31 for 21, Day 31: God's still got our backs

The last day of 31 for 21!! I MADE IT!!  Patting myself on the back for posting every single day this month whether it was on this blog or our family blog.  I was worried I wouldn't have enough to post about, nor the time to do it, but I did it!! YAY!!  I hope during this time of Down Syndrome Awareness Month that you may have learned a thing or two- I would love to hear from you!  Was there something in particular you took away from reading?

So, back to the title of this post- God's still got our backs.  Had another one of those moments last night where after a moment of complete panic regarding one of our documents, I realized that God was totally looking out for us and made sure we were put on the right path.

I belong to a couple private online forums related to Reece's Rainbow adoptions- groups of families involved in the adoption process, and one group in particular adopting from the same country.  It was a question raised on the latter forum that caused extreme panic- we completed something incorrectly on one of our most important applications: our I-600A- application to the United States Customs and Immigration Services for permission to bring a child into the country.  Yea, just a tad important!!

Someone on the forum posed a question while completing the application, and I know God brought her to ask this question so I would see it with the responses and learn I entered the wrong information.  I would see this error before it was completely processed giving us time to get it corrected before it threw a wrench into our plans.  I started to panic right away when I saw my error, digging out the copy of the application I saved in my files.  I thought the question was asking for the location where we would be going for our fingerprints, but in fact I needed to enter the US Embassy in P's country where the approval needs to be sent!!  BIG difference!!  I immediately e-mailed our adoption agency last night.

Have I expressed how awesome our agency is??  HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend them!! I will give more info after our adoption process is complete.  Our adoption coordinator e-mailed me RIGHT back reassuring me that this error was not catastrophic.  I need to make a phone call in the morning to the government office and see what I need to do to get the approval on the right track after it is processed.  WHEW.

I call this morning- the staff I have spoken with on a couple different occasions have been wonderful also.  I was told that our file hasn't been assigned to an officer yet, but she would make a note for the change.  It would simply involve them crossing out the one location and entering the correct one.  WHEWWWW. *deep inhale..... deep exhale....*  I also mentioned that we would be out of country for the appointment date given to us for our fingerprinting and that we wish to walk into the office early to have that done.  She requested I call back the day after we have the fingerprinting completed to let them note on our file that it is complete- the officer assigned to us would normally wait until the appointment time to check and see if it has been completed.  This way they will know it is finished and our application can be processed quicker. :)  So glad I called!

Mike and I are going tomorrow for our fingerprinting- we've been assured that all should be fine and they should let us walk in with our letters and let us get printed even though it's not the date/time printed on our letter.  Keep us in your thoughts tomorrow that all goes smoothly with that!

31 for 21, Day 26: Reservations :)

***Please make note*** We have a new web address!!  Please revise your bookmark if you had the old blog saved, and make sure you click to follow us at this new address!!  Due to some concerns regarding *P*'s name and photos getting around, we had to take them all down, and I had to change the web address for this blog since it too included her name.  Lots of work getting everything moved over and set up.  My babygirl is worth it though!  We can't afford to have any glitches and will do whatever is necessary.

Whew this 31 for 21 is getting more and more difficult, especially now that we have travel plans!!  Everything is so rushed... I booked airfare today as well as our first hotel night in P's country.  Our adoption agency will make our travel arrangements into P's region and they will make our hotel reservations there as well- we will pay them those expenses upon arrival.

Our itinerary will look something like this:  we will fly into P's country- departing in the evening here and arriving the next day there... stay one night in the big city, then take an overnight train into P's region... stay three days there going to appointments and meeting P and the orphanage director, then take the train back to the big city, and fly home.

We are also on another paper chase- collecting documents for court and the rest of our dossier which will need to be submitted as soon as we return from our first trip. Busy busy!!  Things are really moving and we are getting very excited and nervous all at the same time.  Some specific prayer requests:

* please pray that all goes smoothly, that we have a safe and successful trip
* that P is in good health and spirits, and that P accepts us as her family
* for our strength as it will be so difficult to leave her after just three days
* that P will understand that we will be back <3
* for our family and children at home- that all will be well here and Evan especially will adjust ok to Mommy and Daddy being gone

Thanks so much!! <3

31 for 21, Day 23: Happy Birthday to me!

Yep, today's my birthday.  Oh, you forgot to send a card?  That's ok.  I have been awful at remembering to send cards also, especially since having kids.... Just ask my bff Heidi- that girl NEVER forgets an occasion, and I always feel the most guilty when I realize I didn't get a card in the mail for her birthday.  Or anniversary.  And what is up with the prices these days?  Some of these cards can cost upwards of $5.00!!  For a piece of paper with words and a picture printed on it.  I'll tell ya what... if you want to give me a birthday present or card, just donate that $5 to P's grant. ;)  You're giving me the gift of a daughter, and it doesn't get much better than that!  Evan's birthday is in 6 short days (I still can't believe my baby boy is turning TWO!!) so you could even do a two for one! ;)  Evan gave me the most WONDERFUL present this morning- he slept until 7:30! So sweet! :)

Gosh I can't wait to get my hands on our little girl!!  And with the exciting news on my last post HERE- it should be happening sometime in November!!  Hallelujah!!!  That will be the best belated birthday present EVER.  We also received our biometrics fingerprint appointments in the mail yesterday!!  For those unfamiliar with the adoption process, we had to submit applications to the US Customs and Immigration Services- part of the Department of Homeland Security, to gain permission to bring an internationally adopted child into the country.  Along with paying a hefty fee, we have to get fingerprints taken for yet another background search, and then receive our approval.

Wanna go one step further for my birthday?  It won't cost you a penny, I promise.  Go sign up at Reece's Rainbow to be a Christmas Warrior for one of the many waiting children.  Last I saw posted from Andrea- there were still 32 boys and 11 girls waiting for a warrior to be their voice.

As an extension of our Prayer Warrior project, and an enhancement to our annual Christmas Angel Tree Project, we are seeking passionate folks to be one child's Christmas Warrior this year.  

Our Christmas Angel Tree Project is our biggest and most important fundraiser of the year. All of our orphans with Down syndrome from ages 0-5 are posted on one page for people to sponsor and donate for their adoption grants. It runs from November 1- December 31, 2011. Those who give more than $35 recieve a beautiful photo ornament of their sponsored child to hang on their Christmas tree. These ornaments make fabulous gifts for your friends, family, and fellow Down syndrome advocates, while providing a life-saving gift for the child who is in desperate need of a "forever family" of their own.

When you sign up to be a Christmas Warrior   (laurie@reecesrainbow.org) for your child, you are working towards the goal of raising $1000 or more for YOUR CHILD. There are lots of ways you can do this, and the power of the internet makes saving a life even easier than you might think. Even if you don't have a cent of your own to donate, your willingness to reach out to other people is all that matters!


No, you are not in any way obligated to raise $1,000 for your angel tree child.  It's simply a goal that would be wonderful to meet.  Any efforts are appreciated!!  You can share on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, perhaps approach your local fire or police department about doing a fundraiser... find someone who is a consultant for home parties and do a fundraiser, anything!!  Please consider signing up so a child may find themselves in the home of a loving family for Christmas 2012.  I have already been scoping out special ornaments for P, and there is no way she will be home by this Christmas.  Holidays are such a special time, and these children deserve the opportunity to share and be a part of these many blessings we so often take for granted.

31 for 21, Day 15- It's all about Awareness!

If you missed the post for Day 14 you can find it on our family blog HERE on why I'm glad I have a child with Down syndrome! :)

A great article was posted at LifeNews.com just two days ago and I want to share it with my readers.

http://www.lifenews.com/2011/10/13/down-syndrome-awareness-helps-stop-abortions-on-special-kids/

Now I will note here that I have not been one to be adamantly pro-life.  While I could never myself go through having an abortion, I don't feel it is my place to tell another woman that she can't.  It is her right to choose, and her life-changing decision she will have to live with throughout the rest of her life here on earth.

That being said, it makes me sick to my stomach thinking about how 9 out of 10 women who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome feel they have no choice but to abort their babies.  I believe a huge factor in these awful statistics is the physician's delivery of this diagnosis.  Many doctors to this day still encourage parents to terminate when they receive a Down syndrome diagnosis.  I want to walk into these doctor's offices with Evan in tow, and wake them up to reality!  I am willing to bet a large amount of money that these doctors' lives have never been touched by someone with Down syndrome.  I am willing to bet they have never had any kind of social interaction with a person who has Down syndrome.  Before they are given the power to guide someone's future, they should be fully educated.  Perhaps go back to school and earn a degree in the knowledge of Down syndrome and what life is REALLY like.  Hmmmm... maybe I should start a class right here in my house!  Down syndrome 101 ;)  I will have to work on that syllabus....

The article above best states these concerns here:

Certainly some are, but study after study has found that up to half of all women accepting prenatal testing did so without making an informed decision, and that half did not expect they would have to decide whether to abort following a prenatal diagnosis. To his credit, Caplan recognizes that prenatal testing can result in uninformed and unexpected decisions to terminate, due to medical professionals and general society often having “nothing good at all to say” about DS. Indeed, one study has found that almost a quarter of physicians actively urge abortion, or emphasize the negatives about DS in order to encourage it. Even for those committed to non-directive counseling, a majority of physicians and genetic counselors have said that they would abort following a prenatal diagnosis for DS, which no doubt affects how a diagnosis is presented. Other recent studies also have found that a significant percentage of adults, youths, and physicians still hold outdated views about DS and would prefer that children with DS were segregated from, rather than included in, the community and typical classrooms. Therefore, those who choose to abort often are seeking to avoid an inaccurate, uninformed, and overly negative view of a life with DS, which is not supported by the current research.


And I have found these out-dated stereotypes still exist even in my children's elementary school.  I've had a few conversations about Evan with one of the teachers who has an adult brother with DS.  She was super excited when I first told her about Evan's birth, and was very positive about the whole diagnosis thing, sharing how her brother holds a job in a neighboring town.  Yet the past couple times I have seen her, she has questioned me about where he will attend school... and she always seems surprised when I say he will attend right here in the "regular" elementary school.  This really caught me off-guard since #1- her obvious connection to DS with her brother, and #2- there is at least one other student in the school with Down syndrome.  I guess she is just thinking of her brother's educational experiences over 20 years ago... I don't know.  But hopefully it won't come as a shock when Evan is sitting in her class a few years down the road!


It's all about spreading awareness.... Down syndrome isn't the end of the world.  It was merely the beginning of mine.... <3

31 for 21, Day 13- more questions! :)

Yay!  New questions!!  Here's the first:


Erin B said...
Does Down syndrome occur equally across all races? It seems as though I mainly see people of caucasion ethnicity with Down syndrome. 

Good question!  Down syndrome is not related to race- it occurs across the board, but according to statistics the number of live births does vary slightly by race.  The following is taken from the Texas Department of State Health Services:


Down syndrome prevalence is known to vary by race/ethnicity. Hispanic infants were found to exhibit higher rates of Down syndrome than other infants, even after differences in maternal age were considered (CDC 1994). Rates for Hispanic, white, and African American infants were respectively 11.8, 9.2 and 7.3 per 10,000 live births (CDC 1994). This may be due partly to differential use of prenatal diagnosis services. Racial composition of women who use prenatal screening services varied from the racial composition of the U.S. population (Meaney 1993), though racial difference in usage was not found in another study (Naber 1987). Also, use of prenatal diagnosis services and abortion significantly reduced the birth prevalence of Down syndrome among white women but not among women of other races in Atlanta (Krivchenia 1993). That was not supported in a Los Angeles study ( Wilson 1992). Racial differences may also reflect differential under-diagnosis of the defect at birth. 


Sadly, 9 out of 10 babies given a prenatal diagnosis of DS are aborted. :( I can't begin to express how tragic this truly is.  I sit here snuggling my precious Evan, thanking God each and every day he gave me this precious gift, how LUCKY and BLESSED I am to have Evan in my life, and many people are throwing it all away.  So, the fact that so many babies blessed with designer genes are aborted will skew statistics also.  Add in new prenatal testing and the rates will rise even more I'm sure. :((


And our second question:


Sue said...
A question for you -
I have been supporting a few kids on RR this year and learning more about DS since I had a high liklihood of having a baby with DS this year (it ended up she did not have DS). Anyway, this past Sunday a mom at my church and her daughter (about 6-7 years old) were admiring my baby and trying to get her to smile, etc. I have had the feeling the little girl has DS but am not sure. I've studied her face in our church photo album but can't tell. Is there a way to ask the mom in a diplomatic way or should I just ask our pastor?

Also, we have a little boy in our son's boy scout troop with DS. He started out in the same grade as my daughter and is now 3 grades below that (not advancing). Again, I want to strike up a conversation with the mom and ask how her son is doing and if I can be of any help to her (not sure how, just want to offer because she sometimes looks tired -- but aren't we all!). She seems sort of isolated at the meetings and I'm never sure what to say to her. Any suggestions?



Since my Evan is so young, I wasn't sure how I would feel as a parent of a school age child with DS.  I posed the question to my fellow DS mommies at Babycenter.com and really liked this response:


It depends on the reason for asking. To me, it sounds like the person is interested in Down syndrome and probably wants to ask questions, but is worried about offending someone. As shema4t4 said, being yourself and being friendly is all that's required.

In the first case, it just sounds like she's curious. If she feels like she has to ask, asking the pastor is a good idea. He will probably know what the mother would want him to say, and if her daughter doesn't have Down syndrome, she'll have avoided an awkward moment. Not mentioning the scrutinizing of the directory picture is another good idea. :( She might consider not asking, and letting it come up or not.

In the second case it sounds like the person doesn't know how to start to be friendly, and it's good that she asked, because "How is he doing?", the question she proposed, is not a good question. A parent can hear that as an inquiry into how the child is doing in school/milestones, etc. That's personal, and parents should be in charge of opening that subject if they want. I find,from people who already know us, "What's James up to lately?" is a better question, because I can answer it any way I want. Since she doesn't know the mother well, she needs to consider whether she wants to be a friend, or whether she just wants to ask questions/offer help. If she wants the first, she should, as with any acquaintance, find a common interest. Book recommendations are something I often ask for, because I love to read and I know I'll follow through--I'll say I've just finished [blank] and am looking for something new--does she have any recommendations? No special approach here, just what usually works with anyone else. If she is feeling isolated, and the person is good friends with one of the other moms, after she has talked with the mom of the child with DS, she could introduce the friend and mention something they have in common.

I agree that offering help, kind as it may seem, may not give the right feeling to the mother. She almost certainly doesn't want to be pitied, even if she does seem tired. :) There are things she can do to help, though, that will be truly nice. Taking pictures at Scout outings and making sure to get a good one of her son and sending it to her, with "So glad [blank] is in Scouts with [son]. I love this picture of him!" and meaning it. Doing the same for other boys in the troop so she doesn't feel singled out. Making a point of greeting all the other boys in the same way. Being interested but not nosy. I think it's cool that she asked rather than bulldozing ahead. Some days I don't mind frank questions and can answer them easily and nicely, but I don't always feel like it. Everyone probably has a different idea of what would work best for them, but I think being normal and friendly is good advice, and works however bad or good a day we're having. :)

I totally agree with the above suggestions- just be yourself and try to strike up casual conversations that are not focused on DS.  


Thanks so much to both readers for asking great questions!! I am truly enjoying these- keep them coming!! :))

31 for 21 Day 12: i have a voice

Powerful words.  Stunningly beautiful photos.  All God's children.



Please please ask  me some more questions about Down syndrome! :)

31 for 21, Day #11- Perspective

This post was eye opening, and oh so true.  Please take  a moment to read.

I still browse through the little cherubs on Reece's Rainbow who are still waiting; in another month I will be advocating for one little beauty in particular as the Angel Tree project gets started.  You too can sign up to spread awareness and help a little one find their forever family!  There are still 45 little angels who need a Christmas Warrior- simply someone to spread the word about them and try to raise some donations to their grant.  You don't need a fancy giveaway, just simply advocate for them and do what you can.  Every little bit helps, even if it's in the form of prayer alone.

While looking through the little angels waiting, of course the first to draw your attention is the photo.  Since these children aren't surrounded by loving families and don't always have the blessing of a full tummy- it's not always going to be easy to coax a smile out of them for the camera.  I'm sure they don't know what a camera even is, and how often do they have reason to smile?

The next thing to look at- medical condtions.  Of course there are diagnoses which are quite serious, but there are also plenty with long medical terms that are fairly common and highly treatable.  Yet when strung together, it sounds like this child has too much going on and gives prospective parents doubts about whether or not they will be able to care for a child with what could be serious needs.

Then there are diagnoses that are found to be false- one family found this to be a blessing though, for had the child been properly diagnosed, he probably wouldn't have been available for adoption due to this particular country's requirements for special needs adoptions.

Next, you read on about their milestones they have and haven't met.  Do consider that these records are quite often outdated.  Also look at how old the child looks in the photo compared to their actual birth date (though children in orphanages grow slower and often look quite younger than their actual age).  Sometimes updated photos are available but written records are not until you've committed to a child.  Sometimes like in our case, they aren't available until at least the dossier is submitted but possibly not available  until we travel to meet her in person- this goes for medical conditions also.  We have received no information on Pauline aside from what was listed on her RR page, which wasn't much at all.

So when looking through these little sweethearts on Reece's Rainbow- do remember they are children first, and had they been your biological child, I'm sure you would do whatever possible to care for the love of your life.

These children deserve to be the love of someone's life.  Please help spread the word.  You'll be hearing more about this little love muffin next month. ;)

31 for 21, Day 9: Lord, I Need You

Please pray for all the little ones on Reece's Rainbow, the angels still waiting for their forever family... so deserving of love, affection, belonging.

And please continue to ask any questions you may have about Down syndrome!

31 for 21, Day 6: Time's running out!

This post is going to be short since I'm sick today.... feeling like I've been hit by a Mack truck.  But.... We're down to our final 2 days of our Birthday Bash Giveaway and I wanted to throw out something extra in honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  If you make a donation of $21 for that extra perky chromosome, you will receive 3 entries instead of just 2!  One entry for each of P's 21st chromsomes. :)  So go hurry and donate, spread the word- this giveaway ends tomorrow night!!!

First up- the Big Kahuna.... an Apple iPad 2 

32 GB with Wi-Fi

Your choice of black or white as well as engraving

Retail Price $599
***UPDATE***
Winner of the iPad 2 will also receive a leather smart cover in your choice of color!

 Next up:  Tastefully Simple Share the Love Gift Basket

Share the Love™ includes:

• Bountiful Beer Bread Mix®
• Homestyle Biscuits & Gravy Mix
• Chicken Tortilla Soup Mix
• Cinnamon Muffin Melt Mix™
• Chocolate Ugly Cake Mix™
• Wahoo! Chili
• The Trio
• Spinach & Herb Dip Mix
• Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
• Tuscany Bread Dipping Mix™
• Seasoned Salt
• Perfectly Potato Cheddar Soup Mix
• Oblong Storage Tote**
• retail value: $124.95

Baby Teether and Necklace for Mama all in one!!

This chic teething necklace is made with premium 100% cotton, beaded with natural unfinished beads, and knotted for a beautiful fashionable accessory for any mama to wear!  The necklace is tied back into a cute bow with satin ribbon.  But best of all, you don't need to be a mama to rock this necklace!!  This necklace is beautiful to wear on just about any occasion.  Handcrafted by my dear friend, Jenna- please go check out her Etsy shop- she has the most beautiful things there from adorable paper products to beautiful diaper cakes and gorgeous jewelry.  She is one of the craftiest people I know! 

Another super sweet crafty friend of mine, Erin, is donating this beautiful ombre purple scarf in super soft chenille.  She takes custom orders and can crochet just about anything!! You can find her on Facebook HERE. I have to tell you, last winter I ordered the most ADORABLE angry birds hat for Justin and he absolutely LOVES it.  

Erin will also be graciously donating a hat- photo coming!!

Our cousin, Jazmin, is generously donating this beautiful infinity scarf- wear it long or wrap it twice for a tighter look and feel!  You can find her Etsy shop HERE- beautifully crocheted items as well as jewelry and other art items- check them out!

Sooooooooo.... how do you enter to win these awesome prizes??  Super easy!! 

Make a donation using the Birthday Bash ChipIn Widget above- this is tax deductible!!  It goes through Reece's Rainbow so PLEASE be sure to specify "P for the LIVINGSTON FAMILY" in the comment section while checking out.  Very important, otherwise P doesn't get her birthday present!

$10 = 1 entry

 $21 = 3 entries

  $25 = 5 entries

    $50 = 15 entries

  $100 = 50 entries

After you make a donation, you can get a freebie entry each day you share on Facebook, Twitter, or if you blog about it (please share a link) - just be sure to leave a comment on this post when you do so.  PLEASE spread the word!!  This Giveaway will end October 7th at midnight Eastern Time.  This Giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only.  Each prize is separate aside from the iPad 2 and cover.  Winners will be chosen using www.random.org.

Happy Birthday, baby girl.... I can't wait to throw you a big birthday party of your very own.... You are so special and deserve a special day all about YOU. <3

31 for 21, Day 5: Mosaic Down syndrome

Question:   On Reece's Rainbow, I read that it was thought P has Mosaic Down Syndrome. How is this different from the other types of Down Syndrome? Is it a milder form? 


Excellent question!!  As most of you know, Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is when there is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.  With your standard run of the mill Down syndrome that 95% of those with DS have, just like our Evan- the extra chromosome failed to separate before or at conception on either the sperm or the egg.  As the embryo grows and cells replicate, the extra chromosome is present in every cell of the body.  


In 1% of the cases, the nondisjunction of chromosome 21 occurs after fertilization- after cells already started replicating.  There is now a mixture of cells with 46 chromosomes and cells with 47.  This is mosaic Down syndrome.  Translocation Down syndrome is the third type and accounts for the remaining 4%.  With Translocation DS, part of the 21st chromosome breaks off and attaches to a different chromosome, usually number 14.  You can read more about what causes the three types of Down syndrome at the NDSS site HERE. 


Some may consider mosaic Down syndrome to be "milder," but in reality there haven't been many studies conducted comparing the two.  From ds-health.com:


At the present time, there is not much research on the similarities and differences between simple trisomy 21 and mosaic trisomy 21. One report published in 1991 on mental development in Down syndrome mosaicism compared 30 children with mosaic Down syndrome with 30 children with typical Down syndrome. IQ testing showed that the mean IQ of the mosaic group was 12 points higher than the mean of the non-mosaic group. However, some children with typical Down syndrome did score higher on the IQ tests than some of the children with mosaic Down syndrome.

The Department of Human Genetics at the Medical College of Virginia has had an ongoing study project of children with mosaic DS. In a survey of 45 children with mosaicism, they found that these children did show delayed development compared to their siblings. When 28 of these children with mosaicism were matched up with 28 children with typical Down syndrome for age and gender, the children with mosaicism reached certain motor milestones earlier than children with typical DS, such as crawling and walking alone. However, the speech development was equally delayed in both groups.

I believe the assumptions that P has mosaic Down syndrome are made by looking at her photo and not seeing many of the common facial features of children with DS, and also from the description of her being "high functioning."  We have not received any of her medical records, so we do not know her specific diagnosis or how that diagnosis was made.  Down syndrome and mosaic Down syndrome are diagnosed by blood tests, and these tests are expensive.  We don't know when P's birth parents turned her over to the orphanage, and if it was at birth- we don't know if there would be money to run this test on an orphan. We intend to ask the orphanage director about how her diagnosis was made when we arrive for our first visit.  Regardless, once we bring her home we will have the test run again along with all the other bloodwork she will have taken.  


Thanks so much for asking!  Please keep the questions coming!  I also answered a question today on our family blog regarding my two cents about "high-functioning" so be sure to check it out HERE! :)

31 for 21, Day 4: Crazy Hair Day!

Today's post can be found on our family blog- don't miss some cute pics!! :)  Also, just 3 days left in P's Birthday Bash Giveaway- don't miss out!!

31 for 21, Day #2 :)

Yes, you read that right, day #2!  You can find Day 1 on our family blog. :) There you will find one of my all time FAVORITE photos of Evan ever!!  I'm going to do my very very best to post each day of October since it is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.  I figured I would spread my posts across the two blogs for equal attention.  I will post more family oriented posts on the family blog and adoption oriented posts here on P's blog.

Today I want to share a BEAUTIFUL video starring *the* Reece whom Reece's Rainbow was named after- the whole first sequence of photos are of adorable Reece, and then it goes into other cutie patooties who were adopted from Reece's Rainbow.  The message is absolutely awesome as well. :))

Before I post the video, I thought I'd give you a little history of RR since many of you are new to the organization after learning our plans to adopt.  Andrea Roberts, the founder, is Reece's mama, and lives right here in Maryland!  From the Reece's Rainbow website:

Reece's Rainbow was started in 2004 as an outreach program serving new families with babies with Down syndrome at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, GA.   The nurse who attended me post-partum with Reece, Mrs. Kim Wood, RN, called me one day out of the blue and asked if she could use Reece's name for her hospital service project.  She asked if I would come talk to new families and share everything I have learned with them before they were discharged from the hospital.    I was moved, honored, and terrified.  Would I be able to face a new grieving mother?  Would I be able to HELP and not break down again?  YES.                

 Since that time, we have met countless numbers of new "colors" of Reece's Rainbow.  We have made so many wonderful friends, and our life has been blessed in a million ways.  Our network of friends and families continues to grow.  But the one constant is REECE…the beauty and innocence that a child with Down syndrome brings to the world is truly one of Divine nature.   God has led me through some very difficult times, but waiting on the other side of that "rainbow" for me was enlightenment, empowerment, compassion, mercy, and a tremendous "calling" to reach out to other children like Reece who were not as fortunate as he to have a loving, supportive family to grow up in.

 In 2006, the program expanded to include promoting the international adoption of children with Down syndrome.   By raising money to offer adoption grants on waiting children, we are able to give adoptive families the extra financial help they need to bring a child with Down syndrome home from a miserable existence in overseas orphanages.   

I look forward to meeting Andrea in the future- she will most definitely be at the airport when we welcome P home!! :)) She already promised. ;) 

On our family blog I requested my readers send me questions- any questions at all you may have pertaining to Down syndrome, people with DS, anything!  I even welcome personal questions about life with Evan and anything you could possibly think of.  Feel free to post them in the comments section- you can even post anonymously if you so wish.  I will answer them in my blog post the next day.  I would love love LOVE you to ask something as that will help give me ideas to write about for the next day!  Hoping I will be able to find a topic of some sort for every day this month. :)

So now finally, one of the most beautiful videos I have ever seen!! :))

P.S. Just 5 more days left in the Birthday Bash Giveaway! Go enter to win an iPad2!!

Down syndrome is Beautiful

No news yet.... so sharing this beautiful video <3  Keep spreading the word of our Birthday Bash Giveaway- it's been slow going.  Thanks so much!