Thankful

THANKFUL

Having Brianna has made us thankful.

Thankful for every moment.

At just twelve weeks of gestation, we were told Brianna had less than a 50% chance of surviving our pregnancy. Three days later we were told she had Down Syndrome. For the next 6 months, we were thankful for each day that Brianna was alive.

It is true that we were initially devastated by the diagnosis of Brianna having Down Syndrome. However, being told that she was not expected to live put everything into perspective for us. By the time Brianna was born, we were so happy to finally meet our daughter that Down Syndrome was the least of our concerns. We were thankful to hold her in our arms. Thankful to finally meet our little girl.

The reality is that Down Syndrome brings with it a slew of possible delays and health complications. During our turbulent pregnancy, we had come to terms with all of this and prepared ourselves. We knew what to expect. Now, every time that Brianna reaches a milestone, we are thankful. Every time she has a positive doctor's appointment, we are thankful.

A year has passed since Brianna was born and not a day goes by that I am not absolutely overjoyed to hold her in my arms. That feeling has never faded. too often in life people take for granted their blessings and become overwhelmed with tedious negatives. As terrible as our pregnancy was, those 6 months taught us to be thankful for every moment we have with our daughter. No matter what life throws at us, we are able to put into perspective knowing our family is healthy.

As for Brianna having Down Syndrome, it has brought to our lives a new level of appreciation for all of Brianna's accomplishments.

Every day on earth that we get to spend together is a miracle, and we can't help but be thankful for our little blessing Brianna Rose.