A Little Change This Holiday...

Christmas is coming up in a couple weeks and I am soooo excited that we get to celebrate our first Christmas in our new home here in front of a fire place which I have always wanted. I was sitting here trying to plan out our menu, make sure I have gifts for everybody and figure out what I want to do for a table scape and then was halted in my tracks by the memory of a little girl who gained her angel wings a year ago yesterday and a conversation I had with my friend's mother the other day.

You see this little girl was diagnosed with Trisomy 18 when she was born and her mom was told she wouldn't live for very long.  Now finding out your child wouldn't live for a long period of time changes a person, and it did to this mom. As this incredible, adorable little girl continued to thrive in life for months, her mom became more responsible, stronger, more vocal on awareness of Trisomy and they were both inspiring people to see past the diagnosis. It is amazing to me the way one little beautiful girl could touch so many hearts and encourage so many people but she did. Seeing her life, reading her story and listening to her mom was joyful, loving and made me appreciate my children more. This little girl touched more people and made more of a difference in the lives of people in the nine months of her life than I have in the past 28 years of mine. I have thought of her many times over the past year, done research on Trisomy and even followed the story of another little awe-inspiring boy who had Trisomy 13 which I never would have done if it wasn't for this little girl. These little kids changed me, encouraged me and made me want to be better for my kids.

These are the adorable faces of Trisomy:

Last week, I was in Seal Beach watching the parade because my best friend's adorable children were walking in it so I couldn't miss it. Well while sitting with my friend's parents, we had the joyful experience of a woman rudely accusing us of taking her daughter's seat although we had been sitting there since an hour before the parade with no one around. Needless to say we definitely did not take her daughter's seat. This did however start a conversation with me and my friend's mom about today's society. With technology so readily available it is easier often times to text or email and never have a conversation with another human being. The ease and time assistance of this is nice but the lack of a connection makes me sad. People in general seem to feel entitled and selfish with a lack of compassion and kindness. It makes me sad for the world my kids are going to grow up in. I don't want this to be the case and feel like as a parent it is my job to set an example for my children. One in which every person matters and in which kindness and compassion are much more important than any other quality.

One of my proud parent moments was when my two year old son came into the kitchen, helped me with dinner (like pouring water into the pan before it is hot) and helped me do the dishes and didn't want a sticker or any other treat for it. He had simply wanted to spend time with his mom and help out. I love that he is kind and will give his sister a hug or kiss without me telling him to and that he loves to play with her and make her laugh. So I want to continue to encourage his tendencies to be kind and loving. As he grows and understands more I want to make the holidays all about giving. I would love to set up a page or something with ideas for random acts of kindness, sharing stories of these and encourage everybody to be kind for no other reason than it makes your heart feel good. Do it in the name of Sloane Elisabeth, the little girl I mentioned above, or Corbin McHenry the little boy with Trisomy 13 I also mentioned. Tell me all about it. I love acts of kindness and think that it should be shared so much more than it is. Make a donation to a charitable foundation such as Hope for Trisomy or Team Corbin Inc. If you want any more information for these organizations let me know. If you have an idea of a random act of kindness or want to help me set up a page or something along these lines let me know. Let's make a little change this holiday and return the world to a more compassionate, caring and kind place for all the future generations. I mean that is what the holiday season is really all about right.