Today is World Down syndrome day (3-21) since DS is a 3rd copy of the 21st chromosome. Since Lily’s birth we’ve celebrated in years past with several of our buddies at Children’s Hospital and we’ve worn our yellow and blue. Today though is a busy day for us and our schedules prevent us doing much in that regard. 
I’ve been tagged in social media of friends wearing silly socks (to bring awareness) and viral videos, etc and I sincerely appreciate that it means my friends have taken the time, energy and effort to show their love and support when they didn’t have to. As I was thinking about that this morning, it struck me that while we show our love and support by doing something that stands out, our people with DS, as much as they love attention, they don’t necessarily want to stand out. They just want to do and be the things we take for granted on a daily basis. They want to have friends, be included in classes-in schools and churches, they want to learn how to drive, live independently, hold real jobs and earn an honest living. They want to have serious relationships and get married, and maybe even have children. Some or all of these things are surely possible-as they should be.  

I suppose advocacy and bringing awareness can ebb and flow on this journey and I know that anytime I post a pic, a funny story of Lily or ask for prayer when she’s sick is bringing awareness to the journey that is Down syndrome.  

In our early years of wrapping our heads and hearts around her diagnosis they were spent in countless hours of doctor visits, miles traveled, frantic house cleaning sessions over the forgotten therapy appointment that would be happening in minutes…and they were also spent in just simply falling in love with our girl.
In the midst of those crazy early days, we realized a fierceness was being born in us to fight for her equality, to shame the use of the R-word, and to teach others that people with DS are more alike than different. 
We grieved the diagnosis, then we celebrated it. We grieved the loss of time with friends or doing “normal” social things, then we celebrate the incredible tribe we have now found and the new adventures we’ve taken. We have grieved what we thought she wouldn’t/couldn’t do, then celebrate like crazy when she keeps proving us wrong. 
These days, we realize that every day is an opportunity to bring awareness, just by doing what we do. Some days are all about her diagnosis and some days it doesn’t even cross our minds. 
This girl though. She is so much more than that diagnosis-it shapes her, but it doesn’t define her. She is a daughter, granddaughter and great grand-daughter. She is a little sister and a big sister. She is a niece and she is a friend. She is sweet and she is sassy. She is kind and she is stubborn. She musters the words, “I dub you,” one second and then calls you a butthead the next (true story). 
She has the best dance moves, loves ballet and rap music, says the funniest and most random things, and when she puts her mind to do something you better not doubt her. And if you’ve been a recipient, you know she gives the best hugs. 

She has changed our lives for the better. Her life has stretched us and grown us, just by her being here. 
I’m not wearing silly socks or making a video and hope it goes viral to spread the love today. Maybe next year will be different. Today I’m just going to step out of my house with my girl in tow…and we’re just gonna do life as usual, because that my friends is advocating too.