The Softer Touch of a Sister

Juli loves to spend time with her brother just cuddling with him or dancing to music with him. On this day, John and Juli were enjoying moving to the music. We introduced each of our children to music early in their lives. Music, like laughter is a common language that we all share. So before they could speak, music was used to communicate love and expression. The change in rhythm, tone and speed seem to challenge their little minds. When music is either played or sung for John, he focuses intently on your mouth as you mouth the words. As he has gotten older, he is beginning to pucker his mouth and give sustaining coos as if he is trying to sing along.

The Love of a Brother

John becomes more a part of us with each passing day. It is becoming more and more difficult to remember what life was like without him. He has definitely won our hearts.

The other day, my two oldest boys and I were having a conversation about their futures and their interests. Both of them are high achievers, have always done well in school and have BIG dreams which I have always told them that they have the potential to do whatever the Lord has for them to do. But that is not the story. The story is that both of these young men love their brother John. They are aware of his diagnosis (heck, George has researched Ds and probably knows more about it then I do). They also realize how blessed John is to be as healthy as he is right now but they also understand his potential may not be as great.

John's future was brought up to which both of my boys stated that they would be willing to take care of John if he were not able. Now I realize that we are looking far into the future but it just made me glad that my boys were gaining a sensitivity in that direction. It is this kind of sensitivity that John has brought to our family within the last 3 months.

Above are a few picture of our conversation. As you may can tell by our stories and pictures, John goes everywhere we go.

New Pictures and Other Ramblings

I realize it has been a while since I have posted pictures of John. So here are a few taken the months of October and November of John at play with us. With this crew, the poor boy doesn't get any rest. Last weekend he went down with my wife and daughter for the annual crop till you drop weekend for the Hill ladies. Joy said that he had so much stimulation that he didn't sleep at all Saturday. As you can see in the pictures, John is very alert and just like his siblings, he doesn't want to miss out on anything or anyone talking with him. Maybe that's why John sleeps so well in the mornings for me. His siblings have him going from the time they come home from school til the time they go to bed.

John is doing well and we see changes in him daily. I was glad to have them all back on Sunday but enjoyed the weekend with my boys. But we are entering a new stage of life in this family. A stage where new found independence calls my oldest boy (age 13) away from the nest more and more. Either he has something to do with friends at school, a basketball game, etc. Last weekend while we had our weekend together, one of my boys had a soccer tournament while the oldest one took part in a nearby Veterans Day celebration at our Veterans Wall (he thought of you John). I don't mind that he is so active. All I've got to say is he will be able to drive in 3 years - we are all looking forward to that change.

I think last weekend was also good because it gave my side of the family time to interact with John. Often times, through no fault of our own, we have preconceived ideas about children with Down syndrome. And often times those preconceived ideas are not as accurate as we are led to believe, so I am glad to share John with people every chance I get.