It’s important that….

I feel it’s important that our kids with Down syndrome don’t miss history in the making.  Snuggled inside our warm home we watched the inauguration with the rest of the nation.  Before it began I printed out the oath of office and read it to the Jake and Sam.  April wasn’t at home, but more on that later.I was amazed by how focused Sam stayed.  I was able to have lots of dialogue with both Sam and Jake about the different buildings in DC, the traditions, the flags, people attending and songs being sung.Jake decided to watch perched on the kitchen island.  Here he is doing sign language to one of the songs.  He learned the sign language from a CD We Sign Patriotic Songs.

April made it home in time for President Obama’s speech.  She had been to Hoxworth Blood Donation Center to donate again.This is how she spends the rest of the day after a donation.  It really wipes her out. She watched the rest of the inauguration with us from this spot.  Later I took some pictures of her and her 2 new t-shirts.  She was given 2 shirts because she has almost reached 2 gallons.  They told her she had helped save 50 lives! I also took the boys to the Veteran’s Memorial Park for a photo shoot.  I needed pictures to upload onto the Special Olympics World Winter Games site.  They are collecting pictures from around the world and I didn’t want them to miss a picture from Blue Ash, Ohio.  There was a slight problem because with the wind chill was almost zero and the boys weren’t happy posing for me.  This was the best I could do.Notice the pained expression on Sam’s face.  Most of the pictures turned out like this.  That’s what happens when you have cranky, cold and uncooperative guys who don’t want to wear their gloves.

Today everyone goes back to school and work and I am doing the dance of joy because….  It’s important that I have some time alone.

It’ not to late to take a picture in your community of your child holding a picture of a mascot from the Winter Games.  Put Yourself in the Picture.