feeling the love

We ended our week with a house guest...

..... Alicia.  Madison and Austin are so excited to have her here.

We also started preschool this week.  We slowly moved into it, focusing on the letter A.

Of course, we had to go outside and search for ants......

.......eat apple sauce......

.......and become acrobats

Complete with proper matching attire for a stylish acrobat.

We had a pretty low key Saturday, which was nice after the manic week we had.  Everyday had something planned, so we were busy.

Sunday (today) was Brad's family reunion.  We had a great time visiting with family.  Many of them had not met Kamdyn, since we don't see them very often.  Everyone who we see regularly knows that Kamdyn has Down syndrome now.  We are mostly at a place where we are past telling people.  I remember those first few weeks when I felt like I had to tell everyone:  friends, family, but even the stranger at the grocery store.  I felt like I was hiding something if I didn't, almost making me feel a little guilty.  But I slowly moved on from that.  I don't feel that obligation to tell people anymore.  But at the reunion, however, there were some family who still didn't know. 

As I dipped my toe into the frigid waters of those feelings again, I was reminded of those early days.  The days when everything felt so uncertain.  When I was so scared.  When I had a nervous knot in the pit of my stomach as I told people of her diagnosis.  And then feeling guilty after telling them, because I didn't know if I sounded sad or disappointed.  I didn't want anyone to be sad or disappointed.  I just wanted everyone to love her.   

I cannot tell you how it has lifted my heart how much everyone has loved Kamdyn.  How everyone has opened their heart to her and literally embraced her.  I hardly saw Kamdyn as she was passed from one loving arm to the next.  Everyone just pouring out love onto her.  That love I see being given to her warms my heart and makes me feel loved as well.  Our family was wonderful enough to take up a collection for Kamdyn's buddy walk.  We ended up walking away with over $100 to put toward her buddy walk.  Wow, do we feel loved.

We don't have much planned for this week.  That means we are free to make it whatever we want.