Leave the light on

The days are pouring out like water from a pitcher, passing through my hands so beautifully and so quickly.  There are little boys pulling open drawers in the kitchen, asking for toast and milk and apples picked from the orchard, and I want to be with them. 

I’ve spent so much time trying to get to this place of ordinary life:  now, I want to soak up as much of it as I can.  I’ve decided to take a blogging break, which seems scary and like exactly the right thing, all at once.  You’ve been my first readers and my best readers, my teachers and my cheerleaders, you are that support van I wrote about wishing for, always right on time.  How will I manage without you?

I’m going to leave up the archives and the blogroll, for anyone who happens to pass by and wonder about this time in our lives.   There’s so much here that is good: because of the comments, because of the community. 

I’m leaving the light on. 

xo

It’s here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I have not 1, but 2 copies to share!  If you’re interested, leave your name in the comments and I’ll have Avery choose the winners at the end of the week.

Happy reading!

UPDATED TO ADD:  Oh, how I wish I had copies for everyone! But I only have 2, and the lucky winners are Krista and Terri.  Email me at jennifergrafgroneberg at yahoo dot com with your addresses, and I’ll ship them right out. 

And if you’d like another chance to win, go to The Tao of Tulips before Sept. 30.  Good luck!

Things we love

The days are getting shorter and the air, especially at night, has a new chill to it, which is a long way of saying,  it feels like fall!

Things we’re loving at our house right now: French toast with real maple syryp, Richard Scarry books, Goosie cards, BOB books, garden tomatoes, the reprintable resources from DSFOC,  Melissa and Doug’s play food set, this pretend clock, this zucchini bread, and fresh eggs from this chicken (now all grown up!).

What do you love, at your house?

An oldie, but a goodie

Today I’m over here, with a short essay I wrote a few years ago. It feels as true today as it did then, perhaps even more-so after Avery’s surgery. I hope it rings true for you, too.

Thanks, Louise!

One of the tricky questions about Down syndrome

And by that I mean:  supplements.

Recently a new mom to a baby with DS wrote me and was wondering if the thoughts I shared in my book about supplements, such as Nutrivene-D and others, were the same.  

A lot of things have happened since I first was thinking about the subject of supplements, when Avery was just a baby.  Some things had me leaning toward trying it; others had me shying away from the idea.  

An amazing thing happened

 

 

 

 

 

 

The kids and I just got back from a camping trip in Glacier National Park.  It was full of all the usual things:  campfires and scary stories and mosquitoes and starry skies and hiking, lots of hiking. 

Which to me, felt like a small miracle. 

Circles

Avery loves to draw circles.  Sometimes, we call them “O”s, sometimes it’s “zeros” but really, they’re all circles, and he’s very good at making them.  When he works, his face tightens with concentration as his little fingers grip the pencil.  His tongue peeks out, a wisp of golden hair falls in his eyes. 

Spinning

Lately, Bennett has been giving Tom and me little performances in the evening, usually a combination of dancing and karate moves.  He twirls and then chops the air with the heel of his hand, or bends over and kicks his back leg up into a handstand.  By this time, Avery has joined him and they jump and spin all around until they become dizzy and fall down.  I always worry they’ll bump into each other, accidentally konking heads, or that a stray kick will land in someone’s eye. Especially, I worry about Avery.

How did this happen?

This is the longest interval between posts here at Pinwheels since I began scribbling down my notes and thoughts more than 2 years ago.  I want to say I don’t know how this could have happened, but really, I already know the answer.

Still more good things!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good things

Here are a few good things I’d love to share, that have come across my desk (does anyone even have a desk any more?  I don’t know why I typed that.  I don’t have a desk…I have a basket on top of my microwave, which holds all my important papers, and my computer.  I suppose I should have typed “desktop”!).

And now we are 6

This is what six-years-old looks like at our house. And if you’re wondering why there are 12 candles on the cake? 

Down Syndrome New Mama

Here’s a new blog I just learned about that includes discussion about lots of topics of interest to parents of babies with DS, such as supplements, developmental toys, NICU stays, and best of all:  pictures of adorable babies! 

And if you know of any new blogs you’d like to share, leave the addresses in the comments and I’ll be sure to check them out, too.

It’s like a Whitman’s chocolate sampler

On Mother’s Day, Tom and the kids brought me flowers and a box filled with assorted chocolates: dark raspberry truffles and milk chocolate with peanut butter and cappuccino truffles and milk chocolate pralines.  These sampler boxes are just perfect when you want a little taste of, well everything!

Which is exactly how I feel about literary anthologies–of course, minus the calories.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here’s a beautiful new slideshow from Kurt Wilson of The Missoulian.  This is a post-surgery Avery, but you can see how busy, and active, and happy his recovery has been. 

And this is the link to the accompanying article by Vince Devlin, also of The Missoulian, who was with us the same day the photos were taken.

A beautiful gift of love and time…

is here.  It’s from CJ, one of my very early inspirations when I was thinking about beginning a blog.  And now, she’s inspiring me all over again, with her wonderful and creative way of reaching out across our nation and the world to spread Down syndrome awareness.

What am I talking about?

Meet Pip,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggs X3

Because of my newly-rediscovered love of spring, because of the extra-low prices on cartons of eggs, because of the goodness of my 3 boys, who just wanted to dye eggs this Easter, well all of these things are to blame for my most recent predicament.

I’m drowning in hard boiled eggs.

Hello, my blog!

It’s very quiet around here, lately, and for that I’m so grateful.  We had another appointment with the cardiologist last Friday, and at that visit, Avery’s heart looked so good that we’ve been released from the weekly checks.  In fact, we don’t have to go back for 6 months!

I love playing hide-and-seek with all the boys,

but I especially love playing it with Avery. 

Believing in Achieving Conference

My weekend involved, in no particular order: 4 plane flights, a blizzard, an unexpected 2 hour detour on a Glacier Charters bus, a wonky computer, a plastic baby doll in my suitcase as it went through the airport security X-ray, a few tears, some excellent questions, and laughter–lots and lots of laughter.

I love this!

Thank you, Connie!

The tale is told in the unpacking

I’ve been slowly removing items from the back of the car, things I’d thought we might need on our trip to Seattle, and with each box or bag, I’m realizing the car was packed by a crazy woman.

We’re home!

Isn’t that amazing?  That such a big thing could be accomplished in such a relatively short time? Avery is sitting on the couch watching Sponge Bob and bossing everyone around (very imperial) and I can’t find words big enough for how good it feels. 

The surgery was a success

and Avery has been moved from the CICU to the regular hospital floor.  I can’t thank you enough for the love and concern, it helped me so much, especially through the long afternoon of surgery yesterday, and the longer night in CICU.