365 Days of Abby: A Survey

I love being on summer break - I'm sure you all are surprised to hear that. One of the best things is that I can finally catch up on things I've let slide - like housework. At the end of the day when school is over, homework is finished, Abby is in bed, and my blog post is written, I have no motivation to haul out the vacuum and hunt down those dust bunnies that have taken up residence under the piano. So, this morning I got going on things right away. Abby even helped me with the floors, and didn't protest too loudly at the noise it took to clean them - a.k.a. the vacuum.

Abby and I have had a very enjoyable morning with me toggling between classwork and housework, and Abby enjoying various art projects, broken up by periodic snack breaks. One of the great things though is that I now have the ability to do my blog post earlier in the day - that is if Abby provides me with the needed material.

Today's blog post, though didn't really need any of Abby's antics. It came to mind almost immediately after I posted yesterday's entry. Once I was finished last night I took the time to read through some other blog posts and I came across this one from Michelle who blogs at "Big Blueberry Eyes". I would encourage you to take the time to read through it, and hopefully you will be as horrified as I was. She talks about a blogger who supports prenatal testing for the purpose of diagnosing Down syndrome, and encourages aborting those children. The following quote seems to sum up her point: "Down's Syndrome will (hopefully) eventually be another one of the crippling, hindering conditions of mankind eliminated from our genome." She goes on to give more of her opinion that I will not quote, because I will not spew her voice here (nor will I provide the link to her post, because I will not support ignorance). Now, I am not naive enough to think that there are not those out there who fall victim to old stereotypes and think that people with Ds take more than they give, but I was taken aback at the absolute disregard for another's life. The hate and anger fairly oozes from the screen, and if I could choke down some of my own anger I might feel sorry for her - might. If this were but one person I could handle it a bit better (maybe), but sadly she is not. It is not merely individuals that would discard Abby, but a whole country. Yes, that's what I said - a whole country wants to banish people that happen to be born with one extra chromosome. In Michele's post she referenced an article from 2011 that reported on the efforts of Denmark to become a "Down Syndrome - free perfect society" What?!? Is this really where we are headed? You mean to tell me there is a whole nation who thinks this world would be a better place without people like Abby? In short, I was stunned.

This got me thinking, and wondering, just how many lives my kiddo has touched in a positive way. So, I'd like to do an informal survey. Now, by a show of hands, tell me how many of you have:

ever smiled at, liked, or commented on at a picture I've posted of Abby?
ever smiled at, liked, commented on, laughed out loud at, or told someone else about a story I've told about Abby?
recently seen someone with Down syndrome and thought about Abby?
changed your mind about what having "special needs" really means, because of Abby?
ever hoped that one day you would meet Abby in person (if you haven't already)?
ever had your day brightened by Abby?
ever thought that, "Yes, the world would be a better place without someone as "abnormal" as Abby"?

That last one was a trick question, but maybe it got you thinking. Is this really were we want to go as a society? I know that Abby has impacted many in her short life - lives that I will never know about, and who will never read this post. She has absolutely changed who I am - for the better, and I know others that would say the same thing. I can only have faith that her voice, and the voices of others like her, will be heard over the clamoring of those who cannot see the beauty in God's perfect plan.