Guest speaker round two!

Is the microphone still on? Okay... our next guest speaker is my aunt Debbie. She has known me a real long time as she describes. I love her every ounce as much as she loves on me! Smooches aunt Debbie. Written by Debbie:

I still recall the day I met my two beautiful nephews for the first time. It was a cold, wet December day and I couldn't wait to visit my sis at St. Joseph's Hospital and hold my two nephews for the first time. I remember sitting and talking with my sister as she was describing some tests the doctor wanted to have done with Tommy to determine if he had Ds - this was not a total shock since he was flagged in-utero as possibly having Ds. I remember holding him and his little fingers and her saying but "You know I already kinda know he does, don't you?" and I smiled at her shaking my head yes and thinking to myself wow our lives have all just shifted a bit and I wondered what kind of impact this little boy with the angelic face will have on all of our world's. Well I can tell you he lights up a part of your heart you didn't know existed. I truly think people with Ds are angels sent to teach all of us what true love really is.


All four of my children absolutely adore Tommy and beg to see him on a regular basis. I didn't really realize the impact Tommy had on them until Maddy my youngest started pre-K this year and has a little boy in her class with Ds (N). She absolutely is drawn to Noah and talks to him, helps him, loves him every day. I know this is directly attributed to her interactions with Tommy - he is such a good little teacher and he doesn't even know it!! We all LOVE to do the BUDDY WALK every fall and last year we got to go to the DSO Calendar release - let me tell you what an AWESOME feeling it is to be in a room where you are a minority and you're surrounded by people with Ds!!!! We are all so very fortunate to have Tommy in our lives and I can't wait to give him a big squeeze and kiss next time I see him!! Here's a great poem and an excerpt from Erma Bombeck that I love.

The Creed of Babies with Down Syndrome Author unknown - submitted by Hope Colen

My face might be different But my feelings the same I laugh and I cry And I take pride in my gains I was sent here among you To teach you to love As god in the heavens Looks down from above To him I'm no different His love knows no bounds It's those here among you In cities and towns That judge me by standards That man has imparted But this family I've chosen Will help me get started For I'm one of the children So special and few That came here to learn The same lessons as you That love is acceptance It must come from the heart We all have the same purpose Though not the same start The Lord gave me life To live and embrace And I'll do as you do But at my own pace.

God Chooses a Mom for a Disabled Child by Erma Bombeck Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures, and a couple by habit. This year, nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen ? Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to make notes in a giant ledger. "Armstrong, Beth; son; patron saint, Matthew." "Forrester, Marjorie; daughter; patron saint, Cecelia." "Rudledge, Carrie; twins; patron saint... give her Gerard. He's used to profanity." Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God ? She's so happy." "Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a handicapped child a mother who does not know laughter ? That would be cruel." "But has she patience ?" asks the angel. "I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independance. She'll have to teach the child to live in her world and that's not going to be easy." "But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles. "No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps, "Selfishness ? Is that a virtue ?" God nods. "If she can't seperate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, there is a woman I will bless with a child less then perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word.' She will never consider a 'step' ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle and know it ! When she describes a tree or a sunset to her blind child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations. "I will permit her to see clearly the things I see --- ignorance, cruelty, prejudice --- and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side." "And what about her patron saint ?" asks the angel, his pen poised in midair. God smiles. " A mirror will suffice."