Many, many thanks to "Where Hope Grows" for sharing this story from "The Mighty" on their Facebook page. How My Son with Down Syndrome Fixed a Hotel Problem I Couldn't

How My Son with Down Syndrome Fixed a Hotel Problem I couldn't

In our house, we are big fans of Where Hope Grows

If you have not seen this movie, you have missed a blessing. It's available here:

Where Hope Grows

and here: 

Where Hope Grows

Word is, you can also find it on Barnes and Noble, and at Target, Best Buy, and a host of other locations. 

Now. Let's talk about The Mighty on Facebook. This is where you can get your daily cup of inspiration. Stories written by people just like me. People who face everyday challenges.

What do I love about the The Mighty? Well, just about everything. I love that it's a bright spot in an often too dark world. If you are looking for a pick-me-up, here you go. While you are at it, why not share it with your friends, and pick them up too?

An official shout out to The Mighty ...  What you do matters more than you will ever know. Thanks, thanks, thanks, from Life With Charley

We Need a Sign

If you are a supporter of The Down syndrome community and have not heard about Rob Snow, then you are in for a treat!

One of these days I hope Charley and I can meet Rob. His book will tickle your funny bone! Enjoy!

A Word about BIRD

On the hunt to find another bird. This one came from Cracker Barrel...that place that costs money every time I walk in, and I don't mean lunch.

If you read my book, then you know all about "Bird."

If you didn't, then let me enlighten you...BIRD repeats everything Charley says. Twice. So just in case you weren't sure you heard it right the first time, BIRD repeats it. Sometimes this makes Charley happy, like when he and Bird are watching a movie together.

Charley will say, "See dat?"

And BIRD will repeat him. "See dat? See dat?"

Sometimes BIRD makes Charley mad. Like, when Charley is mad at me, and he goes to his room to tell me off. 

Charley says, "Mom mean."

BIRD says, "Mom mean. Mom mean."

Or when Charley lets a cuss word fly. "Dum it!"

BIRD says, "Dum it! Dum it!"

That's when he doesn't want me overhearing. He'll say, "Sut up BIRD!"

And Bird will say, "Sut up BIRD! Sut up BIRD!"

I guess you could say that besides his DVD player and his tape recorder, BIRD is Charley's favorite toy. So much so that it has cost me, and cost me...batteries, and more batteries, not to mention that BIRD cost us $20.

Well, today tragedy struck. Brad and I are having our coffee, and here comes Charley. He's crying. "Mom, BIRD broke."

Oh no.

He holds BIRD out so we can see. Sure enough, his head was dismantled and it's wires were sticking out. BIRD had to go. But not before we promised to see if we could get him another BIRD.

I know this is wrong, but I am sitting here praying that we can find him another BIRD.

See, BIRD is not just a talking toucan...it's Charley's best friend. So when he said, "BIRD broke," he was saying "My best friend broke."

So yes, it's Sunday...a day of prayer and meditation. This is the Lord's day. It's also a trip to Cracker Barrel. 

Can I ask you to say a little prayer that BIRD, or at least his twin will be there? Waiting for a beautiful, sweet young man named Charley to give him a good home?

And as Charley would say, "Kanks."

Announcing: The Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome - Blog Hop!

Looking for the perfect gift for a family member or friend? Looking for a resource for yourself, or someone you love? Know someone expecting a baby with Down Syndrome? Look no further. 

Have your heard? It's a blog hop!

Written by my friend, Mardra Sikora, and Jen Jacob, this is the book you want to suggest if you know of a parent of a child with Down Syndrome.

I'm reading this now, and believe me, you won't be disappointed.

I'll be reviewing this book in the near future,  but until then, you can hop on over to the Blog hop and take advantage of some great giveaways.

Here's the link: Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome Blog Hop

 Giveaways: This prize includes: An “I love someone Down syndrome” tote, an advocate coffee mug, a great variety of books including, of course, The Parent’s Guide to Down Syndrome, plus fun t-shirt, stickers, and more! A value of over $150!

Lots of great give-aways!

Fabulous information!

What an opportunity!

And, while you are at it, won't you please share this information with your friends? Someone, somewhere can benefit from the information in this book. And you, can be the person who shares it.

Again, here's the link: Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome Blob Hop

So how do you or your friends purchase a copy of this treasure? It's all there on the blog hop, but just in case, you can find it here: 

Mardra Sikora, Author's page

and here: 

Amazon Link to Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome

and here: 


Barnes and Noble link to Parent's Guide to Down Syndrome

                           

From all of us at Life with Charley, congratulations to Mardra Sikora and Jen Jacob, for producing this fantastic resource!

Gwanny

There is an old song, titled "Till There Was You."

It's one of those songs that stays in your head. You find yourself humming it in the shower, smiling a little at the thought of someone special. Someone who changed your life.

But what if that someone is gone? What if you don't know how to explain it to your precious child, that the person they loved so much is gone? And where did that person go?

I was faced with this a couple of weeks ago after Mom, Charley's "Granny" passed away. Theirs was a special relationship. When Mom was here, they Skyped every day, and did their share of laughing at each other.  He would tell her of some infraction I'd committed, like making him clean his room. She would tell him he better get busy and he'd laugh out loud.

There was no limit to how much Mom was amused by Charley. She laughed at him on a regular basis, and he loved it. They both had big personalities...and yes, the two deserved each other.

Charley and his Grammy. Or, Gwanny, as he called her.

Charley visited his Granny at the nursing home a week before she died. He sat in her favorite chair, and withdrew into himself, watching her. He didn't have to say a thing...his face said it all. The fear of losing this important person in his life was unthinkable. It's still unthinkable.

So he buried his head until he finally wore himself out, and fell asleep. 

Mom told Charley she loved him, and he kissed her. 

The next time he would see his Granny, it would be at the funeral home, where I made a HUGE mistake.

Us parents of people with Down syndrome. Or should I just say, me. I'm so afraid of scaring him. I want to shield him from life - and death.

There was no viewing, no closure. Just an urn.

How do you tell someone with an extra Chromosome that the person he loves is in an urn? I wasn't prepared to explain cremation. I'm barely prepared to think about it, much less put it in words my chromosomal son can understand. 

He looked for her. 

Of course he did.

"Where my Gwanny?"

"She's gone to heaven, honey," I said.

"Where is she?"

"She's with the Lord."

"I want to see her."

He wasn't the only one. She would have known what to say. Me, on the other hand? Not so much.

After the funeral we headed out to the gravesite where we released a single dove. 

"Where Gwanny?" he said again.

"See that dove?" I said. "That's Grammy. She's flying up to heaven to be with Bobby (Dad)."

"No, not." 

He looked at me like I was an idiot. Or, at least, a liar. Grammy hadn't turned into a bird. Just who did I think I was talking to?

There wasn't much I could say.

So we didn't talk about it. We did what all of us McCaulley's do - we withdraw, and think it will go away. And it did.

Till yesterday, that is.

We were sitting in the den, and he was eating oatmeal pies.

Out of nowhere, he started to cry.

"I miss Gwanny," he said.

I've known this was coming. He has delayed reactions.

"Granny loved you very much, Charley," I said.

"I love her," he said.

"I know you do, honey."

"Pwease, call Gwanny."

"I can't sweetie, Granny passed away."

He cried some more. I kissed him. Held him.

"You'll just have to Skype with me, instead," I said.

And we did.

He went to his room, and called my cellphone.

And called it,

and called it,

and called it...

I suppose it takes what it takes.

Now he's calling me. And calling me. And Skyping me. And Skyping me. And...

It's driving me crazy. And yet, it isn't.

Mom would have like that.

Thanks, Mom.

RIP, Gwanny

The year of You

How do you know when you've made a difference? Some people have no idea how much of an impact they have made in someone else's life.

This will be a work in progress, because when there's a Charley in the house, anything can and does happen...meaning, I get into the middle of writing and get pulled away, like right now... be back in a sec...

Back now... had to run to the front door. I heard it open and out he went.

This is what it's doing outside, and Charley just headed to the mailbox. Does he have on his shoes? I don't know.

Has he got on a jacket? I don't know.

Will he track snow through the house? This much I know.

If you know anything about people with Down syndrome, then you know what I know, and yes, I'm generalizing here...they are relentless. When they get something in their heads, good luck getting it out.

Charley is waiting for something in the mail, which means he asks about it every 5 minutes.

Until it comes, that is how it will be. Even when I say, "Stop asking."

But back to the subject at hand.

The year of you.

All of you, who made a difference in the life of Charley.

Those of you who befriended him...

 

This year will be about you.

 

Beginning with Mom.

 

You can find her in the book. In fact, it's a love story, 25 years in the making. If you read my previous post, then you know. If not, I invite you to back peddle a little and catch up so you know what the rest of us know.

 

Mom and Charley Skype nearly every day. They are separated only by the miles, not their hearts. Charley is crazy about his Grammy.

 

"I love you, Granny!"

 

 

Yesterday, Brad, Charley and I made the journey to Louisville. Mom is in the nursing home. The family called. Mom's not doing so well.

 

This time Mom wouldn't be able to Skype with his Grammy, so he would just have to go see her in person...

 

More on that in my next post.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Love from Sherry, Brad, and Charley