Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

 

I sit here bored as hell.
Give me a few days off and I am manic. 
Gotta do something, paint something, fix something or at least help someone.
I hate wasted time.
But is it really wasted?
Time goes by so quickly that we cannot even capture it.
As soon as it is....IT vanishes.
Like a whisper in the dark or a snowflake hitting a warm window pane.

We are all handed the same year.
A gift as you will.
Shaped and sized differently.
But a simple, full bodied, 365 day year.
 We were given the chance to rewrite our story.

 

 Erase the past, live up to a new standard or to waste it away.


What did you do with your year?

Did you get the chance to check off something from your bucket list?
Did you eat at a new restaurant while experiencing a new taste? 

 

Did you see new sights?
New sounds?
 Colors?
 Scents?
Smiles?

 

Laughter or words of wisdom?

Did you give more than you got?
Or did you take more than you should?

365 days is a long time, and yet, poof its gone.
A year wiser?

 

Lord I hope so.

It has a splendid year, if I continue to look through my rose colored glasses.

I had sand beneath my feet, warm chocolate chip cookies inside my mouth and laughter from inside my belly.
I gave at times till it hurt and I made new friends.

 

I said hello more often than I said good bye and I loved more than I lost.

I said good bye to a few that hurt me.
I realized that since time was fleeting I better clean house now.
No time to waste.

My turn.

After all, it was MY year.
You had you're own.

I jumped off a bridge with my glittering green eyes closed and started the I Am Who I Am foundation.
 Dreaming that I can make a difference.
Hoping that you would hear me.

Praying that you would listen.

Getting to see the changes in motion.
Tangible, exciting changes.
Helping, healing and giving.
My way.
Unconditionally.
I dreamt it.
And it became.

Now I get another shot at another 365 days.

We must point our pendulum in the right direction.
Auto pilot might not always work.
We must-
 Set our goals, our desires our hopes and our future happiness.

What will it take to make the next New Year your very best?

The brightest, boldest, clearest, happiest year yet?

One small step in the right direction can lead millions.

 

One step in the right direction can help to fight hunger, to educate the young, to bring clean water to those in basic need.

It takes a moment to decide to walk the path of helping your brother.
To do more and talk less.

To regain the power in your soul to light the world on fire.

To say you are sorry when you are wrong and to lend your hand when your sister is reaching.

 

It will give us all the gift of millions of moments to rewrite our journey and to make it right.

One step in the new year,
One new direction.
 One new way of thinking.
One new sacrifice,
One new enormous gift of time.

I don't have all the answers.
Lord knows I am as humble as they come.
But I do profess that it takes a village.
But it also can just take one.

YOU.

Make the change you wish to see.

Be bold, be loud be significant.
Be amazing and fulfilled.

Let go of what hurts you and set it free.


Do more and want less.
Give, just give.

I promise it will bounce back ten fold.
Maybe in another fashion but baby it will bounce.

Be greatful.
Be blessed.
Understand.
That this is just bigger than you.

Be a friend, a leader, a kind and gentle friend.
Be honest and trustworthy.

Be your very own best friend and follow your heart.
Be unique and inspiring.
Be all the things you admire.

Follow it even if it scares you.
The easy road usually isn't always the best path.

I have fallen and gotten back up.

I have been kicked down and decided to kick back harder.

I have been exhausted and afraid.

But its not a choice to give up.

We are given the gift of time.
A new splendid, technicolor year .

G-d be willing a 365 day clean slate filled with good health, happiness and humongous smiles.

You choose how you will spend it.
Its yours to sculpt.

But for me?

You all know what my choice is....
 A killer new pair of shoes and rocking the New Year with vengeance and vibrancy.

Bring it on world I am ready.

I am who I am.

And today I am awaiting a new frigging year ahead.

Let us decide to live in a world with less pain and less worry for all.
Let us embrace those who need to be held.

 May we pray for those that we cannot heal and let us hold onto the hopes for a brighter, bolder, more magnificient, peace filled year ahead.

Happy New Year- After all it is your choice to be happy!

Nashville

Nashville.


Yep, I finally went.  Been wanting to go for so long. I have heard countless Nashville stories and shared so much laughter that I wanted it to be my turn.
And it was.

Miss Nashville had lots to tell me this weekend.
The loudest and clearest message was "Holly, you are not 22 any longer..."

The weather was clear, the moments were amazing. The music was stellar and the food was abundant.

But what made the trip?
I was lucky enough to go with an adorable friend.
We shared all common interests and it was effortless. A forever buddy that understands your everything, good, bad and ugly.


Laughter.

That is what was on my mind.

Daily, doubled over, pee in your pants, laughing till you're begging for it to stop.

Nashville.

Luck gave us a hand on the amazing people we met.
It was merely a smile or a simple "how you doing' that invited strangers into my memories.

We all had the same agenda.
To have a good time.
Certainly not sin city.
A micro version of the Vegas strip.

 Lights and music galore.

The town was inviting.
The music was intoxicating and the voices actually brought my friend to tears.

The happiness from just being was alive and rocking.

Until we saw the t.v.
Pictures strewn across the television screen.
Vivid images that sting you like a sharp poker.
Burning your retina so fiercely its almost blinding.

Connecticut.

My words will not give justice to what happened that Friday.
My heart will never heal.

To enjoy the very moment was almost impossible.
You could feel the red, raw, unimaginable pain from across the land.

How?
Why?
What?
Oh my G-d.
The horror.

I felt so much guilt.
How could I walk through aimlessly without a care in the world?
All the while my sister's are grieving?

What makes moments so spectacular to me are the faces that pass by mine.

The hope that I am lucky enough to have one stop and engage in conversation.

To lend me some earned wisdom,
or merely a cheerful hello.
To give of one's heart.
To speak honest,
truthful and clear.
To meet  a new friend who may just be walking by.

We were lucky enough to have met those people.
Kind, hilarious, genuine, laughing, giving people.

I was enthralled with a Fireman from New York's wit.
His child-like antics and raw humor was intriguing.

In between the one liners and prat falls I mentioned my sadness from that Fridays news.
He began to tell me what he has seen.

His blue eyes that witnessed first hand 9-11.
The deaths,
Lost dreams,
ruined hopes,
tangible evil.

I knew what he was about to say.
But I held my breath anyway,
"I have seen it all. And I have learned  one thing."

"YOU have to live."

Yes, I am grieving.
My body aches for their loss.

Yes, I want to embrace my kids and never let go.
I want to be angry at society and how ugly it has become.

But I don't wanna be a quitter.

I must believe.

That the universe will become a better place.
That we can regain control over injustice.

Maybe its just one new friend at a time.
One bit of small talk,
or hours of deep soul searching conversation.

We need each other.

Nashville.

Music,
 mayhem,
madness
 and more laughing than I have ever done.
One small encounter with a stranger.

He made me see that sadness cannot define us.
That even though our lives can be changed instantly.
It is what it is.

For all we truly have is the instant in which we breathe.

Thank you Nashville I will take it all with me,
the music,
melodies,
bright lights
and wisdom from a new friend.

A life without Nate?

• 
   

Today's blog is a must read.

I have decided to share a little education as well as

my usual cup full of glitter.

 

How can you educate the ignorant?
 

Through honesty.
 

How can we bring awareness?

By working together.

I talk endlessly about my main man Nate.
Nate the Great.

I rarely go inside. I don't take the layers off.
But its time.

There are so many groups out there, many Facebook pages. Some go as far as to say they can "fix"...
"change".....

So many photographs and thousands of written words.

Fix what?
Change what?
I see beauty.
Don't you?

 

 

It's time we understood.

 

(celebrating all special children!)

 

We live in a world of immediate gratification. No denying that. We usually get what we want, when we want it.

We live in a world where beauty equates wealth, education and standards.

No denying that.

We live in a world where we strive for perfection. Highest points scored, longest jumps, grades going towards Mensa and salaries built around superstars.

 

We live in a world where we take so much for granted.

At least until it is gone.

The mystical shape of the snow flake on our car window.

 

(happy beautiful 1st birthday!)

 

The smell of the ocean as the tide waves her way in. The mystic sunset on a foggy autumns day that breaks through the clouds like gold.

We take for granted our health until we take our last breath.

 

We take for granted our friendships until they have moved on, and we take advantage of love, as if there was an abundance.

 

I began the I AM WHO I AM foundation to erase the preconceived notion of perfection.
It was at Nate's birth that others deemed him not worthy of smiles, high fives and jubilation.

He has proven beyond measure that he is deserving. He has proven beyond a doubt that we all are worth the time, worthy of the acceptance and the patience.

 

 

No one painted a perfect world, so why should only perfection be allowed to celebrate?

 

(no greater love)

Down Syndrome is named after Dr. Down, a British Doctor known for his description for the genetic disorder.

4,700 babies are born each year with Down Syndrome.

That is an average of 1 in 830 babies.

 

To me that is a jackpot win. I am the one who pulled the Vegas handle down and the coins began to pour.

Trisomy 21 is an extra chromosome condition.

We have 46, where they have 47.

 

DS people generally have lower cognitive ability, low muscle tone and slow physical growth.

 

50% of babies are born with congenital heart disease.

They have a higher rate for Leukemia.

 

 

I believe that we have a greater rate of stepping off the curb and getting run over by a bus.

A higher rate of failure, not finding a job. Losing in love and gaining great depression.

Did you know that 70-90% of Down Syndrome babies are aborted?

Yes-

YOU heard me.

Think deep and hard about that.

 

 

No more Nate's in the world.

No more free hugs.

Wet lip kisses.

Saturday night live impersonations and swear words?
 

No more silly faces, hand shakes and radiance?

No more deep love that oozes into everyone he meets.

No more laughter from his giggles. No more achieving his goals  to vote, or to become a rock star.

 

Because the world wants a perfect place.....

I am who I am cannot hand you all the answers. It can't tell you it will all be OK.

 

It can convey that the journey is amazing once you accept. It will show you a new way of thinking, by accepting.

I am who I am is here to celebrate all SPECIAL children.

Purple, polka dot and bent.

 

Nate might not be perfect, but who is?

 

I would NOT change a thing.

Many years ago I looked into my husbands eyes and asked him "If God granted one wish, and said Nate could be 'normal', would you take it?"

I never waited for the answer.

 

I would not change one step we have taken. There have been some rocks to stumble over and a few hills to climb. But rather than see the mountain ahead, I take a deep breath and smile.

 

I have the perfect child.

He just so happens to have an extra chromosome.

 

(please consider helping us on our way to educate Nurses, Doctors, family and friends.This really does take a village. Visit www.iam-whoiam.com any and all donations greatly appreciated!)