It's Always More UPS Than DOWNS

This is my very first blog EVER.  I thought it would help promote my book "It's More UPS than DOWNS and also give me a place to talk not only about Down Syndrome but life in general. 
I believe we can focus on the UPS or DOWNS of life.  I want to really try and focus on the UPS. 

The Lions Uniontown Festival is going on this week. 

 This is our local community festival held right before the kiddos head back to school (but that is another story all in-itself) . It is a great time to see people from the community, eat really yummy (and really bad for you) fair food and watch the kids run around, ride rides, hang out and just have fun!!  I have been going to this since I was in school. (We will just skip the part where I tell you how long ago that was LOL)  But, now my kids get to enjoy it!!  

Sometimes in life we have Down moments, and sometimes they sting a little, (ok a lot!)

This year at the festival it stung a bit as we entered a time of life where my 16 year old is running with her friends and or boyfriend and my son who is 13 and happens to have Down Syndrome doesn't have his sister to walk with or ride rides with.  He cannot  run around with all the independence that other boys his age are doing (not that Ryan even notices that part.)

It stung a bit to see these boys running around with each other, texting and just acting like 13 year old boys. Now mind you they all say Hi to Ryan and give him high fives!  Which is very sweet to see and makes my heart smile!  But, as he and I stood in line for the parachute ride I looked around and saw all of this happening.  I quietly said to God, this stings a little Lord, but I know that you know all of this and that your plan is better than mine.  We approached the ride and I tell the man running it Ryan is a single rider, but that I could ride with him if it would be ok (I had 0 tickets to give him by the way). He looked at me and very kindly said " you go ahead and ride with him" When Ry and I climbed in our seats he said to Ryan "always better when your ridin with you Mamma" Ryan smiled big and was ready to ride! (I felt a little joy spring up in my eyes at those sweet words). As we prepared for the ride to start, we took a few selfies the smile on Ryans face in the picture below says it all, and again I quietly said to God Thank you for the joy you bring and give. 

We finished our ride and headed to the next when a gentleman working the Skee ball game asked Ryan if he wanted to play for free!  So we stopped to play,  Ryan rolled the balls as fast as he could (and did really good at it to I might add) and the man kept saying WINNER, WINNER we have a WINNER (again, I thanked God for giving good!)  Ryan got to pick a prize and was very happy. While he was picking out the purple sword that makes him look like he is a Teenage Mutant Nija Turtle (at least that is what Ry said), the man asked "you know Jesus, don't you?"  With a look of you caught me totally off guard, my husband and I both said" YES"! "we know Jesus".  He smiled and said he's coming again!  I walked away again thanking the Lord for his goodness and that The UPS are so much better and bigger than the DOWNS!!!