Welcome to Holland: Endless Possibilities

Without realizing it, the Cannon family landed in Holland.  Read this uplifting and inspirational poem, Welcome to Holland, about Holland.  I wouldn’t say I’ve settled in to the fact that Holland is my final destination but I have met some wonderful people, seen some amazing sights and am getting use to the idea that Holland, while unexpected, is a great place to be.  

The outpouring of support from people like us in our local area has been amazing! My nurse in the hospital, Brandy, was so encouraging and amazing.  Her little girl is amazing and is defying all the odds of Down syndrome.  Brandy reminded me that the only limitations Claire would have are those we placed on her.  I tell Austin all the time, you can do anything if you work hard!  This will be equally applicable to Claire.  We will set high expectations and do all we can to ensure Claire reaches her full potential!  This summer Blake and I hope to meet with Brandy and her family and make what I expect will be a lifelong connection. 

I have continued to meet and be introduced to other moms who are traveling around Holland like we are. Shannon, Karen, Jennifer and all the moms from the Arkansas Down Syndrome Association.  One thing I know without a doubt is we are not alone.  Claire is not alone.  This road may be new to us but it has been well traveled by others before us.  We are not pioneers who just discovered this journey.  We are following in the footsteps of some truly remarkable people and I look forward to learning from their experiences.  

Since I’ve been to Italy before, I knew what to expect.  One thing I have realized is Italy and Holland may be very different but there are also several similarities.  First, sleep is hard to come by, especially more than 4 hour stretches. Second, there is a language barrier.  Wha, whaaaaa, wha.  Regardless of the language, it’s not English and new moms can only translate the best they can.  Clean diaper? Food? Ah, you just want to be held? Third, you can spoil an infant.  Do not believe otherwise.  Not saying that spoiling them is a bad thing but it is definitely possible.  As I type this, I have a 2 week old sleeping on my chest because she doesn’t like to sleep alone.  But I enjoy being able to give her a hug and kiss her little head in between sentences.  It’s a win/win.  And fourth, you can’t do it alone.  On whichever journey you find yourself, a baby is a baby and needs love and support from lots of friends, family, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and a good church home.  We are so fortunate to have all of those!

 So to all of our friends and family, welcome to Holland!