Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month! 💙💛

“The One who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV 

First, I want to thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all. (Romans 1:8) 

Kim; founder of Gifts From The Heart For Downs- thank you for your message of hope and sharing the dream God gave you for our children and your invitation to journey with you towards “helping others and animals”. I look forward to your dream unfolding before us and the hope in store as we listen to the One who made us and calls us. Surely He will do it! 

Rachel; founder of Ink & Parchment- thank you for encouraging me to write my story. At times I wonder if I even have one. So maybe this is it? It’s about a farm. 

A farm for people with Down syndrome...

Sep 20, 6:12 PM From Kim: 

“Hi Debbie!

How are you....I have been thinking of you a lot as I have wanted to drive on down to visit.  In the mean time I also have a question that I would like to ask......

Is there a time that you and I can talk!

I honestly haven't forgotten about you all.  Think of you a lot!

Sending much love to you all,

Kim”

SEP 20, 6:50 PM From Debbie: 

“Hi Kim! That makes me happy! Would love to see you again! I was at my daughters volleyball game but Im usually home. Just give me a call when you get a chance. Love you all too!”

It was on September 20, 2018 when Kim contacted me through FB messenger. She later called me that same evening to fill me in on her dream. Kim and I first met through Facebook in 2010 by the common bond of our children born with DS. Kim adopted her two children Matthew and Judy. We had Hannah born into our family and adopted Valeria. We both met at a Ruck March in Washington DC on October 2, 2011 to bring awareness to DS hosted by Tischer’s Troops and have have kept in touch ever since. She was there cheering our family on when we were called to adopt another angel named “little Hannah” that hit a brick wall. We were chasing after her hard through the Foster care process in Baltimore county in hopes of adopting her late 2014 which sadly ended early 2017 when Little Hannah was pronounced not adoptable by the courts and ordered to remain in Foster care with the family who has been taking care of her from the time her birth family was disrupted. Although Little Hannah was not placed in our family, she remains in our hearts.

October 2, 2011

So here we are and as I type this I realized that today is the second day of October. October is DS Awareness month! Also today is exactly 7 years since the day we met Kim and her family on the Ruck March in DC for Down syndrome awareness with Tischer’s troops. Tischer’s Troops was started in 2010 and run by the Tischer’s who have a son also named Matthew also born with DS. So much fun!! 

Yesterday was the first day of October and the first day for DS awareness month! Photo below is of Valeria (Lera) and Hannah that I shared on social media. They had just visited the doctors and they were given these balloons. How cool they matched the colors for DS! So much cuteness!! 

October 1, 2018 

To be continued... 💙💛