"Those who don't perceive beauty in the face of a Down's Syndrome person are blind to all beauty or are so fearful of difference that they must at once turn away from every encounter with it. In every face -- even the plainest and the most unfortunate countenances -- there is some precious aspect of the divine image of which we are a reflection, and if you look with an open heart, you can see an awesome beauty, a glimpse of something so radiant that it gives you joy."

--- Dean R. Koontz in Seize the Night

On December 20th, 1996, when my daughter Angela called and said "Mom, I think I'm in labor," I thought, "No, not now...the baby isn't due for another 4 weeks, and it's so close to Christmas."

But by early that Friday evening, there was no more waiting...Angela was going to have this baby. She and her husband dropped my oldest granddaughter, Melyssa, off, while they went to perform this miracle of giving me another grandchild. We already knew it was a girl, and we already had her name picked out....She had been Megan to us all for months before she was born.

Within a couple of hours, the phone was ringing...Megan was here! She had all ten fingers and toes, she weighed in at a scant 5 lbs. We went to the hospital to see her that night. I got to hold this precious miracle within an hour of her birth. What a wonderful Christmas present...all of a sudden all those concerns were gone...I was holding Megan!

The next morning the doctor came to check on her. He told John & Angela that he suspected Megan was a Down Syndrome baby, but they would run a test to confirm it. Of course this was devastating to us all. My whole family for generations had never had a disabled child. In fact we often marveled at how lucky we were. For days and days we kept saying "It can't be true," "She is so beautiful," "How could God play this trick on us?"

Well, Megan will be having her second birthday in a few days. And it was no "trick" of God's. She is our gift from God. We have certainly had our ups and downs with our little Megan. We almost lost her once. But God smiled on us and let us keep her. This precious gift that God gave us, has brought us total joy. If you have never received love from a Down Syndrome child, well, you have missed out! My little angel, Megan, has taught me so much about dignity, bravery, diligence, joyfulness, and most of all complete, total, and honest love.

And He will surround you with Angels!

P.S. If you wonder why your are listening to

The Barney Song...

And Granny Loves Megan!

Links - Visit some of these other sources for info on Down Syndrome

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