On December 30, 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 of black hair and a puffy face, and eyes the color of the sea on a cloudy day. But two hours after Penny was born, we learned that she had Down syndrome, the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21 in every cell of her body.
I was filled with worry, grief, confusion.
Now my grief has turned to gratitude and worry to wonder.
I want to share with you 5 things I wish I had known when we received the diagnosis.
Because now, I look back on that young mother, and I want to be able to hold her hand and look into her frightened, angry, sorrowful eyes and tell her not just that it will all be okay. I want to tell her why it will be more than okay. I want to tell her how her daughter will change her life in ways she never could have expected. I want to take her worry and grief and confusion.
If I could, this is what I would say to her…
Celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness month—it starts tomorrow!—with this gift for you:
5 THINGS I WISH I’D KNOWN WHEN OUR DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DOWN SYNDROME
GET THE FREE DOWNLOAD
More with Amy Julia:
- 5 THINGS I WISH I’D KNOWN WHEN OUR DAUGHTER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DOWN SYNDROME
- Book: A Good and Perfect Gift: Faith, Expectations, and a Little Girl Named Penny
- Free Resource: Missing Out on Beautiful: Growing Up With a Child With Down Syndrome
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