What I would have said.............

On the last day of the NDSC conference, Kamdyn and I went to a Film Festival showing of Monica and David.  If you haven't heard of it, you have to check it out at Monica&David.com.  It is a documentary about a young couple's journey of love and getting married, and their quest for independence.  It's near and dear to my heart, because Monica and David have Down syndrome.  But the movie is more than a movie about Down syndrome.  It is a testament to love and the ties that bind us all.  They won best documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival, and they are nominated for an Emmy Award.  That's pretty awesome.  The movie will be playing on HBO in October and will be available on DVD in December. We don't have HBO, so I made a point to make sure I saw it at the conference while I had the opportunity. 

After the showing, Monica, David, and the producer, Ali hung around for a little meet and greet and picture opportunity.

Monica and David both held Kamdyn. 

As you can tell, they loved her.  Kamdyn got passed around a little, which we are very used to.  People cannot resist some Kamdyn love.  It is contagious : )  I talked with Monica while Kamdyn made her rounds. 

The producer, Ali, is also Monica's cousin.  She asked me if I would give a short interview about the movie.  I certainly wasn't going to say no.  But with my clumsy people skills and even more pathetic interview skills, I think it's safe to say that it stunk.  That along with Kamdyn moving her head in front of my face so that I would look at her, since I was talking to someone else.  I'd say it was a bust.  So..................

I have been thinking about what I would have said if I was a quick thinker and a more eloquent speaker.  So here's my take two. 

Question:  As a new parent, what did seeing the movie Monica and David mean to you?

Here goes my answer:
The day the doctor told us that he thought Kamdyn has Down syndrome, my dreams died.  In the moments and days that followed, every dream, every wish, every hope flashed before my eyes, and I thought they were gone.  Every mother holds dreams in her heart for her child.  They are often never spoken and hardly acknowledged, but they are there, and they are real.  And the death of those dreams was agonizing.  But as my heart opened up to new possibilities, and I began to see first hand what Down syndrome really was and what it meant, new dreams were born.  As we have walked on this journey and met people like Monica and David, the dreams keep coming.  Monica and David are a living example of the meaningful, lasting, and real relationships that Kamdyn can have.  They are the affirmation of my dreams.

 So thank you Monica and David for doing your documentary and Ali for the years of work you have put into making the film.  Thank you for keeping dreams alive.