Well, if you have read our first post and have been on the edge of your seats, then you are a very patient person. We have been talking about blogging for some time and have not known how to kick it off. We have a good excuse now.
Since we launched Deedah in May we have met many people at film festivals and have received incredible feedback about the film. But, we’ll be honest, it is hard to get discovered.
This week we hit the big time. Kelle Hampton posted a review and a link to the Deedah trailer on her blog small things. WoW! In two days the trailer was viewed over 9,000 times and the traffic over to Down Syndrome Footprint to buy the DVD has been incredible.
From that post, Deedah has shown up on Life with Sweet Pea and My Life with Gabriel.
In addition, we have received several requests to sponsor doctor’s offices and schools. Thanks to Stacy in Regina, Saskatchewan (!) for sponsoring her schools.
And we have 60 new fans on our Deedah Facebook page.
So here’s the deal. Brooke has lots of things she wants to share about life with Deedah and Jonathan, but doesn’t know how to start. So I thought I would kick this off. If you want to give her encouragement, leave her a comment below.
Until next time.
Phil
I just am overwhelmed with the genuine love you & your brother have for one another. I have 3 small children & I desperately want to foster that love within their relationships with one another. You both have precious hearts….thank you for speaking to the world about your journey. It’s brave. And it’s so very helpful.
I’m one of the people that discovered “Deedah” on Kelle Hampton’s blog. The trailer touched me in ways I can’t even express. Thank you for sharing Deedah and Jonathan. They are wonderful children. They each have so much to teach each other. But more than anything, they have so much love to share.
I look forward to your future posts.
When visiting Kelle’s blog, I was deeply moved when watching “Deedah and Me”.
Deedah is so very open, articulate and honest. She represents many of us — parent, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparent, friend, and neighbor — who so badly want the world to see the person with Down syndrome we love as a PERSON FIRST.
I can’t wait to see the film, but more importantly to share it with everyone in our lives, including our son’s school population. What you are doing is incredible — and very much appreciated!!!
♥
I’m looking forward to reading your blog! I’m sure it is daunting trying to start but take your inspiration from Kelle (some of her best posts are about nothing, really, and yet they turn out to be about everything important…) and most of all from Charlotte and Jonathan! Showing that life in a household where one member of the family has Up syndrome is as “normal” and beautiful as any other household is really what this is all about and that’s what you have done with the movie, so just continue that by writing about your day to day and tell us all what you are up to. We’re all here reading because we’ve fallen in love with your family and want to support you so don’t worry and just jump in!
Hi Brooke,
My name is Liz, I am the mom of 3 with my little girl (6 months old) having down syndrome. I was in tears watching the trailer for your documentary. Being new to the world of “special needs” I search and search for any little snippet of our future I can find and your trailer filled a huge need for me. I sometimes sit and think that Ella won’t be like the other kids and watching your kids, I was filled with hope and encouragement for the future. Thank you. I know my blog is nothing like Kelle’s (I can’t take a picture to save my life) but maybe it will encourage you as well to start writing! http://raisingellalynn.blogspot.com/ Best of luck in your blogging adventures! Liz
I, too, discovered Deedah on Kelle Hampton’s blog – and I’m so very glad that I did! I’m upset that I didn’t catch the screening of Deedah in Orlando, but I’ve ordered my own copy and can’t wait for it to arrive! I have two boys, 19 & 20…my 19-year old (Jared) has Down Syndrome and has called his brother (Justin) Audie since they were 4 & 5. We’ve never figured out if Audie meant brother or Justin, but Audie is our Audie and always will be, thanks to his brother! I really saw my two boys (15 years back) when I watched the Deedah trailer – thank YOU for sharing your story!
This is going to be another fabulous blog to come to as I see our similarities beyond sharing a child with extra ingrediants. Charlotte rocking those pearls in some of the interviews and all the Southern manners Jonathan shoes off. What class. This film touched my soul at my very first NDCC convention and I’m so glad to pass on the good words your family has shared.
So fantastic guys…so excited and happy for you. Fear not Brooke. You rock.
Hello,
I was at the convention for the NDSC this July and was at the viewing of Deedah on Sunday. I was so moved (from laughing, to tearing up, to smiling so much that I thought my heart would burst) that I immediately went to buy it. Since then, I’ve shown my whole family and my son’s early intervention teacher, who showed her son, a 24 year old with Down syndrome. I work for a board of education in southern New Jersey and hope to inspire our Supervisor of Early Education to put this in our schools’ libraries. I will do my best to spread the word!
I have to say that your family is simply beautiful and inspiring. It’s videos like these that convinces me that we CAN change perceptions; we can change the world. Thank you for sharing your story! I wish you the best of luck!
Pam
PS- can’t wait for future posts
I’m Pam’s mom (see above). Our whole family watched the video at a luncheon after our “magic man’s ” baptism. Not a dry eye in the bunch; we were so moved and excited. Maybe a glimpse of what’s to come for us. We are all learning so much and this video was a God-send. So glad you’re blogging so that we may continue to peek into your lives. You are an extraordinary family and we’re grateful to “know” you!
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Does one offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind composing a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome weblog!
Hi Ned, thank you for the kind comments. We are thrilled you love the blog. We wish we had more time to document the kids growing up. We have invited a few guest bloggers. I can’t promise we will post your entry, but you are welcome to submit a guest blog. thx, Phil
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