Welcome to our first blog post

Wow, I did it!!! It took almost 6 years to start a blog, but I did it and I am very excited to have this blog set up and ready for posting! Not only will I (Helen) be posting on this blog, but I will also be asking my children and my husband to share on this blog as well.

Let me tell you a little about me. I am Helen, 44 years old (lol I forget I'm not 38 anymore) wife to Don and mom to Kiersten-19, Alexandria-17, Katrina-15, Ashley-13, Virginia- 11, Corrin- 9, Vanessa- 7, Anthony- 5 and Rachel- 2. I feel that my life is very rich with family and many wonderful friends. For most of the years as a mom I have been very blessed to be able to stay at home and raise our children, until recently, when I had that opportunity to apply for a position with the Arc of Spokane in a position I feel was just for me. I now work part time as the Parent to Parent Program Coordinator with the Arc and love it! Everyday I get to offer support to new parents with babies just diagnosed with disabilities or chronic health care needs, through the emotional support I give, connecting them with other parents, with a child a couple years older in a similar situation, trained in mentoring parents. I connect parents to resources in the community, provide workshops and support groups, sibshops to siblings of children with special needs. I also love working along side many other professionals in the community for the better of our families. When I am not working I love being with my husband & children in any activity we have on the schedule or just enjoying the simple pleasures in our lives at home.

So, what's the reason for this blog? Lots! To start with, my amazing life as mom to Anthony and 8 beautiful daughters. Yes, it's out of the norm that we have nine children and only 1 is a boy, this little boy happens to have Down syndrome. Since Anthony was born our lives, especially my life as a mom has been changed with a richness that is indescribable, with gifts that are unexpected from a child so young and the gift of real unconditional love.

Indescribable richness, unexpected gifts from a child and real unconditional love are just a few gifts that I only mention now, but in time will be sharing more. For now, think about what those areas mean to you? We all have gifts in those areas, the difference is that when you have a child with disabilities or a child with health care needs or a child with both, reality is life speeds forward and freezes all at the same time. Does that make sense?

We parents have to look at each moment we are blessed with, celebrating the simplest accomplishments in life, treasuring each moment as if it may be the last, embracing each human being as if you will never meet again. Kinda sounds like a cancer survivor, doesn't it? Hmm... close, very close. Life is short, life is precious, life should be simple & sweet, life should always be celebrated, life is a gift. Our lives, mine and my family's, are complete with richness and many other gifts. Through this blog we look forward to not only sharing the joys, celebrations, blessings and treasures of our lives as a large family, but will share the struggles, fears and worries, while showing that life with Down syndrome really does go on.