The History

This is only the beginning, the very beginning, of our journey as we know it, and yet the fingerprints of God show that this journey started so many years ago.

Our minds have been opened, our hearts have been engulfed, and our souls have been forever changed. When was she born, you may ask? At times, I begin to wonder if there was ever a time that she didn't exist. Won't this change everything? Maybe this is everything. Isn't this a life long commitment? Is there a child that isn't? How do you know this is right? God has shown us that there is to be no doubt. When it comes to this child, she was always meant to be in our lives. What if the adoption doesn't go through? It may not, but God has shown Himself in ways that are undeniable to the harshest of critics. We are here because we have been called, the rest of this journey is in God's hands just as the beginning was.

 The decision to adopt has come from a lifetime of prodding, by God, to see things others don't see, potential that others are blind to, love that only few can understand. I will speak for myself right now as I am sure Matt has his own path that wound through his childhood. I had Bobby in my life. To me that is enough said. My Grandparents had Bobby in 1948. My Grandma was not told he had Down Syndrome until he was 4 months old. The doctor felt bad for her as I'm sure he knew both my Grandparents and saw how proud they were of their first born son. I can not imagine the emotion that goes with finding out your seemingly "perfect" child has a genetic disorder that most equate with being "retarted". What I have and always will admire most about my Grandparents is that they knew from the beginning that Bobby was a gift from God and no one but them would love him, nurture him, and raise him to be a proud of who he is. Loved by everyone he meets, even today, in his nursing home everyone loves him. It was assumed that he could not learn, but I think he knew more than many. He knows Jesus, and has told us on several occasions that Jesus talks to him and tells him he is an angel, sent to take care of Grandma and Grandpa. He has done his job and done it well.

 When anyone in the family became pregnant we always went to Bobby as he had a knack for knowing the sex of the unborn child (most of the time... well sometimes!). I was told this by Jayme a few days ago. She sat alone with Bobby at the kitchen table shortly after we found out I was pregnant. She asked Bobby "what will Angela's baby be?" "Like me," said Bobby. "You mean a boy?" asked Jayme. "No, a girl" I did have a girl, however Jayme was very shaken until Taylor was born, as she thought Bobby predicted my child would have Down Syndrome.

 Of course, it is far fetched to think Bobby may have told us 8 years ago that we would have a Down Syndrome girl, but when you hear the rest...