Ignorance is Bliss

So, in life we all make choices... a two years ago to this month Josh and I decided that we were not going to have the prescreening done to see if our child had any chromosomal issues or anything else. This was a honestly easy choice for us. I could and never would have an abortion because of any issue. We would get through it! Plus hey, I was 25, what was the chances of it anyways!! Then in March, we found out that yes if we had had the screening we would have probably found out that Jenessa our beautiful daughter to be had down syndrome. I often think about the odds of a 26 year old giving birth to a child with down syndrome and think that on the day we conceive Jenessa back in July of 2008, I should have played the lottery. I had just as good of chance of winning!! Now, this blog is not full of regret, not in the slightest... I would do it the same all over again. But what I cannot change is the choices of other people and how they react to Jenessa or others with down syndrome.
I have personally been on both sides of the reactions. I have watched people oogle my daughter and just beemed... But I have also lost close friends because of it, due to the only thing that I can come up with is ignorance. I have seen the horrified faces of people when they realize what my daughter has and wanted to cry because those are the faces that will hurt her the most. I have had people that I thought cared about me and were like family, completely pull away because my daughter has down syndrome and maybe just maybe they feel that the choice I made wasn't right! I dont' know. All I know is that it hurts.
The ignorance of people hurts and I know I have to be strong because one day I have to explain to my daughter why some of the people who were such strong influences in my past want nothing to do with her. And I have to explain that they are ignorant of what she can do and how strong and smart she really is. I have to tell her that the funny looks she gets are from people who just don't get it. But the hardest of all are the people that we know.
And honestly, I have to say Jenessa has wormed herself into so many peoples hearts that I was hoping that she could do it with the people that I felt were family. I tried, introduced her and everything and was shunned. No verbally, but physically and subconcously. A woman who usually talks to me for hours, talked to me for 10 minutes and never once asked to hold Jenessa. It hurts, but I guess it has helped me to see the world for what it really is. We can't make everyone love her, no matter how hard we try!
Now, I want to reiderate that I would never make a different choice, no matter how many people shunned me or my daughter. The statistics say that 90% of women who find out in the prescreening that their child has DS, abort. That is one sad, sad statistic!! I will not have another prescreening on our next child that is due in May! I have been told by the professionals that I should, but I won't. Why does it really matter! If I had chosen to have an abortion with Jenessa because she has DS, I would have missed out on so much!! I would have missed out on learning how to breath! God has taught me through Jenessa how to truely laugh and truely enjoy life! I know this is all clique, but so true. She taught me that in life we will have disappointments, but it is how we push through that makes us who we are! She has taught me that life is worth living right and doing what makes me happy! So, for all of you who have had to deal with the ignorance or who are the ignorant, I want to say I am sorry!! Don't let life jade you and prevent you from experiencing the greatness of it all!!