The Lucky Few

If you follow Ruby or any of her friends on social media, you've likely seen #theluckyfew. This references the belief that those of us with family connections to someone with Down syndrome are 'the lucky few' that get to experience the blessing it can be.

When Ruby was born, I immediately sought out a community, a connection. I knew that I knew nothing and I would need to learn from those that went before me. What I found was so much more. Moms I met at Gigi's, moms I met in my area of town, moms I met online, moms I talked to on the phone, moms I stalked the blogs of... What I realized quickly was how connected we all are by our children; it forms an instant bond. And when things arise like speech issues, potty training, IEPs, cancer, they have a hug and they have advice and they have your back.

Fast forward to about a month ago when some of the moms in one of my local circles started talking about another group of moms that met up at a conference (for adoption, I believe) and ended up getting similar tattoos to signify their journey and their connection to each other.
I was all in. I can count so many moms that have played such a significant role in my journey since Ruby was born, and many of them I've only talked to once or twice, or only texted. But that's the thing about Down syndrome: that instant bond.

Tonight a group of about 40 women gathered in a tattoo parlor (photos), laughed, hugged, met or re-met, and caught up on one another's journeys. Some got the original tattoo, some got a derivation to tie into a personal significance, some watched and gave moral support, but we all gathered. And then we went to dinner where MORE joined us and we continued more of the same. And it was perfect.

So what is the tattoo and what is the meaning behind it? For me it represents three arrows, signifying the 3 copies of the 21st chromosome present in Down syndrome. The arrow is because sometimes God knows we need to be pulled back, maybe even held in place for a bit, before we can move forward. But, oh, when we are stretched, we can soar so much higher! What God has used Down syndrome to do in my life is something I can't even explain. It's something so much bigger than anything else that cancer seemed small. It's something that has forced me to lean on other moms in a way I never thought I would. It's something that allowed me to be there to help other women when they needed someone to tell them it was going to be OK.

But another tattoo? Yup. Because when something changes you as permanently as Down syndrome does, something permanent to represent it just makes sense. Even this guy thought so...