the internet! (BTW, I'm also in NM) :)

I didn't know much about any syndromes before Kayla was born, since then I have at least heard of Patau, Edward, and Williams syndromes among others, but still don't know a whole lot about all of them.

Is WS also affected by a chromosome?