It's Prom Night for Gabe!

One of our goals for Gabe this school year was for him to attend the prom with his classmates.  As a junior, this was his first opportunity to dress up and boogie his heart out on the dance floor.  His teacher was on board so all it took was a bit of coaching (including the reminder that girls are not impressed when he calls them "Chica") combined with some serious tailoring at the tuxedo shop ("Sir, he has some very interesting proportions!") and Gabe was all ready for his big night. We dropped him off out in front of the dance where he was met by a classmate and his teacher.  After reluctantly allowing us to photograph his magnificence, he strutted into the building ready to wow his adoring public.  In the picture above, Jay thinks he is contemplating which dance move he should use to start the night; I think he may be considering how many girls will be mesmerized by his Venezuelan mojo.  Either way, we are confident the Fort Defiance High School Prom will never be quite the same!

Courage & Sunshine

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement

that something else is more important than fear.

~Ambrose Redmoon

I was blessed once again have the opportunity to photograph an incredible family for the second time. You may remember our trip to the park last summer and that awesome picture of their little man flying up into the air! For this session, Amanda chose the JMU Arboretum in Harrisonburg. Always a great choice :-) The kids have grown since I saw them last year and were just as cute as ever. We had fun tromping around and following Payten as she found the best photo spots. She even took a turn behind the camera (scroll down to the last photo of her mom & dad together to see her work)! The ever energetic Bryce had fun flirting with my beautiful assistant and little Addy loved the bubbles I brought along.

I chose courage and sunshine as the heading of this post because I am reminded what real courage is each and every time I am with this family. Little Addison struggles to live with Gaucher Disease. It is a very rare condition which in her case cause a number life-threatening issues. Addy and her family face this daunting challenge with a grace and optimism that inspires me. It is obvious that her parents enjoy each in every minute they spend with Addison and her siblings. I am sure that some days must seem overwhelming, but they continue to fight to make each day happy and full of sunshine for her. There are so many unknowns with Gaucher Disease and the search for a cure continues. I saw this quote today and thought of this family. Thanks Amanda & Brett for reminding me of what true courage is...and for allowing me to share a few hours with your wonderful kids. I hope you enjoy your sneak peek...

This is the picture that Payten took!

Bikes sure are tricky things...| Synergy Photography

As every little boy knows, bikes are tricky. They never seem to do what you want them to and they can get away from you in the blink of an eye! My youngest son had fun this weekend trying to master his bike (many thanks to cousin Connor to passing it on to him). Now for most 4 yr olds, riding a bike is a rite of passage. Once they overcome their fear, it is not too difficult to begin pedaling and moving along on their own. After a short time, they don't even have to think about balancing & pedaling becomes second nature. If they are like my other boys), they quickly move on to figuring out how to do all manner of cool tricks.

But for Chedner, riding a bike is a whole different type of adventure. You see, Chedner's has Caudal Regression Syndrome and his spinal cord ends at his sacrum. Along with many other medical issues, this means that Ched does not have the same nerves that control sensation and movement to his legs as we do. It is difficult for him to feel where his feet are and he had to work hard to learn to walk, run & climb. Chedner often doesn't feel when he cuts his legs or feet...in fact, he took a chunk out of his leg while riding this day & we didn't know until I discovered the cut later. That diminished sensation makes it challenging to pedal a tricycle or a bike. He understands the movement, but his feet often slip off the pedals. He can't feel the resistance on the pedal and therefore doesn't understand to increase the pressure by pushing harder with his legs to make the pedal continue moving. Ched has never figured out how to ride a tricycle though his wonderful PT at school is working hard on this. We have a trike here, but with his big brothers riding bikes, Chedner has apparently decided to skip that stage and move on to the big boy ride!

So, with great enthusiasm he was off...
He lost the bike several times, but was determined to get it to the top of his hill by himself..."I do I self, MOM!"

But alas, bikes are tricky things...and gravity had a mind of its own...

Finally, he caught up with it and repeated this same sequence a number of times. I have to applaud him, he continued to try to get it up the hill with only a few kicks at and admonishments for the bike... "cmon, bike!", "You doe up dis hill!", "You be good lisner!"
Finally, Jay decided to try a new strategy and convinced Ched to take it on the road. Because of the cars nearby and his brothers zooming around him, Chedner was willing to accept assistance from his big, strong Daddy. Yes, my sons are nothing if not chauvinists at heart.

I have no doubt that while bikes can be tricky things, my "never say quit" son will soon be chasing his brothers down the road, over the jumps and wherever else they might lead him.

**This post is dedicated to Michelle in Ireland. We miss you and are excited to see you when this semester is over!**

World Down Syndrome Day

My face maybe different

But my feelings the same

I laugh and I cry

And I take pride in my gains

I was sent here among you

To teach you love

As God in the heavens

Looks down from above

To Him I'm no different

His loves knows no bounds

It's cities and towns

That judge me by standards

That man has imparted

But this family I've chosen

Will help me get started

For I'm one of the special children

So special and few

That came here to learn

The same lessons as you

That love is acceptance

It must come from the heart

We all have the same purpose

Though not all the same start

The Lord gave me life

To live and embrace

And I'll do it as you

But at my own pace.

~author unknown

Parenting children is a tough job and some weeks are tougher than others. Our son, Gabe, entered high school this year and he is still trying to figure out this brave new world. It is never easy to make big changes and when you are someone who depends on routines to feel safe, big changes are just plain scary. New turf + new kids + new teachers + new rules = stress! Although we have worked to help Gabe with this transition and have high expectations of him & for him, this year has proven more difficult than we would have imagined. But what he has taught me this year is this: Gabe will always look for the fun, Gabe will always embrace his peers (sometimes quite literally if they happen to be female & cute), and Gabe will always, always challenge authority. What I learned most was that having Down Syndrome doesn't make you less of a teenager...it puts you right in the middle of the pack :-) So, today on World Down Syndrome Day I salute Gabriel...and all the others with that extra sprinkle of chromosomes! Thank you for making our world so bright & shiny! Now, let's go break out some ketchup sandwiches and root beer!

If you have ever considered adopting a child with Down Syndrome, please check out this website: Reece's Rainbow - they help find families for children with Down Syndrome from all over the world.