Shouting Friendship!

When I was in high school, I had this amazing, silly friend who made life so much fun. We would constantly be doing off the wall things to make each other laugh, often in public. One day we were cruising home from school in her little red car and someone shouted an obscenity out their window. We gasped and quickly decided that we were not about to let the negative people of the world win. So we started countering his negativity with positivity…we decided to spread love and friendship in a world who could so desperately use it. We rolled down our windows and when we saw an passer by, we shouted, “Friendship!”

My friend and I spent the spring of our senior year shouting positivity out the window, catching most everyone by surprise and bringing smiles to a lot of faces. I told my kids about this practice and the window shouting has continued on to the next generation. Everyday, I hear them shouting “friendship!” out the car windows on the way to their sports practices and I still can’t help but smile.

The point of this website is to shout friendship out the window.

This world is a juxtaposition of negativity and fake perfection. We exist in a world of stark contradictions, where we are simultaneously fascinated by the darker aspects of humanity and striving for an unattainable perfection, capturing and sharing the moments we want to remember, while ignoring the beauty found in unexpected struggles.

But the truth is, life’s most beautiful moments are often those that catch us off guard and test our strength and resilience, much like the thrill of speeding in a little red car with the windows down, the wind in our hair and the joyful sounds of Lauryn Hill’s Doo Wop mixing with our own voices shouting positivity into a world filled with chaos and negativity.

Pain is a shared experience that we all must endure at some point, but it need not define us. My hope is that my writing connects with each reader on a personal level, offering a sense of empathy and support. Conversely, joy is something that we can choose to cultivate in our lives. I hope to succeed at conveying a sense of authentic happiness that transcends the polished, filtered facade that we so often see and crave from social media. As I write from the messy middle of my own journey, I pledge to offer candid and vulnerable reflections, and to seek out the beauty and goodness that can be found even in the darkest moments.

When I woke up one morning with the words ‘Big, Loud, Upside Down’ ringing in my head, I knew it was a sign that my love of writing was meant to play a central role in my life once again. Writing has always been a powerful tool for me, helping me to process and heal from the challenges and traumas of life. With these words, I felt a sense of excitement and purpose, knowing that I was meant to approach life with boldness and a willingness to break convention. I knew it was time to roll down my windows again and speak into the void of cynicism, spreading raw hope and unfiltered joy.

Big. Our family of 9 is what some might call “big” these days. With 7 kids, we have a treasure trove of hilarious stories, life hacks, and reflections that have come out of raising our lively tribe. Just imagine a giant, white, 14-passenger van rolling down the street with several little voices yelling, “Friendship!” Plus we have an adorable golden doodle and 6 chickens, so there’s never a shortage of activity in our house!

Loud. In our home, the decibels can get pretty high! But more than sound, our lives are filled with a vibrant energy that comes from a full schedule of activities and interests we pursue. While it would be easier to simplify our commitments, we believe in allowing our kids continue to grow and develop into who God has made them to be. As we juggle it all – sometimes even successfully – our loud life depends on the love and support of our community. So these musings will include insights into how we embrace life and live it to the fullest.

Upside Down. In May of 2018, we welcomed our sixth child into the world – a beautiful little girl who surprised us with an extra 21st chromosome. Overnight, we became Down syndrome advocates and warrior parents. Our sweet girl has turned our world upside down, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. These reflections will explore the many ways in which her arrival has reshaped our lives for the better.

Here’s what this blog is not:

It’s not exclusively for parents of children with special needs. Though I certainly hope that fellow warrior parents will find us, connect, and become part of our circle, I also want to share our life lessons, reflections, and both the good and not-so-pretty aspects of our journey with those who are not raising a child with differences. There’s much we can all learn from one another, yet this connection is often lost or misunderstood, with special needs parents feeling isolated and typical parents unsure of how to break in.

It’s not an unrealistic, endless parade of encouragement. You won’t find cliches, canned responses, or overused expressions. I don’t ever want to slap a band-aid quote on someone’s pain or undermine their joy with an equally sugary sweet response.

It’s also not a dark, sad lament. While there are moments of hard, moments of sad, and stories of overcoming that I want to share, my goal is to share them from a place of learning, reflection, and vulnerability.

I am so excited. I have so much to share, so many things planned, and so much hope that together we can continue to spread positivity to those around us.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you here again. I’d love for you to hop in the little, red car and speed along with me as I shout to the world from my big, loud, and upside Down perspective.