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| Cousins and best buddies, Margaret and Molly Grace |
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| Bobble-head baby |
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Happy Father's Day!!!
We love you Dad!
From all the little arrows in your quiver - Moira, Eileen, Bridget, Teresa, Aidan, Molly Grace and Erin
(We're working in getting a picture of Dad with ALL of the kids :)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Eliminating Down Syndrome...One Baby at a Time
I usually try to keep the posts on our little blog (which is really just a family scrap book) very light. I want our blog to just be a fun place for photos and family fun. However, given the seriousness of this topic, and how closely it impacts our hearts here, I feel the duty to educate, and to ask for prayers. So, here goes...
There will soon be available a new, noninvasive, prenatal test that is near 100% accurate in diagnosing unborn babies with Down syndrome. This test will involve a simple blood draw from the mother in the early weeks of pregnancy. It will most likely replace the more invasive tests of amniocentesis and CVS, which are currently offered in the second trimester. In addition to this highly acclaimed new testing, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) have new recommendations for who should receive this testing. Instead of the previous smaller group of advanced maternal age mothers, it is now recommended that all mothers get the screenings and/or diagnostic tests for Ds. Evidently, there were too many babies slipping through the cracks with the old recommendations (80% of babies with Ds are born to mothers under the age of 35). For the average person, this may all sound well and good. After all, in one sense, we can all benefit from knowing more information. One may think of how far medicine has come and how helpful it is that parents can know earlier that their child has Down syndrome.
However, statistics tell us that 90-94% of prenatally diagnosed babies with Down syndrome are aborted. And it has been documented (and I can tell you first hand as well) that when most doctors deliver the news, or rather "break" the news, to parents that their child has Ds, it is done with a bias. The diagnosis is typically delivered without any up-to-date information on Ds, without any Ds support contacts provided, and often times without compassion. The news IS delivered with an assumption that the parents will prudently, and even unselfishly abort their child. I know of many parents who have been told that their child will never walk, talk or go to school. Parents have been told that their child will suffer and not live to adulthood (the average person with Ds now lives well into their late 50's and even 60's). There is pressure from the medical community to "do the right thing".
As you can tell, I am not very excited about these "medical advancements". It inevitably means that there will be less children in this world like our sweet Erin. In fact, if the abortion rate reaches 95%, as it is in Europe, we may be seeing very, very few children with Ds...the last generation. Imagine the support and help our kids could have if the millions of dollars spent on seek and destroy methods in medicine could be used for legitimate research and therapies. And with less of our children here, it will impact the medical care that those living will receive. And of course I cannot even begin to measure how many lives our children have touched for the better and how they've made our world a better place.
All of this does make me ask the question...Why? Why is there a eugenics holocaust going on in our country, and around the world, against people with disabilities? Why is there such a push to do away with the individuals who are disabled, rather than the disability? Is it because sweet children like Erin fill our prisons and commit serious crimes? Is it because they aren't loved by their parents? I think not. Is it about the almighty dollar? Maybe. Or is it because our generation of parents are demanding the "perfect" child, and the doctors and researcher are following along, very much willing to play God, out of fear of lawsuits? More likely. Another answer would probably be that 30+ years of abortion on demand in this country has left us numb; we are accustomed to treating the unborn with less dignity and respect than they rightly deserve.
It is my prayer that others will come to see the blessings that come with parenting a child with Down syndrome. In my perfect world, I would hope that everyone could experience the special charm and love that we have experienced, either as parents themselves, or in knowing someone with Ds. I truly believe that Erin is a gift for the world. We are sure smitten with her!
There will soon be available a new, noninvasive, prenatal test that is near 100% accurate in diagnosing unborn babies with Down syndrome. This test will involve a simple blood draw from the mother in the early weeks of pregnancy. It will most likely replace the more invasive tests of amniocentesis and CVS, which are currently offered in the second trimester. In addition to this highly acclaimed new testing, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) have new recommendations for who should receive this testing. Instead of the previous smaller group of advanced maternal age mothers, it is now recommended that all mothers get the screenings and/or diagnostic tests for Ds. Evidently, there were too many babies slipping through the cracks with the old recommendations (80% of babies with Ds are born to mothers under the age of 35). For the average person, this may all sound well and good. After all, in one sense, we can all benefit from knowing more information. One may think of how far medicine has come and how helpful it is that parents can know earlier that their child has Down syndrome.
However, statistics tell us that 90-94% of prenatally diagnosed babies with Down syndrome are aborted. And it has been documented (and I can tell you first hand as well) that when most doctors deliver the news, or rather "break" the news, to parents that their child has Ds, it is done with a bias. The diagnosis is typically delivered without any up-to-date information on Ds, without any Ds support contacts provided, and often times without compassion. The news IS delivered with an assumption that the parents will prudently, and even unselfishly abort their child. I know of many parents who have been told that their child will never walk, talk or go to school. Parents have been told that their child will suffer and not live to adulthood (the average person with Ds now lives well into their late 50's and even 60's). There is pressure from the medical community to "do the right thing".
As you can tell, I am not very excited about these "medical advancements". It inevitably means that there will be less children in this world like our sweet Erin. In fact, if the abortion rate reaches 95%, as it is in Europe, we may be seeing very, very few children with Ds...the last generation. Imagine the support and help our kids could have if the millions of dollars spent on seek and destroy methods in medicine could be used for legitimate research and therapies. And with less of our children here, it will impact the medical care that those living will receive. And of course I cannot even begin to measure how many lives our children have touched for the better and how they've made our world a better place.
All of this does make me ask the question...Why? Why is there a eugenics holocaust going on in our country, and around the world, against people with disabilities? Why is there such a push to do away with the individuals who are disabled, rather than the disability? Is it because sweet children like Erin fill our prisons and commit serious crimes? Is it because they aren't loved by their parents? I think not. Is it about the almighty dollar? Maybe. Or is it because our generation of parents are demanding the "perfect" child, and the doctors and researcher are following along, very much willing to play God, out of fear of lawsuits? More likely. Another answer would probably be that 30+ years of abortion on demand in this country has left us numb; we are accustomed to treating the unborn with less dignity and respect than they rightly deserve.
It is my prayer that others will come to see the blessings that come with parenting a child with Down syndrome. In my perfect world, I would hope that everyone could experience the special charm and love that we have experienced, either as parents themselves, or in knowing someone with Ds. I truly believe that Erin is a gift for the world. We are sure smitten with her!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Molly Grace Has a New Look
We've been slackin' off on the job of blogging! Life is busy for most people this time of year and we are no exception. The kids are finishing up all of their last assignments for school and taking some end of the year assessments. We should be finished with almost everything by the end of next week!
In the meantime the little kids are taking full advantage of summer weather. We had the kiddie pool out today, the driveway is filled with beautiful chalk art work and the bikes and scooters are getting lots of action. And of course toads....Aidan found seven yesterday. He's already looking forward to August when our woods are filled with the little green peeper frogs!
And now for the post title - Molly Grace's haircut. She really likes her new look. The day she got it cut she said, "Mom, when my hairs grows can I get it cut again just like this?" It does really seem to fit her, doesn't it?!
In the meantime the little kids are taking full advantage of summer weather. We had the kiddie pool out today, the driveway is filled with beautiful chalk art work and the bikes and scooters are getting lots of action. And of course toads....Aidan found seven yesterday. He's already looking forward to August when our woods are filled with the little green peeper frogs!
And now for the post title - Molly Grace's haircut. She really likes her new look. The day she got it cut she said, "Mom, when my hairs grows can I get it cut again just like this?" It does really seem to fit her, doesn't it?!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Irish Dance Recital
We had our big recital this past weekend. The stage was great, but dark, and therefore I couldn't get any good pictures of the girls dancing. Here are a few candid shots taken after the performance...
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For those wondering, Moira's new dress fit perfectly
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For those wondering, Moira's new dress fit perfectly
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Another Fun Day With Our Chromosome Cousins!!!
KJ, Alex, Nick, Aidan, Teresa, Molly Grace, Eileen, Bridget, MaryEllen, Megan, Erin, and Moira. Whew! That's a lot of kids on one couch!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Little Ones Go Hunting...
...for toads! They found several yesterday. A couple made their way into the house, but after learning that they couldn't be indoor pets, I'm pretty sure they made it back out. Let's just hope they are all out of Aidan's pockets before his pants go through the wash.
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Pirates Have Performed
For the third year in a row, Bridget and Teresa have participated in a home school drama club for young girls. Two high school girls generously give of their time to direct this little group. This year the title of the play was Peggy the Pint-Sized and Polly the Pipsqueak - Their Quest for Bigness. It was adorable. The play is about two small pirates who want to be big pirates. We discover, by the end of the play, that the pipsqueaks are fearless and make up for their small size with their wit and big hearts. They work to save the veteran pirates from captivity. It included scenes with a sea monster, mermaid and game show host. It was funny and heartwarming all at the same time, and the girls did a fantastic job. I wish I had the whole thing on film, but pictures will have to do. Bridget played the parts of Captain Sludge, a pirate and Oceanna, the mermaid. Teresa played Polly the Pipsqueak.
Argh!!!!!!!!!
Bridget as Oceanna
The whole cast including our directors, Kathleen and Sarah
Argh!!!!!!!!!
The Ice Cream Truck
You know it's almost summer when you first hear the sound of the ice cream truck maneuvering through the neighborhood. Although, it's not the nice soft bell ringing sound that I remember as a kid. Rather, it's a glaring, loud, blown-out speaker sound that plays Pop Goes the Weasel over and over and over....The first time the ice cream man comes around it's a lot of fun. The kids come running, I fork over the money and everyone gets a nice treat. They eat snow cones, rocket pops and drumsticks galore. The ice cream man then thinks he hit the jackpot because of the many kids on our cul-de-sac, which means that he'll be back. And back again. Over the next few weeks we politely decline the ice cream treats a few times, and another time I allow the little kids to use their own money in their piggy banks to buy treats so that they realize that money doesn't grow on trees. But then it all starts to get a bit more interesting. Last week Teresa asked if she could get an ice cream from the truck. I answered that she couldn't because for one, the ice cream man wasn't even in the neighborhood, or even within a mile radius. (Did I mention that the "song" was loud?) She replied, "That's OK Mom, I have his business card. I can give him a call and he'll be here within a half hour." What?! Since when do ice cream men give eight year olds business cards? I checked it out and sure enough, in her little pink sparkly purse was a very important business card. LOL. You can't say that Mr. Ice Cream Man lacks marketing skills. Interesting to say the least.
Here are a few pics of the very first tastes of summer...
Here are a few pics of the very first tastes of summer...
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