Day 5...

Hello, from rainy So. Cal.
It has been cloudy, windy, and wet here for most of the day. It truly feels like fall. :) I LOVE IT!!! I crave a change in seasons, a shift in the atmosphere. And we need the rain. It renews the air around us, and it's gentle sounds on our roof and dripping off the surrounding trees lulls us. Thank You, GOD! :)

Well, what I want to share with you today is this... . Did you know that currently, 92% of all women worldwide who receive a definitive prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome choose to terminate their pregnancy.
Isn't that heart wrenching? For me it is. To me it says that somebody thinks a person like MY CHILD is unworthy of life.
When we had our boy his Dx was a "surprise", but not (for me) a world crushing blow. I was not sad or mad, and I know me well enough to know that even if I had learned his Dx prenatally that it wouldn't have changed a thing for me. I wanted to be a mom. My prayers were answered in the way I had hoped. Period.
What I wonder is why was the way I reacted the exception, and not the rule. All I know is Dear God... I pray that I am raising my children to have a better attitude than generations before them. I am not special. And although I am not sure that I am a "strong" person, I do know that I persevere. I am annoyed when people say "it must take a strong person to raise a special needs child." Or the people that say "I wouldn't have the patience for a special needs child." I mean... WTHeck!!! Are these people serious? It doesn't take a strong person, or a patient person. It takes LOVE, and a desire to be a parent. If you think that you want to be a parent, then you should be prepared for whom ever you are blessed enough to receive. And that is the only way to look at it.

Previous to blogging and facebook, I was on a site called Baby Center. On there they have a board called "termination for medical reasons." I had had several miscarriages, and I think it was because of my thyroid problems a couple of those times. So I went to check out that board. Not that I would ever consider termination myself. But, I thought woman terminated their pregnancies because of their own medical reasons NOT for what could be different about their babies. Oh man... I am sure you can guess... I was so wrong. It was a board where woman justified terminating their pregnancies because of medical conditions their babies might have. Over and over I saw stories of woman terminating pregnancies because their child would have Down syndrome. All I can say is they were soooo misinformed, very undereducated on the matter, and would never know the beauty, joy, and blessing of the child they just slaughtered.

Down syndrome is beautiful. My boy wouldn't be who he is without it. I will take him any day! And praise God that many of the parents who find out prenatally their child will have Ds choose to keep them, and even if it is harder for them to accept the Dx at first, they come to realize the blessing that is their child.

This is one of my blessings! Love this boy!

I'll be back tomorrow. God Bless You!