Leila – Nairobi

We found out at his birth that our son, Ruhi, has Down syndrome.  It was a shock.  We never imagined it would happen to us.  For several weeks, we grieved the expectations we held for our second son.  We were concerned about the kind of relationship he would have with his older brother.  We were afraid of all the medical complications we read he might develop.

We were terrified of the unknown.  Ruhi is now over a year and a half, and our perspective has changed entirely.  Apart from a congenital heart defect for which he will require open heart surgery when he is three years old, he has been healthy and well.  He loves playing peek-a-boo and catch with his brother, has learned how to sign a good number of words, and brings unbounded love and laughter to our entire household.  Although the path ahead is unknown, it is a joy to walk it with Ruhi by our side.

We could not imagine it any other way.