When Bailey was born with Down Syndrome, I lived in fear over his future. I was paralyzed wondering how it would all work out. Everyday presented me with a new opportunity to educate, advocate, and affirm the people that were sent to further him on his path. Tomorrow, he graduates from high school and will move on to attend a vocational school. His enthusiasm for life is contagious and I look back to wonder why I was ever worried. Maybe it was because it was unfamiliar territory as not only was I a new parent, but a parent of a child with special needs. I remember thinking as we left the hospital that I can’t believe they would let me leave with him since we didn’t have a clue of how to do anything related to parenting. The sleepless nights, the hospital stays, and the complete annoyance over the ignorance of others, has been completely worth it. Watching him enjoy his senior year, planning his future, and telling people that he is going to a college without dorms (it’s a vocational school) confirms he is no different. The extra chromosome is the only separation of him and a typical senior.
My children are the best teachers. If I have learned anything about being a parent, it is that I still have a lot to learn. Fortunately, I am open and willing. This weekend we celebrate Bailey, but I am also celebrating the many emails, letters, phone calls, and minor nervous breakdowns during our nineteen years. They were all worth it.
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