Mom, your grandbaby has Down syndrome
“You know that book I just read?” Andy asked sitting at the foot of my hospital bed. “The Henri Nouwen book?” I replied, “What is it called?” “Return of the Prodigal Son.” “Yes… I remember.” I looked down at Nichole who was sleeping in my arms. Her rhythmic breathing...
Baby sister
My 2 year old walked into the hospital room the day her baby sister was born. That same morning when we dropped her off at our friend’s house, she was just a baby. Within hours, she had grown to be a big girl. The excitement to meet her new baby sister reflected in...
We belong together
The doctor’s simple words pierced my heart, “I am so sorry.” I wanted to stand up to him, demand that he congratulated us on the birth of our newborn baby girl, shouldn’t those be the first words out of his mouth? The pediatrician’s words...
Does she have Down syndrome?
Andy described Ellie’s birth as running a marathon with no training. Nichole’s birth, however, was fast and perfect. I understood his sentiment when he whispered those words, “I have been surprised by joy.” His words – like a vapor – a mist that covered...
Surprised by joy
The urgency to use the toilet woke me up once more in the middle of the night. The frequent visits to the bathroom were too common being 38 weeks pregnant. However, this time I felt uncomfortable, actually, it was more like pain. My stomach was tight and my back was...
Ellen Stumbo writes and speaks about finding beauty in brokenness with gritty honesty and openness. She's passionate about sharing the real – sometimes beautiful and sometimes ugly – aspects of faith, parenting, special needs, and adoption. Ellen’s writing has appeared on Focus on the Family, LifeWay, MomSense, Not Alone, Mamapedia and the Huffington Post.