October is a GREAT month!

I love Fall!  Love, LoVe, LOVE!!  It's crisp, cool, beautiful.  This week has been a bit too cool for me, I would rather move into it a bit more slowly, but it still has been a great Fall beginning.  But that's not why I think October is a great month.... and NO!  It definitely has NOTHING to do with Halloween!  (Not a fan!)  It has to do with 2 very important events that occur during October that have made me the person I am today.
 
October is National Down Syndrome Awareness month!  Happy month!!  Where would I be without Alex?  First of all I think I would be a more selfish person.  I would definitely still be working full time, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that me quitting work has been the best thing for my whole family, not just for Alex.  And I'm not just saying the other kids had an easy time of finding daycare.  No. Or that my house is a pristine palace.  Definitely not!!  I really feel that taking care of Alex, quitting my job, being more aware of the needs around me that I was a better mom than I would have been if he hadn't come into our lives.  Has it been easy?  NO - did you read one of the last posts?  But it has so definitely been worth it! 
 
On Facebook I posted an announcement that October was DS awareness month and to "hug everyone you see because that's what a person with DS would do."  My funniest - and most truthful comment came from Taylor.  She said, "I'm thinking I'll try to wrestle everyone I know, and hit on people I've never seen before."  Definitely a better description of our Al!

The other reason I love October is because our church has a semi-annual General Conference where our leaders speak to us and we hear beautiful music that is as inspired as the talks.  This morning's session - WOW!!!  Inspiring, electrifying, satisfying, calming...  I can't say enough!  And as I listened to the words our prophets and apostles spoke  (yes!  Living prophets and apostles spoke to us!) I was so very impressed with the happiness all the speakers exuded.  But how could they not be happy?  OK.  Maybe speaking to millions of people would make one nervous, but they still are so happy.  And that's because they are sharing the Lord's gospel.  The same gospel that Christ himself taught and was such a great example of, was restored by a young man of 14 years of age, and is still here on earth.  This church is led by Christ himself, hence the name The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!  The prophets and apostles teach us, just as they did so long ago, but it is through inspiration so everything they say is truly what Christ wants us to hear.  Please.  Please!  Follow this link and listen to or read their words.  It will make you happy!

So.  Happy October!!  Hug someone.  Wrestle someone.  And listen to the Prophet's voice.  What a great month!

Some pics



N got a haircut!!  The mullet is gone!  She looks so beautiful.  I will take more pics over the next few days to show it off.

 

 

And here's a few more pics of my Gracie Goo. OK a lot of pics of her!  She's sure finding her way into our hearts and family!  She sleeps in our room on her doggy bed and doesn't get out of bed until anywhere from 8 - 10 in the morning!  She's not a morning person!

 We found out she will be 6 in February!  That's old for a dane, but even if we only have her for a year, that's a year for us and hopefully a happy year for her.  We are her 2nd rescue - the people that just abandoned her this time had rescued her.  I don't get it!  But she's here now and happy - and so are we!!

Al and Grace

 

 What's wrong with this picture? 

 

Nothing until you see why she isn't on her bed!  Moose still rules the house, even with a dog 5x his size.  They get along great! No swats or fights at all!!  One time Grace tried to play with Moose and Moose just looked at her like, "Are you kidding me?"

 

Lady Grace!

 



Mo and Grace

N follows Grace everywhere!  And it's cute to see Grace 'tiptoe' around the kids.  She hasn't stepped on a kid once - not even by accident!

 

She goes EVERYWHERE with me.  We kinda like each other!  If she doesn't know where I am she freaks out a bit.  So I have found myself talking out loud throughout the house so she can find me!

 We went camping over Conference weekend and took Grace with us.  We actually only had her for a few days at this point.  Here she is hanging out with my niece B.  B is on HER dane's doggy bed.

 And look at this deer wearing hunter orange.  Wait!  That's Grace!  We didn't want anyone mistaking her for wild animals!

 

Is that enough pics of Grace for you?

 

OK.  What about a video!!  Moose is hiding in the box and Grace can't figure out why he's there.  I love her voice!!

 There's a story behind this picture; my dad wanted to sit in the hammock and relax a bit.  He just didn't center himself well enough.  We all watched him as he slowly but surely tipped backwards until he was on his head.  Then he looked over at us and said (in an old lady voice), "Help!"  Obviously, I was such a caring daughter I had to take a picture before we helped him, and I will admit I laughed till I cried for about half an hour.  It wasn't so much the slow motion falling as much as it was the weak-sauce "help" he managed to yelp. (That's Colby's dog Dex coming over to investigate)

 

And I love this picture of my Brutus tree - so named because Brutus ate it in half last summer and it survived.  This time of year is so beautiful to me and makes me grateful for all the beauty that surrounds us.  Happy Autumn everyone!