"Grieving the loss of a child is a process, it begins the day your child passes and ends the day the parent joins them."
BJKarrer

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

October is Down syndrome awareness month

Many people are blogging each day the month of October, because October is Down syndrome awareness month. I'm not taking part in the blogging for 31 days. For one reason~my thoughts are often times very sad and full of gloom and doom. Another reason~I sit down and have so much to say on this blog, but just can't get it all typed out. My head is just so jumbled. So, in memory of our sweet girl, and in honor of Down syndrome awareness month, I'm sharing with you all today the Down syndrome creed. Many of you already know it. I've posted it on here before. It's just special to our family and thought it needed sharing again.

The following is the Down syndrome creed. This was read by my Aunt Linda during Carly's funeral service.


The Down Syndrome Creed

My face may be different
But my feelings the same
I laugh and I cry
And I take pride in my gains
I was sent here among you
To teach you to love
As God in the heavens
Looks down from above
To Him I'm no different
His love knows no bounds
It's those here among you
In cities and towns
That judge me by standards
That man has imparted
But this family I've chosen
Will help me get started
For I'm one of the children
So special and few
That came here to learn
The same lessons as you
That love is acceptance
It must come from the heart
We all have the same purpose
Though not the same start
The Lord gave me life
To live and embrace
And I'll do it as you do
But at my own pace

For those of you who knew Carly, you understand how proud we will always be of her. How proud she was of herself, for her many accomplishments throughout her very short 8 years of life. Sure it took her a little longer to learn than her fellow peers, but she did learn. She enjoyed learning. She would come home from school and play school for hours. She would work on worksheets and then, erase them and start all over again. In fact, she was just taking off with her math skills. Something we were told she would struggle with due to being born with Down syndrome, but in true Carly style, she was proving all the text books wrong. She was getting it and LOVED it.

Our girl sure did teach those who knew her many life lessons. For those of you who didn't know Carly. You have no idea what you missed out on. This little girl gave love unconditionally; which is very hard for some people to ever do in a entire live time. She loved with her whole heart. And we loved her wholeheartedly too!

11 comments:

Tina said...

I know it must be hard for you to come here and write but please know that whatever you write we your blogging friends are always here with an ear to listen and shoulder to lean on. I miss Carly I know I never knew her but yet I feel I did know so much about her from reading your blog which I never missed out on after finding it. Carly will always be remembered and loved.

I do love the DS creed and read if often just to myself.

Cathy said...

I wish I could have met your amazing girl! Thank you for continuing to advocate. I'm sure this hard for you. Just know how much all of us appreciate what you continue to do in honor of Carly.

my family said...

I know many of us did know her personally but thank you for sharing her with us through your blog. I always loved coming here and seeing that sweet little smile and hearing what she was up to. I am glad you still blog occasionally and hope you are able to more this month.I think the Cree is one of my favorite things ever!

Stephanie said...

I truly wish i could have held her face in my hands and kissed those cheeks!
Thanks for sharing this with us.

Ange Aguirre said...

I only knew Carly from her Carepage, but I loved reading about all her accomplishments. While I never met her in person, she will forever be in my heart. Love and prayers, always.

Kristen said...

I wish I could have known your Carly in person. I am sure I would have loved her even more.

*hugs*

Heather said...

Love to you Joany and thank you for sharing your beautiful girl with us all.

You were one of the first people to reach out to me when Zoey was diagnosed.For that I will forever be grateful.I followed through carepages and first and was so thrilled when you began the blog.I know it is difficult for you to come here.Tremendously hard.i am so proud of you for trying.

Love to you and thank you fro sharing the creed as a reminder to us all.

JRS said...

Thinking of you and your sweet girl. Her life and her passing will always move me to love more deeply. I'm going to go hug my Sophie now in Carly's honor.
---Jen

The VW's said...

I wish that I had gotten to meet your sweet girl! From what you have shared on here, she was one in a million!

The fact that she loved unconditionally, must make it even harder to go on without her! Once you've been loved that way, it would be so difficult to not know that love any longer! My heart breaks for you!

Thanks for sharing Carly with all of us! You are in my thoughts so often! Love, Hugs and Prayers!!!

To Love Endlessly said...

Thank you for sharing the creed with us. Your Carly was a beautiful girl. I wish I could've met her in real life....

angel said...

Joany you and your family are always in my thoughts and in my prayers.{{{HUGS}}}