How Things Look

I have more blog posts stored up in my head right now than I've been able to capture on the keyboard. The last few weeks I've been very busy with the volunteer work I do for our local Down Syndrome Association called "New Directions." (Maybe almost a little too busy.) I'm working with a website designer to create a website for us (I know, long time comin'... saying our association doesn't have a website in the year 2010 is a little embarrassing, actually.) In all fairness, our association was super-small and not very active when I joined 6 years ago... we weren't even an official non-profit organization, and no one even knew who we were. In 6 years, the other board members and I have done a lot to move the association forward. Looking back and seeing how far we've come is exciting and makes all of us that have worked so hard these last 6 years very proud. There. I said it. I felt the need to give myself a little pat on the back in front of all of you. Now, I'll go back to being modest.

I am also Buddy Walk Director for our local walk (to be held Sept. 11 this year) and planning has just begun -- we're off and running! AND, this Thursday, I am leaving for Kansas City to represent our association at the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action annual convention. I'm excited to get to meet other people active in their own local associations, and bring back lots of great ideas for our group.

So that, along with cleaning mascara off the carpet, planning a little boy's 3rd birthday party, digging Buzz Lightyear out of the floor vent, celebrating my hubby turning thirty-something, and taking pictures of this cutie wearing her sunglasses is what I've been up to these days.

Nice transition, right?

Oh, the sunglasses.

Rylee is in L.O.V.E. with her sunglasses. As the huge mounds of snow begin to melt into huge sopping-wet lakes of mud which have created a forceful magnetic-like attraction in our kids, especially when they are not wearing their boots the temperatures rise above the 20's, and Mother Nature teases us with signs of spring, Rylee's love of her sunglasses has emerged again.

For Rylee, these sunglasses make the world look different (not to mention orange.) If she's in a bad mood, putting on her sunglasses suddenly makes her feel better. If she's tired, her sunglasses help give her a little more energy to make it until bedtime. If she's feeling sad that her little brother was a little bit too loud at the table during lunch (as he has discovered his love for listening to himself make loud noises) she'll put on her sunglasses and suddenly the noise is a bit more bearable.

Yes, these sunglasses are almost magical.

Oh, excuse Rylee a second while she makes an important phone call... either that or she's "testing" (texting) someone.





Rylee has even worn them to bed a few times. I think they even managed to stay on her face the whole night. Makes me wonder if her dreams were more exciting with them on.

You know, it makes me think. Maybe Rylee's trying to remind me of something.

If something doesn't seem to be going quite "right", just look at it a little differently.

Just changing the way you look at it will change how it looks.





Thanks Rylee. May I borrow your sunglasses? Instead of being "a little too busy these days," I see now that I am very lucky to have things in my life that I am passionate about.

Ahhh, yes. The sunglasses. Life just looks better with them on.