Self Advocates in Their Own Words

A friend posted this video on Facebook today, and it was so fantastic I immediately knew I had to include it here. PLEASE, to each and every person who questions why we would ever want to raise a child with Down syndrome, watch this. To every person who thinks Down syndrome is "diapers for life", or "forever a child in our home", or "impossible to communicate with", watch this. To anyone who would terminate a pregnancy upon discovering your baby has Down syndrome, please, watch this.

To those that have already discovered the secret, who already have experienced the blessing, you can watch this, too.




An ABC report states that 92% of women receiving a diagnosis of Down syndrome in prenatal testing choose to terminate the pregnancy.

Ninety-two percent.


Head on over to Patti's blog and read her beautiful Mother's Day post. Look at each of the 52 moms and their children. Can you look at 48 of those children, and say, "You shouldn't be here right now?"

If statistics were what mattered, 48 of those mothers wouldn't have had messages to share. 48 children wouldn't be smiling, sharing hugs, celebrating a day with Mommy. 48 of those children are ninety-two percent.

I look at Elisha, and I see the blond-haired, blue-eyed, beautiful daughter that I've always wanted.
I see a little girl to play dance with.
I see tea parties, and dress up, and leotards and tutus and ballet shoes.
And then I remember, and see Down syndrome, too.

Elisha isn't "a Down syndrome girl stuck in an orphanage in a country on the other side of the world." Elisha isn't "too much money when we could just adopt a healthy normal little girl here instead." Elisha isn't "a problem that we'll never get rid of because we'll be stuck with her forever."

Elisha is our daughter.
Elisha is our daughter, sitting alone in an orphanage, without the knowledge that anything exists outside the walls that surround her.
Elisha is our daughter, whom we will rescue, regardless of the cost of her ransom.
Elisha is our daughter, born with an extra 21st chromosome. Elisha's extra chromosome results in certain features and characteristics that may make even a stranger instantly aware of her medical diagnosis.
Elisha is our daughter. It doesn't matter whether she has blond hair or brown, two 21st chromosomes or three, whether she speaks clearly or with difficulty, she spends her days living with us or ventures out on her own.
Until she can advocate for herself, we will advocate for her. Because, after all,
she is our daughter.