How this all started...

I have known for a long time that I wanted to be a mom. It seemed that life's circumstances didn't lend themselves to my dream becoming a reality until I met David. It seemed we were meant to be parents--TOGETHER. We both love children. Our dream wasn't that much different than other couples our age. We began our journey toward parenthood shortly after we got married in August 2004. We thought we would have kids the way other couples do; pregnancy, then childbirth. When it became apparent we would have significant difficulty conceiving, we tried quickly to turn that tough news into an opportunity. Easy enough, right? We would adopt. There were plenty of babies out there that needed parents. Not so easy (for us at least). Since it happens that David and I both use wheelchairs to get around in our daily lives we were met with some opposition and some really great support.

We were confident we would be awesome parents with determination, ingenuity, and mentoring from other parents who have had kids, support from our friends family, our faith community...We'd do (and are doing) just fine. Even though families with one or both parents disabled have been raising children very successfully for a long time, we met significant opposition from adoption professionals and agencies. With every rejection we faced, our determination to be parents was fueled. We pressed on--we wouldn't take no for an answer. Several agencies, social workers, birth mothers and almost two years later, on December 31st, 2007, we brought our baby Denver home.

I kept resolving to blog after Den came home and then which each big milestone, holiday, or other life event, I'd say to myself--"I really need to start my blog." I had decided that I would begin blogging when Denver took his first steps and even call the blog: Denver Walks--Mommy Blogs. I altered my plan slightly. Denver turned 15 months on March 29th. Boy time flies. Fast forward to today-- for my 1st official blog post, thanks for reading & WELCOME!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Denver's Independence Day


We spent the 4th of July at my long time friend Susan's house. This was different from what we usually do. Typically, we make an appearance at the annual ADAPT 4th of July celebration at Katz's (a local New York style deli). Going to Katz's is always something I look forward to because I attended one of my first ADAPT protests there when I first arrived in Austin back in 1990. I was just finding my identity and self esteem as a disabled person back then. Protesting for the establishment to put in a ramp (in such a public and in your face way--the ADAPT way) was part of me coming into my own in ways that are hard for me to describe.

How we ended up staying at Susan's and not going to Katz's...well, we got a late start to begin with, we have a baby now, coupled with the fact that at Susan's there was a kiddie pool which Denver loved. We stayed to avoid a melt down. It worked out well because Den had more room to roam in between swimming, of course. He was in her dinning room and took about 5 independent, no holding on, steps, just as I had turned around. Confession time: I had reports from his school that he'd taken a few steps alone before, but I refused to call it official until I had personally witnessed the milestone event with my own eyes. By the time his gimpy parents got the video camera out, it was too late. We tried to get him to do it again, without any luck. I promise to post video soon!

As you might imagine, I have mixed mommy emotions. My baby isn't a baby anymore. He really is a toddler now--a big boy. The physical therapy/early intervention services I also had mixed feelings about are helping things along-- that's a good thing.

I am still a bit sad we didn't make it to Katz's. There will be lots of 4th's and ADAPT parties in the future, and I will certainly enjoy telling Denver about my first trip there and my first protest. It seems that we've had lots of big things happen around fireworks holidays. We brought our newborn Denver home on New Years Eve. His adoption was final on July 1st of last year. He took his first steps on July 4th this year. Amazing what fireworks bring on. Happy Independence Day, Denver!
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