31 for 21, day 17: guest post

Tricia asked me a while back if I ever wanted to guest blog one day. Seemed like a terrible idea at first, but since she's blogging every day this month, I thought today she deserved a break. My name is Brad, I am Tricia's husband and Kamdyn's father.

First, I must say that I am so proud of my wife. She is an amazing mother and wife. She also is a tremendous advocate for Kamdyn. She wakes each morning to therapy, doctors appointments and the responsibility of the world resting on her shoulders. She is always looking for ways to provoke Kamdyn to the next milestone. It's been an interesting journey so far, but I could not be more proud of the person she has become today.

Secondly, I cannot imagine life without our dear Kamdyn. She has this way of making you forget about all your worldly problems, and focus on the eternal things that matter. You cannot meet Kamdyn without falling head over heels in love with her. As Tricia wrote previously, the day she was born, I knew in my heart that she had Down Syndrome. God had laid the foundation years ago, preparing us for the day Kamdyn would be born, yet we never would have guessed we would have a child with special needs. Kamdyn is a joy to be around, and I could not say that more sincerely.

Finally, I will mention how thankful we are for friends and family who have walked with us. We feared Kamdyn would be excluded or ridiculed, and that just has not been the case. I cannot think of a single person who treats us, or her, differently because she has Down syndrome. If anything, we have more friends than ever, thanks to the courageous and like-minded people we have met through our local Down Syndrome group. Both Tricia's and my family have been 100% supportive, not a cross word has been spoken. I have seen hard-hearted people turn soft, and I have seen soft-hearted people become broken. The journey has been trying at times, but of course, I would not change a thing.