Alexabeth Hope is my world, my shining star.  She means everything to me.  I don't know what I would do if I didn't have her in my life.  I love her so much!

Alexabeth is eight years old.  She was born with Down syndrome.  One lousy litlte extra chromosome caused her to have mental disabilities, accompanying physical features, and a weakened heart, but as for now, she is doing great since her heart surgery (last year).  I pray this continues.

Like most people with Down's, Alexabeth  is short for her age and is rather dumpy (chubby).  She has round blue eyes that tilt up at the ends, a round, moon-shaped face, a small nose, and a tongue that appears too large for her mouth, so her mouth is usually hanging open.  Her fingers and toes are stubby in appearance and her russet-colored hair is baby fine: she has what I like to call "friendly hair": it waves to everybody.  LOL

Lexi (as I call her) seems a lot younger: at the age of eight, she is just learning her letters and numbers and just completed toilet training last year.  She reads simple picture books (I usually read to her, but she loves looking at the pictures in the books), loves to draw, play with her toys, and play with her big brother and sister, whose names are Maverick and Amelia (they're ten and thirteen).  Alexabeth loves to dance and sing (especially to Cajun, country, and southern gospel music).  She is a very happy little girl.

Sometimes, though, people stare at her, which makes Ralph (husband) and msyelf (Ella) very uncomfortable.  We both know it is not Alexabeth's fault that she happened to be born with Down's, but we both are striving to give our special daughter a very happy, rich, and rewarding life.  We will do all we possibly can to help her achieve her fullest potential.

I hope that she has a future bright with promise.  Heaven knows, she certainly deserves one.  She's come this far; there's no telling what Alexabeth might accomplish in the years or days or months ahead!