Οι Allison και Andrew Sweatman παρέδωσαν το πιο γλυκό μάθημα στους γονείς όλου του κόσμου με μία κίνηση που όχι απλά είναι άξια συγχαρητηρίων, μα επιπλέον μας κάνει να πιστεύουμε πως υπάρχει ακόμα ελπίδα για ένα καλύτερο αύριο.

Η ζωή μπορεί να μην τους τα έφερε όλα τόσο εύκολα, οι δυο τους όμως απέδειξαν πως οι δυσκολίες μπορούν πράγματι να σε κάνουν καλύτερο άνθρωπο και να σε βοηθήσουν να ανακαλύψεις πτυχές του εαυτού σου που δεν γνώριζες καν πως έχεις.

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This will forever be one of my favorite pictures of my firstborn. Before her chest was cut open and her heart was made well. Before the cascade of life-saving, dangerous interventions. Before we knew just how scary it could all be. Before we were warned she might not come home with us. Before we were warned she might not breathe on her own. . Before we had the perspective of one who has been to hell and back. Before we had a story of being rescued from the horror of losing your child. Before we were given the honor of adopting another child with a little extra. Before I begged God to give me the privilege of raising this child and had the honor of that prayer being answered “yes.” . This was a simpler time, but I wouldn’t call it “better,” necessarily. . #downsyndrome #downsyndromeawarenessmonth #congenitalheartdefect #trisomy21 #t21 #heartwarrior #heartbaby #openheartsurgery

A post shared by Allison (@allison_sweatman) on Oct 22, 2018 at 6:48am PDT

Το ζευγάρι έφερε το καλοκαίρι του 2015 το πρώτο του παιδί στον κόσμο, τη μικρή Roselyn Elizabeth.

Το κοριτσάκι τους διαγνώστηκε με σύνδρομο Down, ενώ παράλληλα καλούνταν να αντιμετωπίσει και ένα σοβαρό εκ γενετής πρόβλημα στην καρδούλα του.

Όπως η οικογένεια Sweatman παραδέχτηκε, ο πρώτος χρόνος ήταν πραγματικά δύσκολος, αφού το ζευγάρι μπήκε στη διαδικασία να αφήσει τη δουλειά του στην Κίνα, να μετακομίσει στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, να μπαινοβγαίνει στα νοσοκομεία και να στέκεται συνεχώς στο πλευρό του παιδιού του που καθημερινά έδινε μια καινούργια μάχη.

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Families leave the churches in large numbers when they have a child who is diagnosed with an intellectual disability. I've been pondering this and praying through the pervasive ableism in church and society at large. In terms of action steps, I haven't come up with much yet. BUT I have a sincere suggestion for church leadership of any denomination. On your website, perhaps near the children's ministry information, write a note saying something like this: … A note to visiting parents of children with any disability or diagnosis: We welcome your child and want to fully include them in the experience of our children's ministry. If you have specific concerns about their participation and would like to discuss accommodations to make yourself and your child more comfortable, call/ email [children's pastor] at [contact info]. … You'd be shocked how meaningful this could be to someone seeking a place of worship. We're beginning to have high expectations for the public school system in the way of holistic inclusion in WORD AND DEED, why wouldn't we hold our religious institutions to similar standards? … #childrensministry #inclusion #ableism #ministry #church #radicalinclusion

A post shared by Allison (@allison_sweatman) on Nov 4, 2018 at 5:00pm PST

Ήταν ένα «άχαρο» νέο ξεκίνημα που, όμως, τους έκανε να χαμογελούν . Γιατί γνώριζαν καλά πως το κοριτσάκι τους έβγαινε νικήτρια κάθε μέρα ξανά από την αρχή.

Και κάπως έτσι, ξεκίνησαν να χαμογελούν ξανά. «Δεν είναι εύκολο ταξίδι, αλλά είναι σίγουρα ένα προνόμιο να είσαι μέρος του», λέει η Allison. Η Roselyn Elizabeth τα πήγαινε συνεχώς καλύτερα όταν το ζευγάρι αποφάσισε πως όλη αυτή η εμπειρία που είχε αποκτήσει στο σύνδρομο Down θα τους βοηθούσε να ανταπεξέλθουν με ακόμα ένα παιδάκι που παλεύει με την ίδια διαταραχή. Ένα παιδάκι που θα μπορούσε να προστεθεί στην οικογένειά τους και να μεγαλώσει μαζί με το βιολογικό τους παιδί.

Έτσι, οι δυο τους πήραν την απόφαση να υιοθετήσουν. Και αυτό ακριβώς έκαναν: Χάρισαν στην κόρη τους έναν το ίδιο «ιδιαίτερο» με εκείνη μεγάλο αδερφό. Τον Beau.

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These are my children. They both have Down syndrome. Before they became mine, I would’ve read a headline like this (slide to the right) and likely not thought twice about it. Just kept of scrolling. Wanna know what happens now? -I lose my breath. -I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut. -My face gets hot. -I feel nauseated and humiliated. . I wish I’d been an ally to the special needs community BEFORE I began to parent my kids, so that I could speak up for them when their diagnosis is used as a punchline or someone uses the word “retard” derogatorily. I wish I’d done that advocating BEFORE I was as emotionally invested as I am now as a mother. I’m not okay with this language. My kids are not a punchline. This is sickening to me. . Many well-meaning people will tell me to ignore this nonsense and while I understand the thought behind that advice, I need you to know it is not helpful. It is not constructive. The fact is this is the state of our world. Read on to the comments and see loads of people defending this language on various bases. It is about more than MacDonald’s ignorance and nonsensical remark. It’s about generations of institutionalization, segregation, exclusion, etc. that is not that far in the past. This history can’t be ignored because this history created a culture in which human beings with intellectual disabilities aren’t included, therefore aren’t defended or valued in society. It hasn’t been that long that parents have been able to use their voices to advocate as loudly as we do. It has hardly been one generation of individuals with Down syndrome integrated into public schools, for crying out loud. Do not tell me to ignore the bully. This is bigger than that. . #downsyndrome #downsyndromeawareness #downsyndromeadvocacy #specialneeds #specialneedsparenting

A post shared by Allison (@allison_sweatman) on Sep 12, 2018 at 4:00pm PDT

Αν και η διαδικασία της υιοθεσίας δεν ήταν εύκολη –όπως συμβαίνει πάντα στις περιπτώσεις παιδιών με σύνδρομο Down-, Allison και Andrew ήταν αποφασισμένοι. Και τα κατάφεραν! Σήμερα, ζουν όλοι μαζί και δηλώνουν πολύ πολύ ευτυχισμένοι.

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These kids and their next-level smiles ☺️ Beau THREW DOWN on a real-life, full-flavor cheeseburger on our family date the other night. I allowed it because mealtimes are always a struggle and he actually seemed interested in it. Good news is there weren’t any terrible reactions like when he had SO much birthday cake back in July 😂 . One of my followers DMed me from these stories asking if Rosie ever seems mad that she doesn’t get to eat by mouth. The answer is basically, no. While we are enjoying our meals by mouth, she’s getting her dinner via g-tube! Therefore, she’s having a balanced and healthful meal while we’re slammin’ burgs. We usually give her tastes of whatever we’re having and she *sometimes* loves it. She’s used to being fed directly into her tummy at mealtimes, so no issues except a few people staring because, yeah, it’s still a feeding tube. 🤷🏼‍♀️ . #beausigram #rosiegram #gtubeawareness #feedingtubeawareness #sensoryprocessingdisorder #downsyndrome

A post shared by Allison (@allison_sweatman) on Dec 17, 2018 at 9:20am PST

Η ιστορία τους έχει ταξιδέψει σε πολλά μέρη του κόσμου, με αυτούς τους δυο αξιέπαινους γονείς να αποδεικνύουν πως τίποτα δεν είναι ακατόρθωτο αρκεί να υπάρχει θέληση και αγάπη.