Our Origin Story
I’m Shannon and I’m a mom to two beautiful girls that have forever changed my life. Haley is an active middle schooler. Sienna is my spunky 8 year-old, who happens to have Down syndrome.
When Sienna was born, we were completely unprepared for this adventure. The first years of her life were full of learning and acceptance. Having a child with a disability was not in our family’s plan. Our marriage floundered as we both processed the shift at different paces, while growing distant from each other. I immersed myself in the community. Jason lived in a state of denial for quite some time. Resentment quietly slipped in through the back door of our marriage until we reached a crossroads and had to agree to start over. United to support our family, we found our way. I share that because no one talks about it.
When Sienna was a week old, I googled Down syndrome. As I read the life expectancy and medical complications, I quietly sobbed. I stared at my phone not knowing where to turn for reassurance. As I continued to read, I found comfort in the words of other mothers and blog posts. In reading the real life stories of families on this journey, I found acceptance and peace. I even found gratitude.
Shortly after Sienna was born, Haley shared an expression her teacher had taught her. You get what you get and you don’t get upset. “Haley, that’s a great motto. Your teacher sounds smart.” Haley agreed and started to stroke her little sister’s cheek. She turned to me and said, “You get what you get and I love this baby we got.” At the time, I was pretty emotional and I couldn’t believe that something so profound had come from my 3 year old. Inspired by her wisdomcame the inspiration for my blog, this life we got (and yes I know it is grammatically incorrect, as was my 3 year-old). I really love this life we got.
