Just another day in paradise...or the bathtub

From day one our house has been crazy, busy, lots of work, and also lots of fun. So many days I envy the calm and quiet households of my friends who have perfect children. Their children listen so well, rarely make messes, and always stand so nicely next to their moms as they talk to me. I on the other hand frequently have a messy house when someone comes to our door, kids racing around us as I am trying to talk, the constant hum of the words "mom, mom, mom, mom" in my ear, and we can usually guarantee that one will start fighting with the other whenever people are watching.

We haven't been able to figure out if it is the close spacing of the kids (3 kids in 4 years), the high energy levels they were just born with, having a daughter with Down syndrome who requires just a little more, great payback from our youth, or quite simply our parenting. Yes, I admit it, there are some days that I am jealous of those wonderfully normal perfect people and wonder "why us?" But then we sit back, readjust our perspective,  put on our "footprint" glasses and say "thank you" for letting it be us!

At our house today we are thankful for wild boys, we are thankful for the angel with Down syndrome (by the way you won't see her in picture #2 because she is majorly into tattling and although she helped create this mess, she came to tell me that the boys made a mess and she had nothing to do with it), we are thankful for messy bathrooms, and I am personally thankful that we can all look back and laugh at the fun they were having and the memories they make each and every day!

Sharing the power of the Footprint,


Katia

Jacob Lemke is our new employee!

The Down Syndrome Footprint store is very excited to announce our first direct hire of a employee with Down syndrome. Jacob Lemke will be assisting the store with merchandise related tasks (such as tagging) and will also be joining us at upcoming conferences where he will work in the store! Down Syndrome Footprint already subcontracts out work to agencies that provide employment supports for people with Down syndrome, who also do tagging and bagging of our merchandise. Jacob, however, is the first direct hire!

On his first day of work, Jacob provided us with some information to share with you all about himself:

"Hi. My name is Jacob and I am 18 years old. I am the first employee Down Syndrome Footprint has hired with Down syndrome and I am very excited about my new job.

I live in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin with my family – including one older sister, two older brothers and one younger brother. I am a junior in high school and during football season, I am one of the Football Managers for our high school football team. I get to go to all of the games, even the away games!

For fun I participate in many Special Olympics events; basketball, bowling, track-n-field, and last year started swimming, too. When I am not in school, at a football game or at a Special Olympics event, I like to go to the YMCA, play with my dog, Copper, and watch TV. My favorite shows are Drake & Josh and iCarly.

After I am done with high school, I have not decided what I want to do next. I am still exploring my options."

Jacob was fitted for his Down Syndrome Footprint work clothing, which he will wear while at events in the community. He will be traveling to the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) convention in Washington, D.C. in July to help staff the store.

Please join me in saying congratulations to Jacob on his new job!!   

Sharing the power of the Footprint,

Katia

Apply for our scholarship!

One of the most rewarding experiences we’ve had so far as a foundation is distributing checks to scholarship winners. We blogged a few weeks ago announcing our winners for the 2010-11 school year.  We were thrilled to get an email from one of the winners, Rebekah Maulding, attaching a photo of herself with the check.  What an absolutely beautiful smile!  Thank you, Rebekah, for the photo.  

At the midpoint of the 2011-12 school year, it’s time for scholarship applications to start coming in!  The deadline for submission is May 1^st, 2012.  Scholarship awards, including winner and school notification will take place May 15^th, 2012. With permission of the winners, a press release announcing the award will be sent to the home media outlet of the winners.  Congratulations again to our inaugural scholarship winners and best of luck to all new applicants.   You can find our application at www.DownSyndromeFootprint.org  or you can follow this link:  http://www.downsyndromefootprint.org/apply_scholarship.html

Sharing the power of the Footprint,

Katia 

Celebrate employment with Down Syndrome Footprint and nominate your best employer/employee

Although Down syndrome awareness and acceptance continue to improve on a daily basis thanks to amazing groups, families, and individuals with Down syndrome that continue to advocate; Down syndrome employment opportunities still have a very long way to go!

Down Syndrome Footprint needs your help to celebrate and recognize our greatest employers and employees to give them the thanks and recognition they deserve for making our communities, country, and world a better place.

Families and individuals with Down syndrome continue to share their challenges, disappointment, and lack of self-worth that they feel due to their inability to find acceptable employment opportunities. It is my great hope and the hope of Down Syndrome Footprint that someday our goal will not will not only be to have acceptable employment for our loved ones with Down syndrome, but Dream Worthy Employment that we all know they are so capable of!

Join us today to encourage and thank our great employers and employees that value employment opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome:

To Nominate An Employer or an Employee please email me at Katia@DownSyndromeFootprint.org

*Awards are distributed quarterly to (1) Employer and (1) Employee in the months of January, April, July, and October

*Winners will receive national recognition, a handcrafted wood plaque, a professional press release, and a gift certificate to the Down Syndrome Footprint Store

Sharing the power of the Footprint,

Katia

Dance like nobody's watching

Work like you don't need the money, Love like you've never been hurt, and “Dance like nobody's watching.”

This saying always plays through my mind as I watch the girls dance. Annaliese and Thea started dance three years back with a very wonderful and accepting dance teacher who had never previously taught children with Down syndrome in her class. The girls have not only been blessed to be best friends at the school they attend, Parkview, but also dance partners and true lovers of ballet and tap! As I watch them in practice and performance of course I notice that their steps may not be crisp as they need to be, or that their moves may be a step or two behind, but I notice what is most important - they always have the biggest smiles on their face, they always try their hardest, and all their dance friends accept them exactly for who they are.

Every dance class Thea and Annaliese “dance like nobody’s watching” because they love who they are and every dance step they make!

Thank you Lu Ann Wioschnewski for your acceptance of the girls and your willingness to teach dance to them! We need more teachers that can overlook the disability and just see their ability.

Katia

Advocacy kits get the word out!

Across America, DSF has noticed the impressive volume of local, regional, State and National level Down syndrome focused advocacy groups. One of the ways we hope to partner with each and every DS organization is to provide them with memorable advocacy products to assist in meetings with policy decision makers.

Our newly released advocacy kits contain small “leave behinds” which can provide a message about DS by use of the footprint symbol. Not so long ago, in the State of Wisconsin, there was a very successful campaign organization by Birth to 3 (early education) supporters. Funding for that program, as well as many others, was threatened. Birth to 3 adopted a teddy bear theme for their campaign. Bears accompanied supports to the State Capitol, Madison, and were a leave behind with legislators. Birth to 3 did not receive a funding cut that year. Coincidence? Probably not.  Legislator are bombarded every day with messages about funding for programs. Help them remember you and your advocacy for DS by leaving behind a memorable symbol and reminder- the footprint. Each DSF advocacy kit contains a handout with tips and suggestions for organizing and effective campaigns. Let the power of the footprint help your DS advocacy group, you and your loved one successfully advocate for DS.

http://www.downsyndromefootprint.com/new-arrivals/down-syndrome-footprint-advocacy-kit-small/

Sharing the power of the Footprint,

Katia

Welcome to the Secret Club

I was on a girl’s weekend with three of my dearest friends since 1^st grade a few months ago. We were reminiscing about the good old days which then led into us sharing stories of our own children with one another. One of my dearest friends pointed something out a little while back that keeps playing in my mind. Her statement was this, “All of us moms love our children with all of our hearts- more than anything in life, but you have something different. When you talk about Anna there is something that none of us can touch- it’s that bond we all dream of that those of us with typical children just can’t quite reach.”

I do know what she is talking about although I have never acknowledged it- she sees a peek into our secret, or obviously not so secret club. This is a club that our children with Down syndrome have brought us into. As moms, dads, siblings, and family members we have automatically become a member. This is a club that we can be ourselves completely, take off our masks, and finally and joyously celebrate Down syndrome.

To all of our friends reading this I want top officially thank you and with a happy heart say, “WELCOME TO THE SECRET DOWN SYNDROME FOOTPRINT CLUB!”

Sharing the power of the Footprint,

Katia