Road map to Holland : how I found my way through my son's first two years with Down syndrome

aRich with honesty, wisdom, and a deep appreciation for every day miracles, "Road Map to Holland "is a thoughtful, moving meditation on the struggles and joys Jennifer Graf Groneberg and her family experienced during her son Averyas first two years. Groneberg offers a wealth of insight, information, and even practical resources for families whose children have Down syndrome. Yet this book is first and foremost a story about the constant discovery of love, and it will resonate with every reader who has traveled the always unpredictable, often overwhelming, wonder-filled journey into parenthood.a aKim Edwards, author of "The Memory Keeperas Daughter" aI have been ato Hollanda for eighteen years now, and this book brought back so many thoughts and feelings I had saved up that I felt an immediate sisterhood with Jennifer. I watched her deal with that same fear of the unknown that singed my heart, and I wept when she reached that crucial moment when she found that same place of self-forgiveness. No matter who or where you are in relation to a child with Down syndrome, these pages will be like signposts along your road, to give hope and a new way of seeing things. Itas good to be able to see the potholes coming and be ready for them, and itas good to know when to pull over and take the time to enjoy the breathtaking views that only happen on this road. Thank goodness for road maps!a aMartha Sears, coauthor, "The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two" and author, "25 Things Every New Mother Should Know" aWhat a remarkable book! With excruciating candor and exquisite generosity, Jennifer Graf Groneberg invites us into the deepest privacyof her innermost thoughts, feelings, fears, challenges and triumphs. Nothing is left out in this amazingly intimate and profound journal. She allows us into every nook and cranny of her life and we find ourselves firmly ensconced in her heart.a aEmily Perl Kingsley, national spokesperson and advocate for people with disabilities and author of ""Welcome to Holland"" aThis is the story of Averyaa child with Down syndrome who transformed his motheras broken heart into one filled with cheer, awe, and pride. He offers all new and expectant parents a powerful perspective on lifeas greatest lessons.a aBrian Skotko, M.D., M.P.P., Childrenas Hospital Boston & Boston Medical Center. aBursting with hope, Gronebergas account of mothering Avery highlights the triumph of love over fear. Its candid, vivid prose and poignant emotion make the story is difficult to put down and impossible to forget. Herein lies truth to be pondered and savored by every mother, every woman, every human being.a aKathryn Lynard Soper, editor of "Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives"