I’ve been pleasantly quasi-disconnected for the past two weeks. No regular news, no blog posts. It’s been lovely. Don’t worry. I still get my fake news in my Facebook feed, but I’ve been surprisingly good at scrolling past junk. Ahhh. Very relaxing.
Now, we are about to return to our mountain home in California. Hoping for good weather and easy travel, but we get what we get, and we will try not to throw a fit. We drive out this morning on icy roads. Fingers crossed.
Our visit to Minnesota has been enlightening. We attempted (for the third time since Cutie #2 was born) to participate in a Down syndrome event. All three have been deeply disappointing. I can’t put my finger on why, but I assume Prince Charming and I will have time to discuss it while I knit the Chevron baby blanket for Cutie #3. Maybe I’m not as Minnesotan as I once was. I believe it’s a cultural disconnect, and since I have chosen not to live here, I will assume that the problem is mine and not theirs. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a certain amount of heartbreak about it. I feel truly unwelcome in the Minnesota Down syndrome community. If this had been the only event, I wouldn’t make such a huge statement. And, it certainly isn’t Minnesotan to admit it, but for the first time, I did not feel at home in the place I have proudly considered home for forty years. So, I will triple my efforts to support, reach out, love and be kind to new families I meet. All is not lost. Not now, not ever.
On a completely different note, our Cuties have been thrilled to be at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. They played with dear friends and cousins. Santa some how found them Christmas morning. The Cuties are hoping he will also find our California home for Día de Los Tres Reyes (Epiphany, for the rest of you). It’s likely Santa did, as he is magic, and magic can do so many things.
The New Year will bring new excitement, new love, new adventures, and new challenges. Some will be bad, and some will be good. Worry not. Life has always been this way, and it always will be.
Let’s make it a year worthy of us all.
Chronic Confusion 