Being Up With Down Syndrome

What do you do when you are faced with a crisis?  Do you keep plugging along hoping it will get better?  Do you ask for help?  Do you PRAY?  Do you stay cheerful or do you fall apart in grief? I have had a lot of time to think about this lately.  I watched my own parents push through when in a crisis.  Each holding on to their rosary and praying things would get better.  It was a good example for me.   I started working harder.  In every way.  Cleaning and organizing.  Teaching more life lessons on patience and kindness.  Praying as a family.  Trying to wake up in the morning and just be grateful some prayer time, a cup of coffee and some "good mornings" from BJ and the kids.  I start every morning now trying to figure out what new thing to make for dinner.  What kind of goodie I should make today.  Trying to use, just what we have.   Mostly I try to read more positive things.  Right now I am readi...

When I was a kid, my faith was formed by my parents.  Every single Sunday was a celebration.  Wake up to fresh donuts my Dad brought home the night before.  The variety was spectacular.  Never was there a bad choice!  We would all get ready for Sunday Mass then.  The Mass was beautiful, in a beautiful Catholic Church.   I remember sitting beside my Dad.  Staring at Monsignor Garland.  I didn't always understand what he was talking about at such a young age, but I really really liked him.  He was my friend.  He was my families friend.  Not in the way you may think.  He didn't come over for dinner or hang out having a beer (in Monsignors case, a nice glass of whiskey) on the front porch with Dad.  He was just there at St. Phillips, always.  My Dad did the security for the Church and School and especially the graveyard!  The graveyard was sometimes occupied after dark by teenagers sneaking beers.   So afte...