Globe Trotting

One of my favorite preachers is Chuck Swindoll.  His sermons are broadcasted on radios and available on podcasts.  He loves to tell stories and jokes during his sermons.  One that I will always remember is his retelling of a Christmas gift he received when he was a child.  He had wanted and begged his parents for a basketball.  Come Christmas morning, he saw a round package under the tree.  When he unwrapped it, it wasn't a basketball but a world globe.

I thought of this story when we first learned that Baby Bunny has Down syndrome.  During the pregnancy, John and I talked about the hopes and dreams we have for our daughter.  She would rather be smart than pretty and a nerd just like her parents.

When I was pregnant, people always asked if the baby was a boy or girl.  Before we found out, we really didn't have a preference as long as the baby was healthy.  I thought then, well, even if the baby wasn't perfect, we would still take him or her home.  Perhaps I had a premonition that something maybe wrong.  After all, I am older, nearing the end of my child bearing years.  Children bore to older women have higher incidences of chromosomal abnormalities.

God gives perfect and good gifts.  Baby Bunny is none other.  We have no idea what her future will be like.  Down syndrome is exhibited differently in different individuals.  We are fortunate that our daughter does not have many of the physical ailments that often come with the diagnosis, like heart defects and gastrointestinal issues.  One of the biggest challenges is low muscle tone which makes daily physical activities difficult, even something as simple as sucking.  Baby Bunny actually has pretty good muscle tone.  The other biggest challenge is low mental capacity.  But, there are some Down syndrome individuals with fairly average IQ.  At this point, it's difficult to assess how Baby Bunny will do as she grows.  We're enjoying this wonderful gift God has given us for now and savor each moment.

Chuck Swindoll may have wanted a basketball, but his parents knew better how much more he needed the globe.