Down Syndrome Association Website

I have created a new website about Down syndrome. The address is www.downsyndromeassociation.org.

Please share the link with anyone who might be interested. I'm hoping to educate people about what Down syndrome really is and how it can be a positive thing.

Please, feel free to comment on the site and help me to improve it.

Future Baker

Any guesses what my sweet, adorable, curious, and ever-so-innocent son did while my back was turned?

Extra C

In celebration of the National Down Syndrome Awareness Month I have created this video, Extra C. Please help me spread the message that every child is a gift, even if the wrapping is a little different.

Thank you for helping me to change attitudes about Down syndrome. Enjoy the video. The music was composed and played by C.S. Bezas, an incredibly talented and creative artist. Please visit her website www.csbezasmusic.com to hear more of her beautiful music.

Embrace the Person Inside

This is Down Syndrome Awareness month. I didn't even know it existed until about a week ago. I think it's a step in the right direction because so many people still harbor misconceptions about DS.

Kids with DS are like kids without DS. They like to run and play. They laugh, cry, and get mad. They have favorite toys, songs, and TV shows. They have talents. They also have some challenges, but what kid, or adult for that matter, doesn't? We all struggle with something. Wouldn't it be nice if we all looked pass each other's struggles and embraced the person inside? The world would certainly be a better place.

In celebration of Down Syndrome Awareness month I am working on a short movie about my son that I plan to post to YouTube. I'll keep you updated in case you'd like to view it.

My Son

When my son was first born, he looked a little different from my other children because my other kids all had quite a protruding nose bridge. His was rather flat. I only held him for a few minutes before the doctor came in and told me that he had some characteristics of DS and I should think about testing him.

We later found out that he did, indeed, have the extra chromosome (though I've never actually seen the test or the testing doctor's comments). That first few weeks after the diagnosis while I wondered what it would mean to our family, I can remember holding my new son in my arms and looking into his eyes. Each time I held him, I feel more deeply in love with him. Though I didn't expect a diagnosis of DS, I found it really didn't matter to me because I loved my son so completely, I knew everything would work out somehow.

And it has. He is such a wonderful boy. He has such a funny and fun personality. He makes me laugh all the time. He's learning and growing. Our family wouldn't be the same without him and every day I am so grateful he's my son.

October Awareness

October is Down Syndrome Awareness month. I'm going to do my best to blog about DS and help spread the word.

A few facts:

350,000 Americans have DS and approximately 5000 babies are born with DS each year. Women can now choose testing that indicate whther or not the baby they're carrying has Down syndrome. Of those that receive a diagnosis of DS, 90% choose to terminate the pregnancy.

Down syndrome is the most common genetic abnormality. It is the result of extra genetic material on the 21st chromosome, thus the medical term is Trisomy 21. It is not the result of inadequate pre-natal care, it is a genetic condition that occurs when the cells divide shortly after fertilization.

People with DS may take longer to do some things, but they are not stupid. People with DS have talents and gifts just like everyone else. I personally know of a woman with DS who serves on the Olympic Committee and speaks 3 different languages.

Down syndrome is not a curse nor is it a terrible thing. Those of us who've been touched by Down syndrome in our lives will tell you that it's a blessing.

Hug Says It All

Limbaugh and guest call in.
RUSH: Kurt in Pittsburgh, hello, sir. Nice to have you on the EIB Network, and how
About the Steelers defense?
CALLER: How about those Steelers, huh?
RUSH: How about that?
CALLER: Hey, listen, Rush, longtime listener, first-time caller, one of those Bible, family, gun clingers from Western Pennsylvania.
RUSH: Thank you.
CALLER: And I wanted to share a story with you. A week ago last Saturday we went to the Palin-McCain Rally in Washington, Pennsylvania, was the day after he announced her, and we have a five-year-old daughter With Down syndrome, and we made a sign that said: 'We Love Kids with Down Syndrome.' So when they pulled in in their bus the sign did catch their, McCain and Palin and the rest of their family, it caught their eye, we could tell, they gave us a thumbs-up from the bus, so we were all excited just by that --
RUSH: Wait, wait, wait. Who gave you the thumbs up, McCain and Palin?
CALLER: McCain, Palin, Cindy McCain, we could see them from the bus. We were in a position where we had eye contact with them --
RUSH: Oh, cool!
CALLER: My wife was holding our daughter.
RUSH: Very, very, very cool
CALLER: It was really cool, Rush. I was like, 'Wow, that's awesome,' because I love Governor Palin and so I thought that's really neat. So then we moved around as the bus was getting ready to pull out, we kind of positioned ourselves so we could just wave them on and a Secret Service agent came .up to us and said, 'Hey, can you come with us?' I was like, 'Do we have a choice?'
RUSH: (laughing) You shouldn't have worried. It's not the Clinton administration.

CALLER: Right. So we accompanied them up the hill, we went right to the bus, where it was, and Governor Palin, Senator McCain, Cindy, Todd Palin, they're all standing there. We're in this inner circle with just us and Them, and the Secret Service agent, and they came right up to us and thanked us for coming out, said they loved our sign, and Governor Palin immediately said, 'May I hold your daughter?' and our daughter Chloe, who's five, went right to her, and I have some pictures I'd love to send you maybe when I'm done here, but Governor Palin was hugging Chloe, and then her little daughter brought their baby Trig who has Down syndrome from the bus, he was napping, and Chloe went right over and kissed him on the cheek, and my son Nolan who's nine, he thanked her.
RUSH: This is amazing.
CALLER: I will send you all the stuff, Senator McCain was talking to my son, and we thanked him for his service, and he asked my son if he wanted to see the bus, and we were hanging out and it was very surreal. I felt like we could have had a pizza and a beer with them, they were so warm.
RUSH: You know what? I want to put you on hold I want Snerdley to give you our super-secret, known-only- to-three-people here, e-mail address.
CALLER: I will send you everything, Rush.
RUSH: And then could you send us these pictures? Would you mind if we put them on the website?
CALLER: I would be honored, and my main thing is they are warm, kind, genuine people, and they represent the best of this country.
RUSH: That's right. And when you send these pictures, make sure you identify them I mean, we'll know Palin and McCain, of course. Identify yourselves.
CALLER: I will, I will identify everybody in the picture, Rush, and God bless you for being a beacon of hope and truth in this country.
RUSH: Oh, no, no. It's nothing, it's nothing. You're doing the Lord's work.
CALLER: Well, we're very blessed and I want people to know what a blessing it is to have a child with Down syndrome. These kids, they're angels.
RUSH: That's the thing. There's always good to be found in everything that happens. It may be a while before it reveals itself.
CALLER: Absolutely.
RUSH: Right, and when she hugged my daughter I said, here's the difference, this candidate embraces life and all its limitless possibilities.
RUSH: All right.
CALLER: That's what she is.
RUSH: Terrific, okay, I gotta run here, but I'm going to put you on hold.
CALLER: Thank you, Rush.
RUSH: Thank you, Kurt. I really appreciate it.

The photo of Sarah Palin holding his daughter and giving her a hug says it all.