In honor of Down syndrome awareness month, I wanted to name a few things that I appreciate about our daughter Penny. 

One, that Penny moves through the world with less hurry than I do. She’s very responsible. She has a plan and follows it and is rarely late for appointments. But she doesn’t rush. She doesn’t get frustrated by letting life take its proper time. I’m often impatient and trying to maximize every second. Penny shows me a different way to be in time, a way of patience, which is to say, a way of love.

Two, and maybe this is related, Penny does not take herself too seriously. Once, for example, she was asking everyone where her socks were. The whole family was looking for them, and then William pointed out that her socks were on her feet. She laughed so hard that tears ran down her cheeks. She wasn’t laughing at herself in a mocking way, and neither were any of us. We were just all enjoying each other in a way that would have been impossible if she refused to ever admit a mistake. I love that about her, and want more of that in my own life!

Learn more with Amy Julia about belonging and Down Syndrome Awareness Month:

• A Glimpse of Belonging at the Beginning of Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny
• What’s Wrong With Having Down Syndrome?

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