Embracing Our Common Humanity
I’ve recently adopted “embracing our common humanity” as my shorthand for what I am attempting to do with my writing and speaking. If you look back through my blog you…
Dear Doctor Video from NothingDown.org
As Down Syndrome Awareness Month 2019 comes to a close, I wanted to share this touching video from NothingDown.org that highlights the experience of parents receiving the Down syndrome diagnosis…
5 Things I Wish I Had Known when Our Daughter Was Diagnosed with Down Syndrome
On December 30th, 2005, our firstborn daughter came into the world. It was an easy delivery—a little early, but not premature, no signs of distress or trouble, just a shock…
Sara Groves Endorses A Good and Perfect Gift
As I read this book, I realized what a gift it is to walk through this story with such an incredibly candid guide! Amy Julia Becker makes herself vulnerable…
Three Reasons Why I Don’t Use the Term Ableism
I’m a fan of the concepts behind political correctness. I think it’s important to use language with intention and care. I think language reflects reality, but I also think language…
In Her Own Words: Penny on Independence and Self-Advocacy
When Penny was first born and diagnosed with Down syndrome, Peter and I went through a hard season in which we felt like our expectations for parenting were overturned now…
A New Meaning of Perfection & Book Giveaway
I feel really honored and grateful whenever new mothers, fathers, and extended family members of kids with Down syndrome tell me that they have read A Good and Perfect Gift…
Amy Julia Recommends: 6 Books About Down Syndrome
As we near the end of Down Syndrome Awareness Month 2019, I want to offer 6 recommendations of memoirs and (accessible) theological books about people with intellectual disabilities, including Down…
Clips from the Film Normie & Grappling with “Normal”
“What is normal?” is a question that runs throughout the documentary film Normie. The film traces Annemarie, a young woman with Down syndrome, as she explores her identity and grapples…
Why I Don’t Get Mad Anymore When People Don’t Use Person-First Language
Early on in Penny’s life, I learned the concept of " person-first ” language. At that point, I was calling Penny a “Down syndrome baby,” and the words felt off…
