Must reads...

Even after almost 6 years, I am often asked 2 questions concerning our life with Betsy:

1. How did you deal with learning about her condition?

2. How do you do it?

I have touched on the answers to both often enough on this blog, but have never been completely satisfied with my interpretation.  It is a difficult thing to articulate and fine tune.  Maybe it can't be done.

Concerning the first question, the closest I've come is this.

However, recently, I've read two things that have touched my soul...to the core.

The first is a response to the first question.  Back in December, Kelle Hampton wrote the birth story of her second daughter.  The happy day quickly took a turn when Kelle suspected, that upon holding her sweet bundle for the first time, her baby girl had Down's Syndrome.

image from 'Enjoying the Small Things: A Blog by Kelle Hampton'

Even though Jake and I didn't discover Betsy's condition until she was almost 4 months old, the shock and sadness over mourning the daughter she thought she was having is so poignant.   The sadness is followed by hope, and more love than she could have ever imagined filling every space in her soul.  

Find the full post HERE, and grab a tissue or two {or a box}. 

The second post was written by my bloggy friend, Tara.  

It addresses the second question: How do you do it?

My answer has always been, "You just do.".

No big mystery.  No real secret. 

Tara explains a bit further, and she does it oh, so well.  

image of Tara's daughter via her blog 'TMI'

Tara's comparison of the balancing act of raising a child with special needs to the careful editing of a photograph is brilliant.  

Read her post, HERE.

Grab a second box of tissues.

Really.  You'll need them.