Inclusion Works!

  For me, raising David has been like hiking through the mountain range.  He is totally awesome and makes us laugh hourly.  In our parenting of David there have been times when I have been on the tip of the mountain top with my heart full of pride and amazement of this awesome life that God has blessed us with. 

There have been times sitting through tough meetings, or the year David was in treatment, or exhausting discipline phases where I felt like I was walking in the valley.  The moment the doctors first uttered the words Down syndrome to me on his birth day, I felt God's peace and presence so strongly.  I have never ever doubted God's plan to bless us with a child with an extra chromosome. 

This week my heart has been full seeing the blessing that comes when your child is treated like just another child.  David has been blessed with being in inclusion in our public schools since Pre-K.  He has been in regular classes with the support of our awesome special educators within the regular classroom setting. 

This past weekend one of David's best girlfriends had her birthday party at the skating rink.  David was so excited to go and my heart was FULL seeing how much the birthday girl and his other BFF, Kelsey truly included David. 

I watched in amazement to see my child loved by these girls and included.  Truly included.

I came home from the party and told Mike that God has indeed blessed David once again with some true and sweet friends that love him.  Inclusion has been SUCH a blessing for David because the kids obviously know he has a disability and has battled cancer, but he is accepted and loved.  I could barely contain my joy!

Today was another moment of pure joy watching our David compete in Upwards basketball with his peers. Obviously he was not the star out on the court, but he made a basket and had a blast with his friends.  Here he is posing with Daddy, one of the referees!  David made it known several times during the game that he was not pleased with his Daddy's calls as the ref and we all laughed in the stands.  I commented that David will probably not get the white "christ-like" star for good sportsmanship!  Ha! 

Here he is running out of the court when they introduced him!!

Praying with both teams before the start of the game,

 

I actually got a picture of his basket he made!  He was so proud of himself and I could barely contain my joy!  Considering he has a disability and was out of "the loop" for a year during chemo and radiation, God has continued to bless his life with sweet friends, meaningful and appropriate activities, and JOY!  I was such a proud Momma this weekend!