Just a reminder that if you live in the Franklin (or Nashville or Middle Tennessee!) area and have special little ones, we'd love you to join us for a playgroup tomorrow!
For details you can email me at spencerchics{at}yahoo{dot}com!
World Down Syndrome Day!!
Today, 3/21/2010, is World Down Syndrome Day. Symbolizing the 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome which defines Down Syndrome.
3/21/06 I was about 6 weeks pregnant with an angel who had 3 copies of that 21st chromosome. And had no idea how my world was about to change.
3/21/07 Abigail Grace was 4 months old. I was lost in a sea of baby gear, a little touch of post partum depression, and trying to figure out what exactly Down Syndrome meant for my little girl.
3/21/08 My little Abby was 1. Still not crawling and barely sitting up. She'd just made it over a scary spell between nursing and bottle where she wasn't accepting liquid of any kind and was almost put on a feeding tube. But in my heart, a fierce love was growing.
3/21/09 Abby was crawling, interacting, and loving life and everyone around her. And I found my self knee deep once again... in adoption paperwork to bring home a little boy on the other side of the world who's mommy didn't want him because she didn't know he had a third copy of his 21st chromosome.
3/21/10 Abby and Micah are chasing each other up and down the hall giggling and playing as I type this. My heart is so full. Who would have known 4 years ago that the tiny baby in my belly would have started all of this...
To Micah: The son of my heart. You've taught us a new way to love. I can't imagine our family without you buddy. I love you.
To Abby: You are our sunshine. I never would have dreamed when you were born that you would make me SO proud. Every day you push my expectations. You amaze me. I love you.
3/21/06 I was about 6 weeks pregnant with an angel who had 3 copies of that 21st chromosome. And had no idea how my world was about to change.
3/21/07 Abigail Grace was 4 months old. I was lost in a sea of baby gear, a little touch of post partum depression, and trying to figure out what exactly Down Syndrome meant for my little girl.
3/21/08 My little Abby was 1. Still not crawling and barely sitting up. She'd just made it over a scary spell between nursing and bottle where she wasn't accepting liquid of any kind and was almost put on a feeding tube. But in my heart, a fierce love was growing.
3/21/09 Abby was crawling, interacting, and loving life and everyone around her. And I found my self knee deep once again... in adoption paperwork to bring home a little boy on the other side of the world who's mommy didn't want him because she didn't know he had a third copy of his 21st chromosome.
3/21/10 Abby and Micah are chasing each other up and down the hall giggling and playing as I type this. My heart is so full. Who would have known 4 years ago that the tiny baby in my belly would have started all of this...
To Micah: The son of my heart. You've taught us a new way to love. I can't imagine our family without you buddy. I love you.
To Abby: You are our sunshine. I never would have dreamed when you were born that you would make me SO proud. Every day you push my expectations. You amaze me. I love you.
My cousin's visit
My much loved cousin Ashley came to visit this past week. We were so close as kids but hardly get to see one another at all anymore. And it was incredible to meet her husband, Nate, for the first time and their new beautiful baby, Brooklyn.
And unlike yours truly, my mom actually uploads her pictures from her camera! Hm! What a concept... so I'm gonna share her pictures and sometime before 2011, I might upload and share my own! ;) (Also, we celebrated Ashley's {my cousin, not my daughter} birthday while she was here, hense the crazy birthday hats)
Enjoy!
And unlike yours truly, my mom actually uploads her pictures from her camera! Hm! What a concept... so I'm gonna share her pictures and sometime before 2011, I might upload and share my own! ;) (Also, we celebrated Ashley's {my cousin, not my daughter} birthday while she was here, hense the crazy birthday hats)
Enjoy!
One of the best feelings
Just when we felt like we were in for the long haul with Micah's speech... Just when we'd said, "Maybe sign language is the way to go because he's not even trying any more"... Just when I'd made peace with having a basically non-verbal son...
Micah said MOM!!!! He's said it a few times now and oh it couldn't melt me more.
Ok actually he says "Moe" but it sounds like Mom and he looks at me when he says it, so that's GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!!! I'll be Moe any day. The first time he said it, it really caught me off guard. I mean, I hear "Mom" in a very "hey you" tone all day, but I was sitting on the couch looking down at something (I don't even remember what now) and heard it. But this was different. It was in that deep grunt that only Micah does- so I looked up to be sure my ears weren't deceiving me. He was standing there looking right at me andsaid grunted it again... "MOE".
And actually, this makes a few words for Micah now. Besides the ever present "Ugg"... He's been saying "Abby" practically since he got home. Which I think is just adorable. And he's finally saying "Bye-Bye". And he started "No" a few weeks ago. (It sounds more like "NUUUHH" but its "no" I assure you because its accompanied by an exaggerated shake of the head and his body dropping to the floor.) And we're pretty sure he's calling Jake "Uggy".
Anyway, I'm thrilled. My little boy is calling me Mommy. Well, Moe... but whatever. I'M MOE. HIS Moe. Ok, I gotta go get a tissue....
Micah said MOM!!!! He's said it a few times now and oh it couldn't melt me more.
Ok actually he says "Moe" but it sounds like Mom and he looks at me when he says it, so that's GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!!! I'll be Moe any day. The first time he said it, it really caught me off guard. I mean, I hear "Mom" in a very "hey you" tone all day, but I was sitting on the couch looking down at something (I don't even remember what now) and heard it. But this was different. It was in that deep grunt that only Micah does- so I looked up to be sure my ears weren't deceiving me. He was standing there looking right at me and
And actually, this makes a few words for Micah now. Besides the ever present "Ugg"... He's been saying "Abby" practically since he got home. Which I think is just adorable. And he's finally saying "Bye-Bye". And he started "No" a few weeks ago. (It sounds more like "NUUUHH" but its "no" I assure you because its accompanied by an exaggerated shake of the head and his body dropping to the floor.) And we're pretty sure he's calling Jake "Uggy".
Anyway, I'm thrilled. My little boy is calling me Mommy. Well, Moe... but whatever. I'M MOE. HIS Moe. Ok, I gotta go get a tissue....
Chaos
Soapbox time.
It has become an almost constant, undeniable certainty: where ever the Spencer clan goes, chaos ensues. Its inevitable. Not that my kids are "bad"... any one of them on their own would look and act no different than an only child. But altogether... it appears as chaos. (Sometimes I would even go so far as to say we frighten people.) But does this chaos bother me? No. I'm used to it. And hey, they're my kids, I even think its cute. So long as its friendly chaos. :)
Someone said to me not long ago when I mentioned that I was tired (and I don't think she said this with any ill intentions) to hang in there, that God is not a God of confusion but of peace and order. And something about it really got to me. Is it wrong? Is the insanity of all of my little children running around... not right? Doesn't it please Him to hear all their little voices? (Even if they are all talking at the same time assuming that the other ones are listening?) Doesn't He get a kick out of their antics and laughter? Their wrestling and rolling around?
Admittedly, they aren't perfect. Abby is 3. And acts it. Emily is 4. And works it. Micah... is Micah. I mean, I had to say to Nikki upon leaving her house after the super bowl, "I'm SO sorry my son threw a rocking chair down your stairs." Talk about swallowing your pride... But Micah didn't launch that thing down the steps because he's got a bunch of siblings... he launched it because it was in the way and he wanted to go downstairs!
I can't help but believe that the Father looks on our family in love... He loves these kids far more than I do. Each of them. Rather they were the only child or one of 19! I think He gets a kick out of our chaos. Its not the rhythm of every family for sure. But its our rhythm. Our children know that they are loved. They take security in that.
Each of our kids is a gift. FROM the Father. He gave them to Jake and I to raise and He is the one who gives us the strength and wisdom to raise them. There might be chaos in our rooms, but there's peace in our hearts. And isn't that whats important?
It has become an almost constant, undeniable certainty: where ever the Spencer clan goes, chaos ensues. Its inevitable. Not that my kids are "bad"... any one of them on their own would look and act no different than an only child. But altogether... it appears as chaos. (Sometimes I would even go so far as to say we frighten people.) But does this chaos bother me? No. I'm used to it. And hey, they're my kids, I even think its cute. So long as its friendly chaos. :)
Someone said to me not long ago when I mentioned that I was tired (and I don't think she said this with any ill intentions) to hang in there, that God is not a God of confusion but of peace and order. And something about it really got to me. Is it wrong? Is the insanity of all of my little children running around... not right? Doesn't it please Him to hear all their little voices? (Even if they are all talking at the same time assuming that the other ones are listening?) Doesn't He get a kick out of their antics and laughter? Their wrestling and rolling around?
Admittedly, they aren't perfect. Abby is 3. And acts it. Emily is 4. And works it. Micah... is Micah. I mean, I had to say to Nikki upon leaving her house after the super bowl, "I'm SO sorry my son threw a rocking chair down your stairs." Talk about swallowing your pride... But Micah didn't launch that thing down the steps because he's got a bunch of siblings... he launched it because it was in the way and he wanted to go downstairs!
I can't help but believe that the Father looks on our family in love... He loves these kids far more than I do. Each of them. Rather they were the only child or one of 19! I think He gets a kick out of our chaos. Its not the rhythm of every family for sure. But its our rhythm. Our children know that they are loved. They take security in that.
Each of our kids is a gift. FROM the Father. He gave them to Jake and I to raise and He is the one who gives us the strength and wisdom to raise them. There might be chaos in our rooms, but there's peace in our hearts. And isn't that whats important?
Playdate
I just wanted to spread the word about something I'm getting going at our church.
Saturday, March 27 at 10am will be the first (hopefully of many!) Grace Chapel playgroup for little ones with special needs!
The "After the Rainbow" group and other DS groups that I've been a part of have been completely invaluable to me. I seriously don't know what I would do without them. These people have been a wealth of information, encouragement exactly when I needed it and a sounding board when I feel like I can't even keep my head above water. I've made lifelong friends in these groups and they are priceless treasures.
But I keep thinking time and again... I'd love to connect this way with people in my own church. And there's no sense waiting for something to happen when you could start it yourself. :) So my hope is that parents of special kids in our church would be able to connect and find support in their own body of believers. I know so many parents in our church but continue to find that they don't know one another! Hopefully we can come together, build some friendships, have some coffee all while our little ones play and get to know one another as well.
My short term goals: Have this one play date and see how it goes. I want to discuss with other parents- what are some ways we can better connect with one another (ex. this playgroup, when where and how often; or other ideas), I'd like to see us be a resource for one another (knowledge of doctors, therapists, books, etc.), a prayer support for one another, and lastly- to address how our church can better facilitate our special kids on Sundays... as well as our special little visitors!
Long term goals: I'd love to see this eventually reach out into our community as well. Who knows who all we could bless AND what all the Lord could do with our amazing kids!
Lofty goals? Maybe. But why not dream big? I could go back to just having my little internet/phone/email circles but there are amazing little cuties walking through the doors of my church every week and I know their parents must long to reach out for support the way I do.
Saturday, March 27 at 10am will be the first (hopefully of many!) Grace Chapel playgroup for little ones with special needs!
The "After the Rainbow" group and other DS groups that I've been a part of have been completely invaluable to me. I seriously don't know what I would do without them. These people have been a wealth of information, encouragement exactly when I needed it and a sounding board when I feel like I can't even keep my head above water. I've made lifelong friends in these groups and they are priceless treasures.
But I keep thinking time and again... I'd love to connect this way with people in my own church. And there's no sense waiting for something to happen when you could start it yourself. :) So my hope is that parents of special kids in our church would be able to connect and find support in their own body of believers. I know so many parents in our church but continue to find that they don't know one another! Hopefully we can come together, build some friendships, have some coffee all while our little ones play and get to know one another as well.
My short term goals: Have this one play date and see how it goes. I want to discuss with other parents- what are some ways we can better connect with one another (ex. this playgroup, when where and how often; or other ideas), I'd like to see us be a resource for one another (knowledge of doctors, therapists, books, etc.), a prayer support for one another, and lastly- to address how our church can better facilitate our special kids on Sundays... as well as our special little visitors!
Long term goals: I'd love to see this eventually reach out into our community as well. Who knows who all we could bless AND what all the Lord could do with our amazing kids!
Lofty goals? Maybe. But why not dream big? I could go back to just having my little internet/phone/email circles but there are amazing little cuties walking through the doors of my church every week and I know their parents must long to reach out for support the way I do.
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