Mary is 27 Today!!!

To the Birthday girl!!!

Mary's high school graduation.

Twenty seven years ago today...

Mary and Danny - her first Christmas

I got up and went in for an early morning Dr. appt.

Danny, Amelia and Mary - 1986

I was due in 3.5 weeks to give birth.

It had been a hard pregnancy and I had been confined to bed for 2 months to stop early labor. 

Amelia and Mary 1988

At the appt. the Dr. told me it was safe now and I could get up and start doing things.

So...

on the way home I went shopping.

It had been soooo long since I'd been able to do that.

By the time I got home I had regular contractions.

By 5 pm (or thereabouts) our Mary was born!

The family 1985

Weighing in at 8 lbs and 5 oz. she was whisked away immediately after she was born due to low oxygen levels.

There was lots of whispering among the Dr and nurses.

I was surprised at how "different" she looked compared to my first child, but I was thrilled beyond words that it was a girl.  I'd had some pretty strong feelings about it being a girl and had only brought girl clothes with me to the hospital.

Ready for Pre-school:  Mary, Amelia & cousin Scott

Later, in my hospital room, my pediatrician dropped in to see me.In the gentlest way possible, he informed me of his very strong suspicions that our new baby girl had "Down Syndrome".   He said that even though it couldn't be confirmed until a genetics test, that he was pretty certain.  

Danny, Loren, Amelia & Mary  1993

And then he advised me that the very best thing I could do was to take her home, love her, raise her as I would do my other children, then avail myself of all possible resources and have high expectations for her.

Mary, Rachel & Jessica  1997

His counsel was good, but I was devastated.  

The clothes I had purchased with so much excitement and brought with me to the hospital had been for "another little girl" from my idealized imaginings.  The discrepancy between my expected child and the one that I got was hard to reconcile.  The adjustment was very hard to make.  
 Long story short, we DID made the adjustments and were on our way. 

The girls  - abt 2002

We informed family and loved ones and moved ahead.

Throughout her life, Mary has been a delight and a blessing.

She was the happiest of babies and children, always giggling and chattering.  She was selfless and loving.  I won't lie, we've had some rough patches, but...

She has taught us more than we have taught her, and I am grateful for each and every one of those "life lessons".   It has been a fun ride.

I'm sure you've all heard (a variation of) the story of how a woman planned a 2-week trip to Hawaii.  She prepared, made purchases and boarded the plane, ready for a tropical vacation.  Instead of landing in Honolulu, however, the plane landed in Austria.  

 She was surprised and shocked.  Her ticket was non-refundable.  She hadn't packed the right clothes.  She wasn't informed on all the places to see and things to do in Austria. 
She had a choice.  She could sit in her hotel room and sulk and grumble for the 2 weeks, or she could re-adjust her plans.  She could research Austria and get out and enjoy it's amazing beauty and unique-ness.  She chose the latter.

Well, this is a simplified version of what it's like to have a child with special needs.  It was a surprise and a shock at first, 

At Daniel's graduation from BYU

 But,

it's been a beautiful and amazing and interesting (very) journey thus far.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!! 

Here's to many more!

We love you SO MUCH!!