Friday Nights

Friday night is here again and I am so happy!  Friday is my favorite day of the week.  If my husband was going to be home tonight (but instead he is golfing, eating wings, and drinking beer all day today with the guys in South Bend), we would probably be going to the local high school football game.  Since he's not going to be home, we are going to go our other traditional Friday night route-movie night! 

At our house, movie night is a great time!  We find a family friendly movie, get dressed in our pajamas, and eat lots of snacks.  We tend to eat popcorn, apples, and M&Ms, but this varies sometimes.  Our kids love it!!  We live a blessed life and have been able to give our children so many "things," but Tim and I both know that they will remember these movie nights more than they will ever remember the things we bought them.

There is one other item I want to share today.  Keegan, my son with Down syndrome, is quite a young man.  I wish I could be on a reality show so that the world could see how very "normal" he is.  That being said, I would never do a reality show, so I digress.  Anyway, Keegan is turning 9 this weekend.  I remember how hard it was when he was first born.  What a shock to be 24 years old and having my first child be born with Down syndrome.  We went through the gamut of emotions, some which left me feeling ashamed, others which I knew were normal, but nine years later I can say that time and God heal.  He is an amazing, intelligent, funny, loving young man.  When I say loving, I don't mean he is loving all fo the time.  I hate that stereotype about Down syndrome.  I could prove anyone wrong on it if they would come to my house at a time when he is furious with me.  But, at the end of the day, he is a loving, kind-hearted young man.  I pray all of his dreams for himself come true and we will always be there behind him gently pushing him to keep on going.  Love you, Keegan (aka Smooky).  If he heard me call him Smooky, he'd say that's his dad's nickname, not his.  :-)

One anecdote from Keegan this morning.  He was trying to get his IU sweatshirt on (go IU!!) and it was a tight fit.  He said, "Mom, I look curious."  He meant to say ridiculous, but mixed it up.  First of all, I love how great his vocabulary is.  Second, I corrected him and told him the difference for the next time and he responded as any other kid, "Well, that's how I say it, Mom."  Keegan-lots of love.  Have a wonderful ninth year!  Make it yours!!