Day 9---difference

Before I had a child with Down syndrome, I had no idea what raising a child with special needs meant for me. Sure, my first husband's family raised his older brother at home and he has significant delays and I saw it daily for many years. But, I had no idea what raising a child with special needs would mean for us.

For us, it means raising our boys with tolerance for everyone in the world.
It means raising our children to, hopefully, be more compassionate to those around them.
It means raising them to know that every person has worth in this world, no matter their limitations.
It means not saying "retarded" and it means limiting ourselves around those who do.
It means waiting for milestones and really savoring them when they come.
It means frustration for me (and for them) when our child cannot convey their needs.
It means trusting my gut when I know something is off with one of the boys but they cannot tell me.
It means trusting in God that He was right when he chose me to mother 4 boys including 2 with Down syndrome.
It means laughter--all of our boys have a great sense of humor.
It means routine, routine, routine. My boys, all of them, thrive on routine and schedules which also means there are times when we simply cannot do some things in life.
It means practice, practice, practice for them and for me.
It means our family is perfect.
It means our life is good.
It means those who have moved on without us in their lives are missing out and not the other way around.
It means different--different is not always bad, I'd rather be raising my boys as is than to be on a different path with no Down syndrome at all.
It means challenges, fights & standing up for what my boys need whether society thinks they need it or not.
It means IEP's---involved educated parents.
It means love--pure, unadulterated, straight from the heart love.

I do wish everyone knew what raising a child with Down syndrome was like and raising them with typically developing siblings and I wish more children with Down syndrome were not aborted or abandoned in life. Rationally, I know this will never happen. Some people have no business raising any child, let alone a child with special needs, but, what a joy we've been given and I am thankful for the chance to know and love all my boys--even when they drive me crazy (which is often).





"I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." Isaiah 45:2-3 (NIV)