On the same journey

When Ashlyn was first born and we received her Down Syndrome diagnosis, I felt very alone and isolated.  I knew no one personally who was in our same situation.  It wasn't long before that all changed and God began to bring people into our lives who were also in our situation.  I have connected with so many people who I never would have otherwise met and they have all been such a help and encouragement to us. 

I also began following the blogs of others who had children with Down Syndrome.  It is amazing how much you can feel like you know someone even when you really don't.  It is just an encouragement to know there are others on the same journey.  Last week we were made aware of two different articles written by parents of children with Down Syndrome.  And, again, I see the people God has placed on the same path as us and I am so proud of how they are using their voices to honor their children and the Down Syndrome community as a whole.

The first article is written by Gabe Lyons who my husband knew about before I ever did.  He has written books that my husband knows about and learned that he has a son with Down Syndrome.  Anyway, he wrote this article that is just so good.  It is getting lots of publicity right now, probably because it is very well written and speaks very honestly about how the culture we live in craves a perfection that we can control.  And when somethings happens that we can't control, we want to take the control back by getting rid of it, which is why the abortion rate of Down Syndrome babies is so very high.  You can read the article here.....
To Cade and the Eight Percent

Then just days after that article, my husband was made aware of another article written by a mother of a Down Syndrome daughter.  Her name is Amy Julia Becker and she wrote the article about how her daughter has caused her to rethink perfection and all the other things God is teaching her through her daughter.  I loved reading it and could relate to so much of it.  You can read that article here....
It's No Mistake, Penny is Perfect 

I am really thankful for the people who are on this same journey with us.  Most of all I am thankful for a child who brought us into this community and all of the beauty we are finding here.