My kid may not look quite like your kid...

My kid may not look quite like your kid...

Where your kid has on baseball socks and cleats, my kid has on AFO braces and shoes wide enough to fit the braces.

Where your kid is running around kicking dust up in the field or running the bases, my kid has his walker.

While your kid looks adorable with their cute helmet decal, my kid is getting double takes when people notice features that appear “different.”

While your kid is waving and talking to you on the sidelines, my kid is turning to sign to me as I prepare to help him bat.

Those are some of the ways our kids differ, but let me tell you how our kids are the same. Our kids both want to go out there, play, and have fun.

Our kids both look to us as parents to make sure we are watching, that we are proud of them.

So my kid might not be quite like your kid and that’s okay.

So while you see my son not walking and you notice features that give clues to his diagnosis of Down syndrome, know that in many ways our kids are still the same. Both crave social interaction, the fun of playing, and the love and support of their families.

They are both out there having fun and both are more than likely more excited for the after game snack.

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My letter to Alex Gordon

Alex,

I wanted to share a few pictures with you that show why I'm writing to thank you. You see my three year old, Kaden, knows more about baseball and the Royals than many adults I know. He loves as he would put it "all of the Royals" but without a doubt, without any hesitation when asked who is his favorite player is his answer is always one player; you.

I'm not kidding when I say Gordo was one of his first words. In fact anything baseball for the longest time was called Gordo. I'm not exactly sure why he took such a liking to you. I joke it's because his first ever game at the K and you hit a grand slam when he was not even a year old. For what ever reason he adores you. He even has a little Gordo plush doll that he likes to take everywhere.
This past year has been the toughest year for our family. Our second son, Kaleb, was born 12 weeks early at 2lb 2oz. We also learned of his diagnosis of Down syndrome two days after his birth. He spent 99 days in the…

Let Go and Let God: A story of a monkey and a banana, a Casting Crowns song, and my own stubbornness

This post is about a monkey and a banana, a Casting Crowns song, and my stubbornness. Those may sound like completely random things but all play a part in my learning to “let go and let God.”
We all have flaws after all we are human. Two of my biggest flaws are my stubbornness and my need for control. I like to do things my way, after all I tend to think it’s the best way so why wouldn’t I want to do it my way? See, controlling and stubborn. So you can imagine when I have a certain plan for my life I don’t easily let it go. So it’s safe to assume I didn’t like or appreciate being thrown some curveballs this past August and September. They didn’t fit into my plan for my life. I found God trying to show me the same lesson I have yet to learn; once again he was showing me that I am not in control and once again I argued back. Which brings me to the first part of my story. This was not the first time God and I had words on the subject. This has been a long term lesson and one I have a h…

At Papa's Feet

Today the world lost a great man. Often times that statement is said whenever someone loses a loved one. Today is my turn to say it as today is the day I lost my grandpa or the man I named Papa. What makes someone a great man? I could talk about his experience in the military, the hardworking man he was on his farm, the husband of sixty-four years to my grandma, long time deacon of the church, or father to my mother and uncle. I won’t speak to those things. I know of them, some more than others, but my experience my relationship comes from that of a granddaughter speaking of her grandfather.
You have all heard the expression of “your happy place.” “Go to your happy place, visualize your happy place.” This is used in order to calm you, to bring you back from stress, anxiety, frustration, anger, or various other emotions. My “happy place” has always consisted on one place; my Nanny and Papa’s house. I believe there are many reasons for this. Perhaps it might be Nanny’s meals, especially…

Amanda Dickinson

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