I am a very lucky man – I’ve got an amazing wife and am the father to three wonderful kids. Lylli was born on Halloween in 2008, Gracie was born November 2010 and although she only lived for 17 months, she will remain as much a part of this family as the rest of us, and Mickey Gray, our first son, was born in June of 2012. I’m not going to say that life has gone exactly as I would have wanted, but it is a good life and I am determined to make the best of it.



This blog is an attempt to document my quest to become a dad that my family can be proud of.






Thursday, June 2, 2011

Not just a New Chapter, but a Whole Different Book

I found out that Carrie and Gracie will be leaving the hospital in Boston and coming home early next week.  I can’t tell you how excited we are to have them back.  Feeling a bit nostalgic this morning, so I thought I would repost a couple entries from the past ----
 
After receiving the news that our unborn daughter, Gracie, has Down Syndrome, I find myself feeling like, and have been told by others that, I need to grieve, but I just can't. I see the sorrow in the eyes in almost everybody that I tell - but it truly is unnecessary. We are so lucky that we have been chosen to receive this gift. Every person that I've spoken to that has become the parent of a child with DS has told me that it's the best thing that has ever happened to them. Explain to me how this should be sad? I think about how much she will teach us and our other daughter Lylli about compassion and understanding and about inclusion. I look forward to the endless number of things that she will teach us every day. I know she will help me to become a more patient and better father - husband - man. She has already brought my wife and I much closer than we were before. I think of the book Tuesdays with Morrie where he paraphrases Mark Twain's saying ""Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth." Mitch Albom scheduled weekly visits to meet with a dying old college professor to get this wisdom. Wisdom that every parent spends their lives trying to instill in their children. I don't dance, I'll admit life experiences have given me a tentative heart, I only sing if I've had a few beers, and I often find myself not living my life as I should. I know I'm stereo-typing here, but I will tell you -- if you really want to see the living, breathing version of that Mark Twain saying, go to a summer camp for teens with Down Syndrome on the Beach Party Karaoke Night Dance and you will see exactly what he means. I've known for three days that Gracie has Down Syndrome and she is already teaching me. Yes, our life has changed and will no doubt be different, but if this baby makes it (and that may still take a miracle), I'm pretty sure it’s going to be better than I anticipated.
 
 

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