Our son, Owen Patrick (O.P. to his friends), methodically packs his overnight bag, looking for clean underwear, shirts, pants, socks, shoes.  He is excited: in just a few hours, he is leaving with some friends to enjoy a camping holiday for the upcoming weekend.

We smile as we watch him.  This is a big moment.  Up til now he has never spent time away from home.  This is his first solo adventure; he has been looking forward to it ever since we told him about it two mornings ago.  It was a Christmas present from his father and myself.

Owen has Down syndrome.  He was born with it.  At the age of 15, he is more like a five year old.  He enjoys playing with toy cars and trucks, watching Spongebob Squarepants and Rugrats on Nikolodeon, playing with his kid brother (Orion Paul), aged 10, and annoying his big sister, Miracle Grace, who is 18.  He loves to color in coloring books and play pretend games. 

Owen is mentally disabled, but none of that has ever stopped him before.  He enjoys visiting friends, going to school at the special needs center here in town, roller skating, ice skating, and playing basketball.  Now that his heart is finally fixed, he can have the normal childhood he was robbed of for so many years.  We delight in each new experience right along with him.

We will probably shed some tears when the bus comes to pick Owen up.  His friends will probably be on the bus, just waiting for him, so they can have fun together.

I pray and hope with all my heart and soul that Owen has a blast at winter camp.  This has been a dream in the making and now that it is about to become true , we are all excited and happy for our oldest son!