**THROWBACK POST**
Smile! It was picture day yesterday at school. Thomas was sporting a fresh haircut and Lillian was sparkling with blue body glitter. Wheeee!
Blessings,
Team TLC
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!
Did you know Camilla wrote a book? It’s titled “D iz for Different – One Woman’s Journey to Acceptance” and you can read more about it here.
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**THROWBACK POST**
September 17 2013:
Lillian’s Birthday was this past Saturday, 9.14 …. Happy Happy Happy 12th Birthday to an incredibly amazing and awesome Fairy Princess by the name of Lillian Paige Darnell. I am blessed to eternity to get to be your Mama and to have your magical presence in my life. You are PERFECT just as you were created and were created that way on purpose and for a reason.
It is crystal clear why you and I were paired together as Mother and Daughter. We have much that we have taught one another and will continue to teach each other. We had and still have some wild and crazy shifting and awakening to guide each other through …
I overflow with gratitude and HappYness that I get to dance the dance of life with YOU!! Rock on with your twelfth year of life in this beautiful and amazing world we get to call HOME!! I LOVE YOU LILLIAN!!!
August 14 2017:
Lillian and Camilla August 2017 Date Day – First, swimming! Then home for lunch. Next, dessert of a snicker doodle cookie for Lillian and vegan chocolate donut for me. Rounding out the dessert with an orange popsicle she’s been wanting.
Next up was reading at the park with this lovely view.
And, last stop was reading at the park with this lovely view. Then, throwing the frisbee. Ending with an amazing, soothing, and peaceful walk …. plus, munching on these beautiful grapes.
August 6 2017:
Sunset/Moonlit walk with Lillian. Bathing in the light of this amazing moon. We found a cozy spot perfect for moon bathing. So much gratitude! xoxoxoxo
August 8 2017:
Moonlit walk with Thomas last night. Fed the ducks and ducklings and then bathed in the light of the moon. Bring it Mama Gaia …. 🌎🌙
August 10 2017:
Sunset walk with Thomas. Gosh! Conversations with him simply blow my mind. A long walk and then a long sit on the lodge patio.
We talked about his thoughts on Disney movies, people who are paid to create viral videos, thoughts on why and what people find amusing in some of these videos, Sam Walton, Wal-Mart employee pay vs amount of money the company brings in weekly, obsessive compulsive tendencies, autism, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, adult beverages, and I’m sure more that I’m leaving out. And this was only about an hour and a half!
He found a treasure during our walk and explained it to me. He also spotted an amazing heart for me to photograph. And, apparently a kiss from me is explosive! Wahooo!!! I choose happy …. xoxo
August 11 2017:
Sunset walk for all of Team TLC. Beautiful with a light breeze and fun conversation. Left a treasure for someone to discover and claim. I’ve had the “acceptance” rock for many years and it was time to pass it on.
Thomas and Lillian had fun with her braids in one of the pictures. We laughed a lot during this walk. And that felt good. I choose happy.
August 7 2017:
Back to unschool for these two. Lillian – 11th grade. Thomas – 6th grade.
July 30 2017:
Sunset trip to one of our favorite parks. Frisbee, throwing the ball, and a short walk. xoxoxo
July 31 2017:
Sunset walk with Lillian. Oh my goodness! What an amazing sunset. Clouds, sun, water, light breeze, trees, and great company …. Such sweet music for the heart and soul …. Yes. Thank you. Bring me more please. xoxoxo …..
August 1 2017:
Such a beautiful and heart full time visiting with you, Barbara Richmond Chastain, and Bill this afternoon. Washoe Valley is incredibly gorgeous! We are so happy for you two for this amazing adventure you’re traveling!! Thomas and I sure enjoyed chatting with you both. xoxoxoxo
August 4 2017:
Sunset walk for Thomas and I last night. Almost missed the amazing sunset. Thank you Mother Nature.
August 4 2017:
Morning walk …. Cormorant and pelican wisdom. Such beauties! I’m always so excited to see them. xoxoxo
**THROWBACK POST**
April 23 2015
I love putting together a puzzle with Lillian! We finished this one last night. Love-filled moments … Pass ’em on and share ’em! xoxo
July 25 2017:
Lillian and Camilla July 2017 Date Day – Lunch at the park. Had the park all to ourselves. Pretty cool that it rained while we ate at the covered tables and stopped about the time we finished. Next up, throwing the frisbee.
Then to pick up dessert, head home, and enjoy it at the lodge. Birthday bar for Lillian and vegan chocolate chip and ginger snap cookie for me.
Finishing our date with a sunset walk.
**THROWBACK POST**
April 23, 2013
This young lady right here, the one holding the Sun ….
In my “Compliment” note tonight she wrote, “I like your courage to not give up.” WOW! Both of these little people in my life are so full of wisdom and are so intuitive …. They are part of my purpose and I part of their purpose … We are a Team indeed.
I’ve been sick with some kinda crud since last Thursday and these two have been awesome … Made my eyes sweat ….
July 10 2017:
Picked up a load of Biggest Little Photographer books this morning! He gets to fly to Chicago tomorrow. No luggage for you Biggest Little Photographer. You are your own luggage! xoxoxo
July 11 2017:
We made it! Early morning flight. We got to see the sun rise. Now just waiting for our room. Great flight. Great ride here.
Thank you Stacey Perez for having Lovey over for a vacation at The Perez Casa. And thank you times a million for picking up Rosey from the airport. It was great to be able to drive our own car this morning!
July 11 2017:
Spinach salad with red and green peppers, red onions, mushrooms, and roasted potatoes …. with a honey mustard dressing. Thomas and Lillian had more traditional pub items. Yet, so happy and grateful this was on the menu for me!!
July 12 2017:
They communicate nearly daily. One lives in Reno, Nevada and one lives in Kentucky. I got the countdown all day as to when she would arrive this afternoon in Naperville.
Finally!! They get to be together face to face!! I think Macy Miller and Lillian Darnell are kinda happy.
July 13 2017:
He waits all year to be a crazy kid with his sibling friends. Here they are off to a sibling outing. This makes my eyes pool with sweat. Love ….
Looks kind of messy in this picture, yet it was soooooo amazing!!!! Incredibly yummy bruschetta I had for dinner last night at a local place that donated 15% from the evening to The Chromosome 18 Registry. Thank you Bricks Wood Fired Pizza!! Thomas and Lillian loved their dinner too! xoxo
July 14 2017:
Swimming with friends for Thomas. And I got to meet Kunali! He was laser focused on where his dad went. I adore his ears. So cute! Then there was sitting on the couch and chatting and being silly with friends.
Making “music” after lunch. (Thanks Kerry Connelly for taking this one.)
Wee little walk around the hotel yesterday with Lillian. Beautiful flowers and a cool accidental photo. Plus, a flowers view of the hotel. Yay!! Fresh air and bits of nature. xoxoxo …
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Favorite Chromosome 18 Conference comment so far: “I don’t think I can answer anymore questions Kati.” -Matt Miller (Debra Anne Kovacs) xoxo …. Love Ms. Kati!!
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July 15 2017:
“This is why we come to the Chromosome 18 Conference!” – Wendy Waugh
Lillian and Chris having a great conversation!
Lillian Darnell did an amazing job interviewing with Chris of Special Books by Special Kids!!!!! You go Lillian!!!
Happy, happy, joy, joy …. xoxo …..
Picture of 18p- group …. xoxoxoxo
Farewell Dinner and Dance
July 16 2017
One more with Mr. Chris last night and a farewell photo with Mary Borucki. Wonderful people! Blessed and grateful!! xoxo
July 16 2017:
Wish we’d had more time to explore the Naperville Riverwalk. So incredibly beautiful. Only got one hour there before we had to make our way to the airport. The music from the carillon is indescribably amazing. Would love to have toured it! And that’s one wide tree! If I had known it was so peaceful and soothing, I may have been MIA from the conference. Oh my gosh!!
This one called for its own post …. “What We Need” ….
This spoke to me deeply. Time disappeared, all else faded. It was only these words, nature, and me. Be still. And know. xoxoxo
July 17 2017:
Approaching the Reno Tahoe airport last night in first picture. Somewhere over Utah or Nevada in the other pictures. Nature and love are incredibly beautiful and good for us. xoxo …
July 17 2017:
Just picked up Lovey, the guinea pig, from The Perez Resort (ran by Stacey, Eric, and Mason Perez). They are so good to her and Team TLC.
They clipped her nails and fed her all kinds of yummy fruits and veggies. She graced them with many great guinea pig sounds for all their efforts!
They picked up Rosey, Team TLC’s car, at the airport last Tuesday so I was able to drive us to the airport at 4:00 am Tuesday morning. They filled up Rosey’s tank; which hasn’t been full in quite a while!! They delivered Rosey back to us at the arrival pick up area last night at Reno-Tahoe airport!!
Thank you Stacey, Eric, and Mason! Y’all are the best and we are so incredibly blessed and grateful for your kindness and love!!! xoxoxoxoxo
July 18 2017:
Most “WOW” conference moment … We traveled nearly 2,000 miles from Reno to Naperville and met a mom and daughter (with trisomy 18p) from Grass Valley, California … about an hour and a half from here. It was their 1st conference! Can’t wait to visit them in Grass Valley! Virginia was born in 1961 and was diagnosed in 2012. xoxo
Best follow up comment to a session at the Chromosome 18 conference:
“The people who created the formulas and rules were drunk.”
Comment courtesy of Thomas after he and I had a discussion about John McGing’s SSI/SSDI/Medicaid/Medicare session. It’s enough to drive one to drinking … Cheers! …. xoxo
July 19 2017:
Fifteen Biggest Little Photographer books travelled by backpack to Naperville with us. Only three came back.
Oceans and oceans of gratitude to everyone for their support, and to Thomas and Biggest Little Photographer for being the Way for Team TLC to eat while we were there!
YAY for food! YAY for inspiring creations! xoxo