Christmas Cheer

I have just finished baking my second Christmas cake - it is one of Mum's recipes and just another way of honouring her memory this Christmas. The brats have had a great day painting plaster tree decorations and playing together while I blog! There have been a couple of articles on ds that have been playing on my mind. Negative ones. I'm not saying it's all a rosy picture here but I find those attitudes difficult to understand. People are all different and respond to situations their own way. I just don't get that having a particular disability like DS is seen as such a bad thing. I didn't happy dance when i got Hannah's diagnosis - but I did happy dance when i got her! I don't feel ashamed or awkward when I am out with her - mostly I feel proud. SO in the spirit of Christmas I am going to try not to dwell on such things too much. In our home and by and large in our community such as it is at the moment both brats are welcomed and loved. I wanted three kids, I got 2 - I consider myself blessed. Disability is in the top 3 for common experience of discrimination in NSW. I hate to think that when she is older Hannah will have to read such views and/or suffer such discriminations. What will she make of them? I pray that she will have the common sense and the self esteem to know better. I firmly believe that these attitudes are things that can be changed slowly but surely. I also believe that the best response is to live well, to contradict the wacky stateents and claims just by doing what we do. Loving and living together as a family. Understanding and acceptance of diversity has made definite 'progress' in our society. Maybe somewhere in the future along with all our smart technologies and great learning we will tap into the secrets of great happiness - LOVE - I think people like Hannah and Kit will be able to lead the way. So to all those scaredy cats out there - PEACE. I wish you well on your journey - out on the highways and the main roads - I'm sticking to the slow lane and the suburban roads but I hope we will meet up at the same point in the end.