My birthday.
My anniversary. (This is purely coincidence. Trust me, I'm not trying to double-dip on gifts here.)
Leaves that change colors.
Pumpkins.
Pumpkin lattes, with extra whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles.
Halloween......and all the chocolate candy that I take from my kids only because I love them and want to protect them and as we all know, there might be some wicked person who stuck razor blades in teh Kit Kats and well, I just can't let my kids eat razor blades.
Cooler weather. This one is "iffy" because I live in Florida and sometimes those cool fronts that blow in from the north will just blow right past us. Darn it.
And ever since November 2010, there's one more thing I love about October: National Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
It was almost 2 years ago that our fifth--and last--child was born. An adorable little boy we named Luke. An adorable little boy who just happens to have an adorable extra 21st chromosome, which means he has Down Syndrome. We weren't caught off guard at birth. In fact, we had some time to prepare for the possibility that he would have DS, although I never had an amniocentesis to give us a definite answer. I knew the minute they put him in my arms. I could see the characteristics of DS in spite of his puffy face! And I did. not. care. Not then, not now. To me, he's just this sweet, run-of-the-mill kid who loves his brothers and sisters, loves to eat chocolate candy (that's my gene), hates having his hair washed or his teeth brushed, and knows---I mean really knows---how to throw a temper tantrum. (Hello, terrible two's. Good to see you again, for the fifth time).
I love this little boy. He has brought so much joy into our home. Even if I had known in the early weeks of my pregnancy that he was going to have DS, I wouldn't have done anything differently. I'm really not sure how we've gotten to the point in our society where WE get to choose whose life is worth living. Whose life is perfect enough to warrant being born. Since when do we get to play god? I believe that every life is created by God Himself, designed and planned and purposed by the very same hands that created the heavens and the earth. Who are we to question His authority?? I shudder to think of the judgement our nation has brought upon itself by choosing to murder hundreds of millions of unborn babies, all in the name of "convenience."
Recently, Fox News conducted an interview with famed actor/director/producer Penny Marshall. Here's what she had to say about an unplanned pregnancy in her own life:
"In 1963 I got pregnant. I had a kid. Abortion wasn't illegal. I was 40 something years old. I had a kid already, my womb wasn't crying out. I talked to my brother (Garry Marshall). We made the pros and cons. Joe Pesci offered to be the father. I didn't want to do that to him. It was more do I want this other person in my life, for the rest of my life."
Did you catch that last sentence? Go ahead, re-read it. She didn't want "this other person" in her life. Not that she was an unwed, confused, scared teenager. Not that she was flat broke and couldn't afford a child (later on in the interview she talks about throwing yearly birthday parties for herself that cost about $30,000). Nope, this woman murdered her unborn child because she already had a child and didn't want another one. Just tossed away a baby like one would toss out the trash. She selfishly didn't want another person in her life, and so abortion was her option. Absolutely makes me cringe how we no longer value life as a society. Shame. On. Us.
Which takes me back to my original point: Down Syndrome awareness. If I weren't passionately pro-life before Luke's birth, I most certainly am now. I believe every child has a right to life, even the children with so-called "defects." Those children were also planned with a purpose. They bring joy and laughter and love into this world. So many parents like me want the world to know this. We want to spread awareness that just because our children are different, they aren't any less worth or less important. They are typical, everyday children who just want to love and be loved. And for the record, who could look at this little boy and NOT love him?? He's the cutest child ever (my genes, of course), and we are blessed to have him in our family......
Luke and his big sister, Grace!
I just can't resist that smile......
Luke learning to feed himself with a spoon!
Luke and big sister, Rachel!
