“God does not give special children to special people. He takes ordinary, imperfect people, and gifts them with His greatest treasures. And therein, he creates special parents.” – Unknown
Scared? Nah.
Down syndrome is not scary. Well, it can be at that first diagnosis because the unknown can be scary. But the reality is, that you just start taking care of that baby and doing what you do, and pretty quickly, Ds is just not the focus. They are your child, and we just can’t imagine our Ansley any other way.
Sometimes the challenges seem overwhelming, but with God’s help, we push through. At other times, we are required to put aside our pride. Ansley doesn’t always act the “right” way, or do things the way you would expect. She insists on wearing her sunglasses upside down. She prefers to wear her tennis shoes with her party dress. She will show up to church with her fairy wings on and her scooter for getting around the halls. She used to wear her swim goggles to ballet. I don’t know why, but trust me, I learned to choose my battles.
“He used me to give her life, and gave me mine at the same time.” – Susan Lewis Ellis
God has used Ansley to teach me to let go of my perfectionist expectations as a mother. She has taught me to live like no one else is watching. She has given me an extra purpose in life as her Mama. She has raised my voice as her advocate and cheerleader. These are all gifts to me, blessings from God through this child I once prayed He would change.
He used me to give her life, and gave me mine at the same time.
Ansley is perfect for our family just the way God made her. Just us and our little scary ghost. Just one normal family, not scared of the future, trusting God to use our family to His glory.
Thank you for your attention over this week. Thank you for being more aware and understanding of those who have Down syndrome. Please always remember, we are more alike than different.
Happy Rocktober! Let’s celebrate!
“Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.” Esther 4:14
About the author: Susan Lewis Ellis grew up in Habersham County. Her parents are Rev. Furman and Jeannette Lewis of Clarkesville. Susan and her husband, David, are the proud parents of daughters Lila and Ansley. The family lives in Venice, Florida. In observance of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, Susan wrote a series of articles for Now Habersham about her daughter Ansley. You can read all of her articles by clicking on the links below.
The only disability in life is a bad attitude
Ellis: My child is not a diagnosis, she’s a person
