I remember the day like it was yesterday. I was holding my new baby boy, wrapped in my arms when I found out. He was all snug in a blanket, looking up at me as I cried, listening to the doctors and staff tell me, only minutes after he was born that he had Down Syndrome and what that meant. And in those first few days , after hearing the statistics, talking to doctors and researching online I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I knew what it meant to have a child with Down Syndrome, but quite frankly I was devastated and scared.

I know you're scared. I know you have fears. I want to know this journey is not easy, but you have an opportunity. An opportunity to make a profound difference in your little one's life, to be their advocate, to be a part of an amazing community, and to feel wondrous love. If you ever wanted to find purpose in life, I can tell you, your search is over.

I’m thankful for my daughter. Riley Rose is such a precious child. She fills our day with laughter and smiles. As mothers of extraordinary children, we face challenging days. Another illness, milestone missed, unkind word, or unexpected set back. Everyday I work on having a grateful heart! Some days, that comes easy & some days I have to work harder to master a heart of gratitude. But that’s all part of our journey.

I’m so grateful that you weren’t what I expected! Because that precious one—with that extra chromosome—will be so much better and so much more than anything you ever could have wished for or hoped for. I promise you will have such a full and happy life because of this child! 

Dear Mom, having a child with Down syndrome is very much what I imagine bungee jumping to be like. At first, it’s so scary: you’re close to crying (or just plain crying), hands are shaking and you’re frozen in the chaos... but suddenly you realize that you’re soaring and completely secure; you realize you’re in the presence of wonder, and you’re having the most fun of your life.