March 31, 2011 7:47 AM
Jonny's Birthday - celebrating 19 years of Down syndrome in our family
Nineteen years ago today something happened that changed my life forever. My son Jonny was born. Within five minutes, I knew he had Down syndrome. He was our eighth child, and I guess God had prepared my heart for this Great Adventure. That's the only way I can explain the feeling of basking in God's love and goodness - I knew this would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
And it has been!
Tripp sent this to everyone in our family on Jonny's 16th birthday:
Dear Family,Today is a "day of days" in our family...Every one of you is special in God's Eyes and in my heart, but I believe we were all transformed in one way or another by Our God when he sent us Jonathan. I praise Our Heavenly Father for His goodness and thank my wife for being Jonny's Mother and Advocate.
Love to you all!
RoboPop [RoboPop because of his knee replacement :)]
Along with a bunch of pictures - which I can share with you too:
Since Jonny was a baby, this has been my song for him:
And you can tell everybody
This is your song
It might be quite simple
But now that it's done
I hope you don't mind
I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is while you're in the world.
~~~~~~~
See also: About that extra chromosome
Posted in Down syndrome, Family | Permalink
Comments
Happy Birthday, Jonny!! You are a gift! :)
Posted by: Sue from Buffalo | March 31, 2011 8:07 AM
Happy and blessed day dear Jonny!
Posted by: Anne | March 31, 2011 10:25 AM
Precious!!!
Posted by: Chrissy | March 31, 2011 10:27 AM
Happy birthday Jonny!
Posted by: Nissa | March 31, 2011 10:18 PM
Dear Tripp and Barbara, I love the pictures of your family. I AM SO IMPRESSED at all Jonny can do. You were Blessed to be living in a place that have so many opportunities for "SPECIAL PEOPLE"..I can see you have so much love in your family and everyone works together. I remember when Jonny was born, holding him. He was just so precious. and then when Daniel came to live with you. I remember holding him too. Our Melissa is 41 and not doing so well. We have NO SERVICES here in Marin the budget has been cut to the bare bones...Well God Bless you Tripp and Barbara. I pray that {ALL} your family will one day be together again....HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONNY....Love Becky
Posted by: Rebecca Wold | April 1, 2011 2:43 AM
Dear Rebecca-
Thanks so much for the memories. I remember those moments too, and remember the wonderful meal we shared one night at your house, a blessing which I was always too busy to return.
Some of my kids are not as socially gifted as Jonny and so will be more challenging as they enter adulthood. Right now we are focused on getting Jonny a job in the community as he will be graduating from high school in June. Although he is eligible to stay in school until 21, I doubt if he will want to do that since Maddy is graduating with him, and since he's seen his older brothers and sisters go off on their own as adults.
The services and social opportunities here are phenomenal - ironic, since when we announced we were moving in 2002, everyone warned us how hard it would be for our special needs kids and our performing arts kids. But Virginia is one of the best fiscally-run states in the nation. We just don't have quite the monolithic bureaucracy found in California. Do people still want more? Yes, of course. But having lived in California and seen the wasted money going to fund layers of administration rather than services, I will take Virginia any day.I am so glad we were able to reconnect via the Internet.
love,
barbara
Posted by: Barbara | April 1, 2011 6:24 AM
Happy Birthday Jonny!!!!
Posted by: Eileen | April 1, 2011 10:39 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONNY! I loved all the pictures of your exciting and wonderful life. Saw them all twice. You are the most handsome dude! I hope I will meet you sometime. You have only one year left to be a teenager--WOW! World, get ready, "Here comes Jonny!"
Your Mom's new friend, Leona
Posted by: Leona Choy | April 2, 2011 7:38 PM
