October is National Down syndrome Awareness Month. It's the month in which we – members of the Down syndrome community – reflect on what a tiny little extra chromosome has brought to our lives by way of our children, our friends, our community.
It's a special time in which we strive to share parts of our lives, experiences, to bring awareness of what Trisomy 21 actually translates to within the life of an individual, a family.
Last year I participated in a marathon blogging event, 31-for-21. I blogged daily about Down syndrome.
This year, I will be hosting a weekend Down syndrome Awareness Blog Hop, along with my friend, The Unknown Contributor.
I also feel like celebrating.
The thing is, having Moxie changed my life. More than in the typical, 'gosh, I had a baby girl, my life has changed!' way. Having her changed my life as it gave me the opportunity to confront many of my greatest fears. It created in me a desire to live my life authentically, with courage, despite how difficult that might be. I quit my job because I had her. I started to do things that felt wonderful, spiritually, because I had her. In fact, feeling good in my spirit became a priority after I had her.
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Sometimes the very thing you fear the most to do is the very thing that will set you free. Live your one precious life with a little moxie
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I want to celebrate Moxie, I want to celebrate living life with moxie. I want to celebrate all the joy that she has brought to my life, the joy that all children bring. I want to celebrate the gift of an extra chromosome.
Since I will be giving birth in October, it's also a time of new life: more celebrating!
In the spirit of this, there will be a bi-weekly – and sometimes tri-weekly – giveaway here on this blog. In this "Month with Moxie", celebrating a life lived with moxie, we will be giving away presents from shops with Moxie as well as other Awareness Champions on Mondays, Wednesdays and often also Fridays.
It's going to be fun!
Stay tuned.
It's going to be more than a month-long giveaway, from Champions from Etsy, Signing Time, Ergo, Tiny Love and more.
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
