DSAM

How cool is it that in my life, I have TWO reasons for the acronym DSAM?

First of all, it's Down Syndrome Awareness Month. A little over 15 years ago Angela was born, and with her came the learning of a whole new language, the meeting of some of the most amazing people on this earth, and a realization that I was forever changed.

Then  a little over a year ago, Dean and I decided that one was not enough. We needed more greatness in our lives, so we added Axel. If you've been reading here for any length of time, you know that Axel just added more "interesting" to our lives. First, he allowed us to make friends...who I've actually met...on the other side of the word. These were not just casual meetings of people we will never see again. Instead these are life-long connections that will bring us back to Serbia again and again. And since Angela's list of medical providers was starting to run low, we got to add a whole new set of medical specialists! Also, because of our adoption, we've met more people here in the U.S. who we would not have otherwise met. We've gotten to watch as amazing stories of love and determination unfold and witness true miracles!

The other meaning of the acronym DSAM is the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota. Years ago, when Angela was just a baby, I sat on the board of the DSAM. The organization has grown exponentially since then. I was there for the planning of the very first buddy walk, which I think had somewhere around 1200 people. Last weekend the Step Up for Down Syndrome walk, the DSAM estimated 7,000 people in attendance, making it one of the biggest walks in the nation! The DSAM has some pretty great programs in place to assist families who have a loved one with DS, from brand new parents, to grandparents, self advocate programs for individuals with DS themselves, plus many opportunities throughout the year to get together and celebrate the reason we know each other.

So, with this special month before us, I'm going to try to blog more! I'm NOT going to attempt the 31 for 21 challenge this year. Last year I failed miserably and this year, even without being in the middle of an adoption, we're even more busy. And now, off to load pictures from homecoming to my blog!