October: Down Syndrome Awareness
I don't know about anyone else, but I have always had good experiences with people with down syndrome.
When I was pregnant the doctors wanted to do the normal tests to see if the baby would have disabilities, but we decided against it because regardless of if there was something wrong we were going to accept and love our child. Some people can do that easily, other's can't. Many time people with down syndrome have health issues. But the many I have met, are so loving and happy even when they are going through it all.
I used to work as my church secretary; in the same building we had a day care, food pantry, and a medical clinic. I've always battled depression and anger and this day in particular was a difficult one. I walked over to the clinic to put some of our church flyers in the lobby. Standing at the end of the hallway was a down syndrome toddler who saw me and his face lit up with joy. He smiled at me the whole way I walked down the hall and when I reached him he grabbed my hand and walked me in to the clinic waiting room. That little amount of genuine love, acceptance, and affection was exactly what I needed at that moment. Women always seem to need to feel loved and accepted and this little pint size toe-headed boy was my dose of love that day.
I had a down syndrome cousin when I was kid. He couldn't communicate very well but he still could. As we got older and grew, every time he saw us he couldn't believe how tall we had gotten. Well, not me lol I'm the short one of all of us kids. But he would express how tall my older sister had gotten by grunting and putting his hand down by his waist and then up high over his head. It always made us laugh at his pure shock and excitement about it.
It wasn't weird for us or unusual to be around him. It was normal to love an accept. That's what we were taught. (It wasn't always lived, but it was taught.)
When he passed away, I was grown and out of the house, but my dad had told me about it. He said the day it happened, before he knew, he had a dream and saw Doug and Jesus walking hand in hand into Heaven. When my dad woke up that day he learned that indeed Doug had passed away.
Down Syndrome doesn't mean that the child can't have a good and fulfilling life. It just means their life is going to be a little bit different than what you had planned for your child in your mind.
This is true for all of our children, disabled or not. We all have expectations and desires for our children that most likely won't be met. We, me very much included, have to learn to accept our children, enjoy the moments we have, and pray for them to walk in the path God has prepared for them.
I pray I am able to be around and watch my children grown into wonderful adults. I don't know what God may have in store for us, but whatever it may be, may I enjoy it and stay steadfast in Him through it all.
When I was pregnant the doctors wanted to do the normal tests to see if the baby would have disabilities, but we decided against it because regardless of if there was something wrong we were going to accept and love our child. Some people can do that easily, other's can't. Many time people with down syndrome have health issues. But the many I have met, are so loving and happy even when they are going through it all.
I used to work as my church secretary; in the same building we had a day care, food pantry, and a medical clinic. I've always battled depression and anger and this day in particular was a difficult one. I walked over to the clinic to put some of our church flyers in the lobby. Standing at the end of the hallway was a down syndrome toddler who saw me and his face lit up with joy. He smiled at me the whole way I walked down the hall and when I reached him he grabbed my hand and walked me in to the clinic waiting room. That little amount of genuine love, acceptance, and affection was exactly what I needed at that moment. Women always seem to need to feel loved and accepted and this little pint size toe-headed boy was my dose of love that day.
I had a down syndrome cousin when I was kid. He couldn't communicate very well but he still could. As we got older and grew, every time he saw us he couldn't believe how tall we had gotten. Well, not me lol I'm the short one of all of us kids. But he would express how tall my older sister had gotten by grunting and putting his hand down by his waist and then up high over his head. It always made us laugh at his pure shock and excitement about it.
It wasn't weird for us or unusual to be around him. It was normal to love an accept. That's what we were taught. (It wasn't always lived, but it was taught.)
When he passed away, I was grown and out of the house, but my dad had told me about it. He said the day it happened, before he knew, he had a dream and saw Doug and Jesus walking hand in hand into Heaven. When my dad woke up that day he learned that indeed Doug had passed away.
Down Syndrome doesn't mean that the child can't have a good and fulfilling life. It just means their life is going to be a little bit different than what you had planned for your child in your mind.
This is true for all of our children, disabled or not. We all have expectations and desires for our children that most likely won't be met. We, me very much included, have to learn to accept our children, enjoy the moments we have, and pray for them to walk in the path God has prepared for them.
I pray I am able to be around and watch my children grown into wonderful adults. I don't know what God may have in store for us, but whatever it may be, may I enjoy it and stay steadfast in Him through it all.
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