I'm kind of slacking in the blogging department, I know. I still LOVE it, and I still long to leave some things for my children and grandchildren to read...but life is keeping me on the go!
Or maybe I just need to be more disciplined.
Probably the discipline one.
Anyway, this is October: Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
Or, as we like to call it in our family: The Month of Joshua's People.
Every day I am trying to post a thought or a memory about our Down Syndrome journey. I should just link it to the blog, or link the blog to Facebook...but this blog is the last avenue I have to share from my heart. Now that Joshua has Facebook and Instagram, I have to be more careful in the things I know he will read...because I never want to hurt his feelings in any way.
Anyway, if you want to keep up with the daily posts this month, you can follow me here.
I know I post a version of this every year in October, but I can’t help it. Every time I think of how God went before us in this journey...how He was working on our behalf, even when we couldn’t see it...I can’t help but share this story.
Because it’s all so unlikely.
Unlikely that a little Kindergarten girl would befriend a very different little Kindergarten boy...and that they would be friends all the way through school.
During Joshua's 2nd year of Kindergarten, he met Lindsey Walker. Lindsey's mom was a teacher at their school, and they lived in our neighborhood. I don't know how it happened, or why, but Lindsey Walker latched on to Joshua...and would not let him go. She became his friend, confidant, protector and helper.
Her family also went to our church, so she and Joshua were in Sunday School and children's choir together. He couldn't get away from her if he tried!
Lindsey Walker told him what to do and when to do it. She helped him when he needed help...and even sometimes when he didn't! She fought WITH him...and she fought FOR him. She was a friend to Joshua, and a blessing to this Momma for sure!
Joshua and Lindsey Walker stayed friends all the way through school. I think they were even football managers together in the 7th grade. They graduated together, and Lindsey headed to college...to be a TEACHER.
Joshua's life would've been quite different without Lindsey Walker, I'm certain of it.
If you are a parent, tell this to your kids...if you're a teacher, tell your students...if you're a student, understand this: never underestimate the influence you can have in the life of even ONE other person.
All that Joshua accomplished in school first started with ONE teacher who believed in him...and ONE little girl...who took a chance on an unlikely friendship with ONE little boy...and it made ALL the difference in the world.
"The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense." Proverbs 27:9
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