Why blog? Why now?

If someone had asked me a year ago about starting a blog about my family I would have asked them, "Why?"  I was just like any other busy, homeschooling, mom of 3 trying to keep 5 bellies full, clean underwear in everyones' drawers, a house tidy enough that we're not tripping over stuff, and, oh yes, teaching 3 kids everything that they needed to learn to make it in this world, and grow up to be wonderful people, to boot.  Sure, I would get the occasional, "How do you do it all?", "I'd go crazy!", and "There is no way I could teach my child!"  But really, my life just didn't seem interesting enough that people would want to "follow me" or keep up with the random stuff that just makes us, well, us.

But, all of that changed six months ago.  On a crisp, cool, morning on the last day of March, 2010.  Our 4th child, Sarah, was born.  Our long anticipated dreams of being a family of six were finally coming true.  On this day we would finally get to meet and hold our second daughter, who had been so deeply longed for, by all of us, these many months, even years for some of us. We knew this day would change all of our lives forever, we just didn't know how much.  We didn't know that God had special plans for our, not so little, family.  For, when He formed Sarah, He gave her something extra.  Instead of the normal 46 chromosomes, He gave her a magical 47th.  Throughout every cell in her tiny body she has an extra 21st chromosome. Sarah has Trisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome. 

On that day we were given a wonderful gift.  Not the baby we were expecting, but oh so much more.  We were given the baby that we needed.  We were given the baby that would change all our lives, that would challenge who we thought we were, and help us to become who God planned for us to be. 

So, why blog?  Why now?  Are our lives so much more interesting now with her in it?  Well, yes, and no.   We're still your average family of six, filling bellies, and restocking underwear drawers, and learning all of life's lessons along the way.  But, in the days and weeks after Sarah's birth we had so many people asking how she was doing that I found myself saying time and again, "I really need to start a blog so that anyone who wants to can keep up with how well she's doing."  Six months later I'm still saying it.  So, it's time to stop saying, "I just don't have the time." and instead begin making the time.  We have been so very blessed to have so many wonderful people, literally around the world, who have been praying for Sarah, and for our entire family.  And God has been answering those prayers!  Sarah is doing phenominal!  She is vibrant and healthy, strong, and alert.  Watching her grow and learn is like watching a miracle unfold everyday!  She is challenging everything we've been told was "normal" for a baby with Down Syndrome, and is instead, growning, developing, and learning on track with any other "normal" baby.  Praise be to God!

So that's why blog, and why now.  But there is so much more to our family than just the miracle that is Sarah.  So, follow along if you'd like as we all grow and learn together about what it is to have an abundant life.

DeAnn

What is an Abundant Life?

Webster's Dictionary defines abundant as "marked by great plenty" and "amply supplied".  Our society defines abundance as having all the "things" we could want in life, such as money and possessions, and not lacking anything.  The bible, however, provides a different view of abundance.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 NASB) Or as the New Living Translation puts it: “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”

This is the type of abundant life that I seek.  A life where I can rely on God to provide all that I need.  A life where I can be satisfied with what I have, so that I can focus my energy on being thankful for, and enjoying to the fullest, the many, many blessings that God has bestowed on me, and my family.  A life where, instead of striving to gain more, I am striving to be more.  More thankful, more humble, more helpful, more caring, more patient, more understanding.

DeAnn