Gifts : Mothers Reflect on How Children With Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives »

Kathryn Lynard Soper is the mother of seven children. Her youngest, Thomas, born in 2005, was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth. Kathryn received a BA in English from Brigham Young University in 1993. She is president of Segullah Group, Inc., a non-profit producer of personal writings, and is editor of Segullah, a literary journal by and for Latter-day Saint (Mormon) women. She is currently writing a memoir about her first year with Thomas. Kathryn lives with her husband, Reed, and their children in the mountain west.

Having a baby with Down syndrome is not something most parents would willingly choose. Yet many who travel this path discover rich, unexpected rewards along the way. In this candid and poignant collection of personal stories, sixty-three mothers describe the gifts of respect, strength, delight, perspective, and love, which their child with Down syndrome has brought into their lives.

The contributors to this collection have diverse personalities and perspectives, and draw from a wide spectrum of ethnicity, world views, and religious beliefs. Some are parenting within a traditional family structure; some are not. Some never considered terminating their pregnancy; some struggled with the decision. Some were calm at the time of diagnosis; some were traumatized. Some write about their pregnancy and the months after giving birth; some reflect on years of experience with their child.

Their diverse experiences point to a common truth: The life of a child with Down syndrome is something to celebrate. These women have something to say-not just to other mothers but to all of us.

ADVANCE for Occupational Therapy Practitioners

This book will accompany the reader long after it is placed on the bookshelf. The advice and resources provided will help many, and the theme of determination will inspire all to cheer for those with Down's, as well as their families. A companion volume is in the works offering more stories of love, acceptance and hope (writer's guidelines are available at giftsds.segullah.org).

I thoroughly enjoyed this paperback book. Not often can a book touch one's heart--I found, more than once, a tear in my eye and a smile on my lips. It is a testament to what can be accomplished with love, patience and determination and will be an invaluable resource for anyone associated with the care of individuals with Down syndrome.

Foreword   Martha Sears, RN     xvii
Introduction: Gifts: Two Birth Stories   Kathryn Lynard Soper     xix
The Gift of Respect
Aidan's Gift   Valle Dwight     3
What To Do With A Boy   Jessica Capitani     10
On His Thirteenth Birthday   Jodi Reimer     16
Belonging   Rebecca Phong     21
Oh, Yeah?   Robin Roach     25
From Generation to Generation   Debbie Ellenbogen     30
Different   Tammy Hodson     34
It's Better Than Good   Janine Steck Huffman     38
Mommy   Kelly Rimmer     44
Acceptance   Shari Adelson-Pollard     47
Sunshine   Jeanette Bollinger     51
Who's Winning?   Sandra Assimotos-McElwee     55
The Gift of Strength
Notes From the Deep End   Jennifer Enderlin Blougouras     61
For Such a Time as This   Emily Vesper     64
Travels with Brendan   Tammy Westfahl     68
For James   Leilani Lucas     72
Nourishment   Deborah Minner     76
Matthew's Secret   Katy Shapro     80
Lifting Each Other   Anita Minor     83
The School of Life   Ann Bremer     87
Fight the Good Fight   Joanne M. Crouse     91
The Dream   Rosemarie Aiello-Gertz     95
We Are Not Alone   Michelle Adams     99
Where There's a Will, There's a Way   Kelly Anderson     103
Emma Sage   Tara Marie Hintz     107
The Gift of Delight
Surprise!   Cynthia Yunke     113
Light the Way   Alicia Culp     118
Blue Ribbon. First Place   Carol B. Mills     123
The Buddha Bean   Beth Crawford     127
A Hopeful Future   Nancy Iannone     130
Enjoying the Ride   Leah Spring     135
Lost and Found   Traci Cross Williams     139
In the Moment   Gina Vivona     142
Expecting   Peggy Cooper-Smith     145
Green Onion   Cori Guillaume     149
Big Sister   Karen Roberts     152
Speech Therapy   Kelly Schuh     156
Loving Emma Jayne   Emily Zeid      159
The Gift of Perspective
Beginning   Renee Sherman     169
Entertaining Angels   Barbara Curtis     174
Defining Moments   Sherrill Rechner     177
Slow Motion   Stephanie Bissol     183
When the Other Shoe Drops   Beth Price     187
Ups and Downs   Bethany Balsis     193
Miracle Man   Katy Servos     198
Stepping Out   Stefanie M. Miller     204
Lucky   Carey Branam     208
Nolan: A Little Dream   Catherine Finn     212
The Eighth-Grade Dance   Nicol Hudson     215
What I Know Now   Carla Reeves     219
The Gift of Love
The Life that Chose Me   Monica Braat     225
Tiny Hands   Courtney Koblitz Fields     230
Brothers   Dena Castellano-Farrell     236
Birthday Guilt   Michelle Helferich     240
Kindness Received   Francine Ferraro Rothkopf     244
The Blessing of an Imperfect Life   Janis Gonzales     248
Growing   Sarahlynn Lester     253
Through the Eyes of Love   Tammy Bonser     259
Crecer Con Amor   Charo Boggian     263
Quality of Life   Renee Parker     268
The Luckiest People in the World   Jane Leahy-Smith     273
Live Long, Laugh Often, Love Much   Andi Matthews     278
First Words   Jennifer Graf Groneberg     288