Kaitlyn (left) 14, and Amber, 9 years old.

Dianne Russell wrote a short and very moving story about Amber's welcome arrival into their lives.

"When Amber was born nine years ago, although she came 5 weeks early, I expected that she would be born “typical”. I had all of the “tests” that were supposed to determine birth defects. When Amber was born, my heart melted as the nurse brought her to me; I looked into her eyes and just melted. As her mother I noticed right away that something was not right. I told the attending nurse that something was different about her face. She reassured me that everything was fine and said that “she had all of her fingers and toes”. Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening I still thought that something just was not right, mother’s intuition. Our Pediatrician came in and immediately knew that she had Down syndrome. He asked my husband to leave the room with him and they talked. Our doctor began running tests; he did not want me to know what he suspected because he thought that I would not bond with Amber. The very next morning when I woke up I looked at Amber through the basinet and turned to my husband and said “She looks like she has Down syndrome”, he immediately began to cry and then explained why our doctor had ordered all of the various tests the night before. When asked if I knew that Amber would have Down syndrome when I was pregnant with her, my response is no, but knowing would not have changed anything. My husband and I agree that if we would have known, we would have prepared more for her birth. Amber is a blessing in our family and has a way of touching everyone she comes in contact with. I would not trade her for anything on this earth," says Dianne Russell, mother of three and teacher.

Kaitlyn 14 years old, Amber 9 years old, Emily 5 years

old.