The Lucky Pumpkin

All God’s critters got a place in the choir,

Some sing low, and some sing higher,

Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,

And some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they’ve got now. (Bill Staines)

I love that song. I always wanted to sing it with my kids while teaching, but in a public school, songs like this must be avoided. I have been thinking about this song a lot lately since Obama’s gaffe. I know that he was attempting to be “lighthearted” and “self-deprecating,” but it is too telling about what his views are on people with disabilities when something like that slips out. I think that he is a good, intelligent person, which is way above Bush on both counts, but I am frustrated with the “intellectually elite” people in the country (and others,) thinking that making fun of a person’s intelligence is acceptable! As I have said before, most people with developmental disabilities were born that way. That puts insults of this type in the same category as insults of a person’s race. Both are things you are born with, and cannot change. (Sure, you can study your butt off, but people with true developmental disabilities will never study them away.)

Obama is president of ALL Americans, including and most especially those who have disabilities. I hope that he uses this experience to become a better person, and to become a champion of the disabled community.

Here is an essay on diversity that I found on the internet.

THE DIVERSITY CREED
By Gene Griessman © 1993

I believe that diversity is a part of the natural order of things—as natural as the trillion shapes and shades of the flowers of spring or the leaves of autumn. I believe that diversity brings new solutions to an ever-changing environment, and that sameness is not only uninteresting but limiting.

To deny diversity is to deny life—with all its richness and manifold opportunities. Thus, I affirm my citizenship in a world of diversity, and with it the responsibility to….

Be tolerant. Live and let live. Understand that those who cause no harm should not be feared, ridiculed, or harmed—even if they are different.
Look for the best in others.
Be just in my dealings with poor and rich, weak and strong, and whenever possible to defend the young, the old, the frail, the defenseless.
Avoid needless conflicts and diversions, but be always willing to change for the better that which can be changed.
Seek knowledge in order to know what can be changed, as well as what cannot be changed.
Forge alliances with others who love liberty and justice.
Be kind, remembering how fragile the human spirit is.
Live the examined life, subjecting my motives and actions to the scrutiny of mind and heart so to rise above prejudice and hatred.
Care. Be generous in thought, word, and purse.

Just when you think you have it all under control, a situation arises that shows you that you are not as “together” as you thought. I was feeling so good about how I have been handling Emily having Down syndrome. I hadn’t cried in ages, and life was rolling along as “normal” as can be when you have your two-year-old in speech and physical therapy, and has had a teacher since birth. I have even been helping other families with children who have Down syndrome. I was proud of my coping skills.

Then we decided to look into selling our home. With so many good deals out there, we thought we could get a smaller house that still has everything we want in a house, and put all of the money we’d save into the girls’ future. (Of course, that hinged on us being able to sell this house for not too great of a loss.) So, we had the realtor over to assess what our house is worth. She was asking us all about why we would leave such a nice house. I was holding Emily at the time, and I said that we wanted to put all of the savings into Emily’s future. Anna was right there, so I added, “and Anna’s future, too, but Anna will be able to take care of herself someday, and Emily might not…” I couldn’t finish that sentence. I started crying. (I am crying just writing this!) I think it is just so hard to hear myself say it out loud, especially to an acquaintance as opposed to saying it to Bob, or a mother of a child with a disability (who make up most of my friends, now.) Maybe it is also because Emily is getting to be such a cutie-pie with a real personality. She is not a baby anymore, I can see how she is becoming such a sweet little girl, and her future is easier to imagine. Clearly, I have more work to do to come to terms with everything. Funny thing is, I really felt at peace with everything… Such is life!

Long story short, we decided to stay put in our house. The market is too scary right now.

Emily updates: she is almost walking! She just turned two. She is beautiful! She FINALLY has a mouth full of teeth. (Not all of them, but most are there.) Her speech is “blossoming” according to her teacher. She is so sweet and loving. She loves to give her dolls and stuffed animals a big kiss. She blows kisses to everyone. If she hurts herself, she gives herself a big kiss, and seems to be all better. She adores her sister, calling her Nana. She is a huge blessing, and one of my most important teachers.