Mom wants to place twins with Down syndrome up for adoption, but changes her mind in third trimester
Newsner
Pic from Caters News - (Pictured: Mum Julie with Milo (l) Charlie (r) and dad Dan) Meet the Goofball Brothers the incredibly rare Down syndrome TWINS who are guaranteed to make you smile. Mum Julie McConnel, 45, from Nampa, Idaho, USA, already had four children when she fell pregnant for a fifth time last August. She and her husband Dan, 46, had hoped to give their three-year-old son Andy a little sister, but instead fell pregnant with twin boys, Charlie and Milo. Because of Julies age, she knew that the likelihood of having multiples or a child with Down syndrome would be greater, but she never expected both to happen. She admits she was distraught when she learned the news Charlie and Milo had the condition and even considered putting them up for adoption, fearing that she and her husband didnt have the capacity to care for two children with special needs. Now Julies sharing her story to show others that having a child with special needs isnt as scary as they may think and her Goofball Brothers - named after a sketch in the film The Wedding Singer - are proof of that. SEE CATERS COPY
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience of Newsner. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Learn more
After finding a new family for their sons, however, Julie and Dan found themselves continually putting off the signing of the paperwork that would make the adoption official.
“We wanted to do our due diligence, so we connected with the local Down syndrome association,” she said.
“They were hosting a picnic, so we went and met with some wonderful families who shared their experiences with us.”
It was there that the parents came upon the realization they were letting fear get in the way of adding to their family.
“You love your kids no matter what. When we finally decided that we weren’t going to let our fear stand in our way, it was easy to make our decision,” Julie said.
Whilst in the third trimester, they made the decision to keep their sons after all. Milo and Charlie were born healthy and happy, and now Julie and Dan can’t imagine their lives without them.
“My heart came out of my chest when I saw them. I was so smitten,” Julie said. “It’s hard to imagine life without them, but I think I’d miss them every day if we had decided not to keep them.”
Well, that brought a tear to my eye. All children deserve a chance in life, and we’re so happy Julie and Dan decided to keep Milo and Charlie.
If this made you smile, share the article on Facebook for your friends and family to read.
