[Down Syndrome Awareness]
Our Daily Fred: When Joshua was born, I had to have an emergency c-section, and so I was put to sleep. I not only missed Joshua's birth...I missed when the doctor told us that Joshua had Down Syndrome.
Everything was hazy as I was waking up...I remember hushed voices and people all around. I remember my friend, Carolyn, being there and talking to me. I instinctively knew something wasn't right, and kept fighting to wake up.
When Jim finally told me about Joshua, I still didn't understand. I've written before about how I knew NOTHING about Down Syndrome. AT ALL. Oh, I studied it in college, so I obviously knew something about it at some point. But I didn't retain that information. I mean, why would I?
It wasn't going to apply to me.
Regardless, I didn't care what they said. I thought he was wonderful, and I was just so thrilled to be a mom.
Jim had the task of calling everyone to tell them we'd had the baby...and that he had Down Syndrome. I sat in the bed and cried. It was hard listening to Jim make the calls, and answer all the questions.
When they finally brought Joshua to me, I just stared at him. What did the doctors see? I thought he was the most beautiful baby I'd ever seen.
I heard Jim on the phone with our friends, Billy and Sherri. Jim was saying, "don't come...we're fine." It seemed like just a few minutes had passed when they walked through my hospital-room door.
Because OF COURSE they came.
That's what friends do. They show up.
Even when it's hard.
I remember Billy asking Jim, "do you think Joshua will be able to hold a fishing pole?" Jim said, "yes, I think he will." Billy said, "well, then...he's a keeper!"
OH YES HE IS!
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb." (Psalm 139: 13-15)
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