just like old friends

I feel like God has placed certain people in our lives for a reason.  Sometimes we know exactly why, other times we may never know why, and sometimes we don't find out why until years later. It has been interesting to see how already, at just the starting line of this journey, this has been so true.

I haven't seen or talked to a childhood friend of mine for probably 15 years.  I would hear how she was doing by common friends or neighbors, or my mom would show me a cute picture that this friend had posted on instagram.  Often I would think, I should really look her so I can keep up with her cute family.  But I never did.  Until the last few months of my pregnancy, I had feeling after feeling to look her up.  I finally did.  I loved her posts about her darling little boy with Down Syndrome.  I just thought he was the cutest.

I also knew of a girl from high school, who through social media, I was also able to watch in amazement at her cute family. She has been on quite the adventure. She has 6 children, 2 of whom have Down Syndrome.  I have been mesmerized by her posts as she documented her adoption story and her family's story in general.  There was one day she posted a picture of her with a group of mom's who have children with Down Syndrome as well. A little voice in my head told me that one day I will be apart of this group.  I pushed that thought deep, down and far away.  

So here I am, not even 3 months after Joshua was born, at a Down Syndrome mom's night out. I was so nervous to go. I didn't really know anyone, other than my friend I haven't seen in 15 years and someone I "knew of" in high school. But as I got to meet and talk to these amazing mothers, it felt like we were just old friends. I can't explain it other than there was a connection I felt with them. A bond. I knew these were people that were being placed in my life for a reason.  People who will truly know what I am and will be going through, people to guide me through this journey, people to lean on. A group of new friends, that instantly felt just like old friends.

She would die, if she knew I posted this picture! But I couldn't stop thinking about this picture, so I couldn't resist!! Who knew as little twins in 4th Grade, we would meet again so many years later, connected by having a child with Down Syndrome.  Paths cross for a reason.

And now I have all these ladies that already feel like old friends:

And without them I may have looked like this, just too scared to know how to tread the water.