World Down Syndrome Day!

Happy World Down Syndrome day to everyone reading this! I have to say that I am so honored to be a part of this wonderful day! Jenessa, Josh and I didn't do much to celebrate... I wore my Jenessa's Pupils shirt and then we went and got groceries! Josh worked, as usual!
Though, it is such a wonderful day, to celebrate those who have an extra chromosome, like Jenessa! To me looking back over the last two years with her, it is amazing to me to be apart of this world. I can't even explain how different the world is now to me. I kind of feel like Saul and that having Jenessa was having the scales come off my eyes! I now see the world in a totally different way! I understand that before I had her I was completely ignorant of others with disability. Please, don't get me wrong, I knew people with disabilities and I even would interact and act curtious. However, I never saw them for who they are, I saw them for what they were. And honestly my heart broke for them because I felt sorry for them. Now, I don't feel sorry, I feel honored to know them and be apart of their teachings!
Jenessa has honestly taught me some of the best lessons I could have ever learned! She taught me how to love beyond myself and look past the exterior! She taught me that being capable doesn't always mean being able to do it on your own, but finding the resources to accomplish something, is sometimes much more powerful! She has taught me that no matter how hard something may seem, eventually through persistance you can accomplish it!
Now, Jenessa has not been the only teacher I have come across in this journey through Down Syndrome. I have met many wonderful moms and thier children and wow! That has been so life changing. I can honestly say that when we first met some of these wonderful children, I was still in denial about my daughter. Honestly I still sometimes am, but I am more open to the possibilities now. I see wonderful kids that just love to have fun and play! They love life and all that it has to provide. I see kids that even though they have challenges still laugh and love and never complain! They will come up and hug you just because. And of course we don't want our kids to go around hugging everyone, but they just love for the sake of loving!! However, I don't want to forget that they also are just like every other child I have ever met! They are each unique in their own ways! They each have stregths and weaknesses. They each get mad and cry. They can be naughty or sweet! They are just kids. I see that they each have different abilities, just like a "typical" child. Though, they may have a label, someone forgot to tell them that they have a mold to fit into.
I guess I just have realized that God created each of us differently and for different reasons. Do I think that Jenessa was born to change the world... YES! She was! She was born to change one person's perspective at a time! She has already changed my perspective and her family's. She is a very special girl! She is a blessing in everyone's life that she has come in contact with. She is just like every other child out there... She has her days where she tries my patience and there are days that she is as content as can be just playing. I know that with our next child it will be different, but not because Clarissa probably won't have down syndrome, but because she will be a totally different child.
On this day, World Down Syndrome day, one thing I hope we can all remember is that no matter how special all of those with Down Syndrome are... They are regular people just like everyone else! They may look different or have larger challenges than some, but they still are capable and want to succeed! I think we can all relate to that!