Elijah, You Make Me Better

Upon hearing the news that our baby likely had Down syndrome, I was devastated. We went through all the testing, at every turn hoping the doctors would be incorrect, but after an amnio, we confirmed the Down syndrome diagnosis. Up unto this point, we had considered options we never thought we would, swirling in an unknown world of fear, sadness, grief, and heartbreak. But at the same time, something about the finality and certainty of the diagnosis gave me what I needed to move forward. This was our baby, and we would love him no matter what. But after Elijah was born, I had another rough few nights of, “Why us? Why our baby? I can’t do this. I don’t want this baby.” But then, he was transferred to the NICU, and I went home without our baby. That changed me. By the time he was able to come home, the joy, peace, happiness, and excitement of having him home erased every other feeling.

Elijah is the BEST. He truly is pure love and pure joy. There is something special about him that I can’t quite put my finger on, except that God made him uniquely wonderful, just the way he is. Wherever we go, he is magnetic, bringing smiles, laughter, and even happy tears. He has changed me in every way possible. I am more compassionate, caring, patient, loving, accepting, and understanding because of Elijah. He has opened my eyes to a world I had never noticed before, and now, I see it everywhere I go. He has changed who I am at my core, and every time I look at him, I cannot imagine who I was before him. He is one of the best things in my life, and I will fight for him, for the best for him, and for a good life for him for the rest of my life. As I hold him in my arms, snuggling and kissing his sweet little head, I now understand that he truly does make me, and everyone he meets, better. The world is better with him in it.

-Shannon, Elijah’s Mom (Texas)