The day I talked about my son’s Down Syndrome diagnosis without crying

January 22, 2018 by Dawn@cedarsstory.com Leave a Comment

I wondered, in the beginning, if I would ever experience this day, The day I would be able to talk about my son’s Down Syndrome diagnosis and not cry.

Sharing My Son with Down Syndrome

January 12, 2018 by Dawn@cedarsstory.com 11 Comments

Why I choose to Publicly Share My son who has Down’s Syndrome

When we found out about our son Cedar’s diagnosis of Down Syndrome, I didn’t know anyone with Down Syndrome. I couldn’t recall seeing more than a handful of people with Down Syndrome in public in my whole life.

That is where part of the fear came from, the fear of the unknown.

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Intangible Gifts- The Gift of Opportunity

December 23, 2017 by Dawn@cedarsstory.com Leave a Comment

Have you ever given thought to the kind of gifts you would like to give your child? I don’t mean the kind that Amazon Prime can deliver when you wait until December 23rd to shop, but the kind that cannot be purchased?

I have always enjoyed giving gifts, even more than opening ones that someone else has given to me. I love the anticipation of the recipient’s reaction and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with finding the perfect thing that elicits’s a squeal of delight.

However, this time of year we can all get caught up in the buying and materialism that comes with a commercial Christmas. It is exactly this that led me to think about what kinds of gifts I wanted to give my children that cannot be wrapped. More specifically, my son Cedar who has Down Syndrome, what do I want to give him for Christmas?

I want to give him the world.

Let me explain, I want him to have every opportunity in the world that his siblings have. The opportunity to be who God designed him to be without society’s limits on him as things may take him a bit longer. I want him to know that he is supported, loved, and cherished beyond belief (as are all of my 6 children). I want him to know that he will always have someone to guide him, love him, cherish him…that comes with being born into a large family, the exact one that God chose for him.

I want him to have the opportunities that people like him did not have just 50 years ago. Our country has a rather appalling history when it comes to the treatment of those with disabilities, it was not that long ago that children born with Down Syndrome were shuffled away into institutions and not encouraged to be raised in the loving environment of a family home.

This breaks my heart. It is still going on in other countries today.

I cannot imagine being a mom who learns that her child has Down Syndrome, only to be told that the best thing for a child like this is to be sent away.

I will not ever send Cedar away. I will give him opportunities to blossom, to learn, to grow and to soar.

I am thankful that the tide is turning for those who have Down Syndrome. I am thankful that society is at least beginning to see their worth and I hope to help take part in that change for as long as I have breath.

So, for this Christmas, I want to give my child the intangible gift of opportunity.

What gift would you give your child that cannot be placed under a tree?

Down Syndrome Blogger Related Posts:

A Priceless Gift: Beanpost Farmstead

An Unwrappable Gift- The Mini Malpi

We Are Thankful for Down Syndrome

November 23, 2017 by Dawn@cedarsstory.com Leave a Comment

I know it may sound strange to some, in fact, I would have questioned it just a year ago. But, there are so many of us out here that are THANKFUL for Down Syndrome. I asked some of our amazing friends from around the world to participate in showing the world why they are thankful for Down Syndrome…

Our loved ones are AMAZING. We want the world to know they shouldn’t be sorry because we are Thankful.

I Am Thankful For Down Syndrome

November 20, 2017 by Dawn@cedarsstory.com 2 Comments

This is the time of year where we think about all of our blessings and those things that we are thankful for. I do this and encourage my 6 children to as well. I found something interesting as of late though, I have been thanking God that my son has Down Syndrome.

I am thankful my son has Down Syndrome because…

There is a whole community of the most loving, kind, and amazing people that I never knew existed.

People have sent me messages, emails, and even a few gifts because we made a connection based on a chromosomal count. I have never in my parenting life seen such an intense and instantaneous bond as between families who all love someone with an extra chromosome. It really surpasses age, gender, socioeconomic status, and culture. We all get it, it’s hard at first, we almost all experience the same emotions but then we see the joy.

My son wouldn’t be who he is without Down Syndrome

I remember the first time I saw a parent write that and I was baffled. I truly couldn’t comprehend when I heard a parent she wouldn’t take away the Down Syndrome if she could, I get it now. I would take away some of the struggles that my Cedar will face, I would take away the stereotypes and the ignorance, but I would not take it away because it is what makes my Cedar uniquely him. None of my other children have allowed me to watch them work so hard to achieve a milestone and have let me enjoy the phases of baby life that I get to enjoy just a little bit longer this time. None of my other children have been so laid back, easy to please, and gentle as this one.

Just a different placement

I know of a number of mamas who have expected a baby, like I did, and then later learned that their child was to have a Trisomy of another kind. Down Syndrome is extra genetic material on the 21st chromosome, however, there is also Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 15 both of which are more often fatal. Because my son has Trisomy 21, and not one of the other Trisomy disorders, he is here with me and not in heaven already. For that I am infinitely thankful.

I have found a new purpose

I have always cheered for the underdog, but I now do it with a fervor that has yet to be matched. I have found a new purpose for my spare time and I love helping others and connecting people all across this great world of ours. I was a social worker before I began staying home with my children a few years ago, I have always been a people helper, but this is a whole new lease on helping others. I want to help them see the potential in disabilities and help my son find a place in this world. I want the world to know that God does not make mistakes, my faith in his plan has helped me fine tune how I direct my efforts.

Down Syndrome is not to be feared, it is for us to learn from

I have heard it said that we learn more from our children with Down Syndrome than we could ever teach them. I have already started to see the truth in this. I am learning from my son, learning patience, learning tenacity, learning peace. Those who I have meant that are young adults with Down Syndrome possess a satisfaction with themselves and a level of confidence that most of us would love to attain. I like to think that it is kind of what we would see if we could see ourselves through God’s eyes. God doesn’t see the imperfections we think we have, he sees a miraculous creation, most of those whom I have met with Down Syndrome seem to possess a bit of this vision.

The interesting thing is I can remember praying so hard that our son would not have Down Syndrome when we first began to suspect it, I prayed and yearned for God to answer that one prayer. He did not answer it in the way I wanted back then, but as always, he knows what I need more than I ever will. Now, I thank him for letting me be a part of the world of Down Syndrome and seeing it through the eyes of my son, Cedar.

If you think my perspective is unique, let me share something with you. There is a whole tribe of mamas out there who also feel this way about their little ones. They too are Thankful For Down Syndrome. Here are a few other bloggers who will tell you why.

Courtney is a mom of three including beautiful twin boys, one with an extra chromosome. She began her blog Inclusion Evolution to advocate for inclusion in school and work for individuals with Down syndrome. Her goal is to empower parents, teachers, employers and self-advocates to create better opportunities for our loved ones through advocacy.

Read About Her Thoughts on Thankfulness

Be sure to find her on instagram @InclusionEvolution

Trista and her beautiful Bernadette are showing the world that they are thankful too Trista blogs over at TristaPark.com and says “I created my blog is to process through the journey. The prenatal diagnosis, the heart surgeries, life in general. It’s been a really good outlet for me to process all the emotions and events especially those of this last year. And through that, I hope to encourage other moms with kiddos with special needs that they are not alone and all the feelings are ok!”

READ HER THANKFUL POST HERE

Be sure to find her on Instagram @mrs_t_park

Joy has a unique perspective here too, she has 2 biological children who BOTH have Down Syndrome. Both Rudy & Desi show their family joy and that God has a purpose for all of us. Joy and her family also have a passion for homesteading and you can find all of her inspirational posts at The Beanpost Farmstead.