It's Gonna Be Alright
“It’s Gonna Be Alright” was written for the beginning. That moment when a diagnosis is new, the questions are endless, and it can feel like the future you pictured suddenly disappeared. There is so much information coming at you at once, but sometimes the thing you need most is simply for someone who has been there to tell you that you are going to be okay.
The song does not promise that everything will be easy. There will be hard days, uncertainty, appointments, and moments when fear gets louder than hope. But little by little, the things that once felt overwhelming begin to become part of everyday life. The milestones feel bigger, the small victories mean more, and you discover a strength you probably did not know you had.
Most importantly, you discover that you are not walking this road alone. There is an entire community of families who understand the fear, the questions, and eventually, the incredible amount of joy that can exist on the other side of those first uncertain days.
If this song could reach a family in that first quiet room and leave them with only one message, it would be this: It’s gonna be alright.
role, its requirements and the qualities the business wants to see in candidates.
The room got quiet, the words hit hard
Like the future broke apart
You tried to listen, tried to breathe
But fear was louder than belief
And you walked out holding questions tight
Into a brand new kind of night
But it’s gonna be alright
Not because it’s easy
But because you’re not alone tonight
Love is already moving
Step by step, day by day
You’re gonna find your way
And one day you’ll look back and see
You made it through
Yeah, it’s gonna be alright
You’ll learn the language of little wins
Firsts that feel like oxygen
You’ll find a strength you didn’t know
A heart that grows where it hurts the most
And the road won’t always feel so steep
When hope is something you can keep
But it’s gonna be alright
Not because it’s easy
But because you’re not alone tonight
Love is already moving
Step by step, day by day
You’re gonna find your way
And one day you’ll look back and see
You made it through
Yeah, it’s gonna be alright
Let the tears come, let them fall
It doesn’t mean you’re weak at all
It means you love, it means you care
And you were never meant to carry this scared
So hold on help is near
There’s more ahead than what you fear
Yeah, it’s gonna be alright
Not because it’s easy
But because you’re not alone tonight
Love is already moving
Step by step, day by day
You’re gonna find your way
And one day you’ll look back and see
You made it through
Yeah, it’s gonna be alright
Didn't Say It Out Loud
There were fears I had after we learned Maddi had Down syndrome that were difficult to admit, even to the people closest to me. I wasn’t afraid of loving her. I already loved her. I was afraid of the world she was going to grow up in and whether I would know how to prepare her for it.
Before she was even born, my mind started creating a future for her. I pictured the playgrounds, friendships, challenges, and moments when she might be left on the outside. Without realizing it, I was letting fear write a story that hadn’t happened yet.
Then Maddi arrived, and my perspective started to change. The more I watched her become herself, the more I realized that some of the limitations I had imagined for her were really limitations in the way I had imagined her future.
They kept their voices level
Measuring each word they’d say
Tracing faint lines on the monitor
Like fate was drawn in gray
I squeezed your mother’s hand
Told her we’d be fine
Like fear was something I could hide
Deep in the back of my mind
Lying awake in the dark
Thoughts I couldn’t mute
I wasn’t scared of loving you
I was afraid I wouldn’t know what to do
I started drawing pictures
Of what your days might be
Erasing parts I couldn’t place
From what I thought I’d see
Playgrounds at the edges
You standing just outside the wall
Laughing like it didn’t matter
While I was watching it all
I didn’t say it out loud
But I was terrified
Not of who you were
But the world on the other side
I didn’t say it out loud
I just carried it alone
Till I saw you fight for breath
Like you were never alone
You weren’t the one outside
I was the one looking out
You came in small and furious
Like breath was hard to move
A spark against the sterile room
That split my doubt in two
They watched the numbers flicker
I watched your steady chest
And somewhere in that fragile frame
My worst gave way to rest
I didn’t say it out loud
But I see it clearly here
The walls I thought were built for you
Were lines I drew out of fear
You weren’t standing on the outside
You were right where you should be
I was the one still learning
The walls were inside of me
I didn’t say it out loud
But I know it now
You were never standing alone
I was just learning how
Room Went Still
“Room Went Still” goes back to the day we learned there was a strong possibility Maddi had Down syndrome. I remember the doctors talking about possibilities, choices, and a future none of us could predict. A few words had suddenly changed the life we had been imagining, and there were decisions being discussed that felt much bigger than anything we were prepared for. But even in all that uncertainty, one thing was never in question. She was our daughter.
When the day finally came to meet her, she arrived fighting. I watched this tiny little girl take on her first moments of life with more strength than I knew was possible. So much of the fear I had carried before she was born suddenly felt smaller. She wasn't a diagnosis or a list of possibilities anymore. She was here, and she was ours.
Then came the drive home. Like any new dad leaving the hospital with a newborn, I was already wondering whether I knew what I was doing. But now those normal fears were mixed with questions about Down syndrome and a future I couldn't predict. My mind went years ahead, imagining challenges and filling in things we couldn't possibly know yet. Eventually, I had to stop trying to figure out her whole story before it had even begun. Whatever came next, we would discover it with her and figure it out together.
The room went still, like the air ran out
White coats talking, but I heard the doubt
Words like “maybe” and “we don’t yet know”
Felt like standing in a heavy snow
I watched your mama try to hold her tears
While I held mine behind my fears
And I prayed for a sign, for a breath, for a way
Something stronger than the things they say
But you came in fighting, you came in bright
Like a sunrise cutting through the night
And I realized love doesn’t wait for proof
It just shows up, it tells the truth
Yeah, the room went still, but my heart got loud
‘Cause you were never a question, you were ours
The drive home felt like a different world
Hands on the wheel, knuckles white, heart curled
Every thought like a storm in my head
Every “what if” pulling at the thread
But then you kicked like you knew my name
Like you were already lighting the flame
And I started to see through the weight and the fear
You weren’t a “what if”, you were the miracle here
Yeah, you came in fighting, you came in bright
Like a sunrise cutting through the night
And I realized love doesn’t wait for proof
It just shows up, it tells the truth
Yeah, the room went still, but my heart got loud
‘Cause you were never a question — you were ours
So let the world take time to understand you
Let them measure things they don’t see through
We’ll celebrate every step you take
Every mountain you decide to break
And when the doubt comes back around
We’ll turn it into solid ground
Yeah, you came in fighting, you came in bright
Like a sunrise cutting through the night
And I realized love doesn’t wait for proof
It just shows up, it tells the truth
Yeah, the room went still, but my heart got loud
‘Cause you were never a question — you were ours
The room went still
But love showed up.
Glitch
“Glitch” was inspired by a post from an influencer couple describing Down syndrome as a glitch in the DNA code. What stayed with me wasn’t just the phrase itself, but the perspective behind it. The idea that an extra chromosome somehow represented an error, rather than simply a different way a person was created.
After a diagnosis, families can be surrounded by information about medical concerns, developmental delays, and everything that might be difficult. In one recent study, more than half of parents described receiving a Down syndrome diagnosis as a negative experience, compared with less than a third who described it as positive. Other research has found that the information provided can be overwhelmingly medical in focus. Some of that information is necessary, but when the difficult parts become most of the picture, they can shape how you see a life before that life has even had the chance to unfold.
My faith tells me that every life has purpose and that we are each created intentionally. Maddi was not an error in the code or a mistake that somehow slipped through. She was created exactly as God intended, and I believe we were chosen to be her parents just as intentionally.
The results were unexpected
The answers weren't black and white
Spoke in words that stole the breath
Pushing hope out of sight
One extra chromosome
That's all they seem to see
Searching hard for something broken
While Heaven saw a masterpiece
What if every life has purpose
Every heartbeat heaven-sent
What the world keeps calling different
Was exactly what He meant
They called it a glitch
A break inside the code
A future filled with limits
Before the story's told
But He doesn't write mistakes
He makes us each unique
The glitch was never in creation
It was in the way we see
It was in the way we see
We counted every milestone
Wondering when you'd find your pace
Then you smiled without a warning
And hope took fear's place
They never wrote about the hugs
The light behind your eyes
They knew the extra chromosome
But never knew your life
What if every life has purpose
Every heartbeat heaven-sent
What the world keeps calling different
Was exactly what He meant
They called it a glitch
A break inside the code
A future filled with limits
Before the story's told
But He doesn't write mistakes
He makes us each unique
The glitch was never in creation
It was in the way we see
It was in the way we see
They said the road would narrow
That dreams would fade away
But you've been teaching all of us
What love looks like each day
You never changed the story
You changed the way we read
You showed us what love looks like
Beyond what eyes can see
They called it a glitch
A break inside the code
A future filled with limits
Before the story's told
But He doesn't write mistakes
He makes us each unique
The glitch was never in creation
It was in the way we see
It was in the way we see
Why Me
I bowed my head beside the bed
With questions on my tongue
A thousand thoughts I couldn’t speak
A thousand fears unsung
The doctor’s words were still so loud
Echoing in me
And somewhere in that quiet prayer
I asked You desperately
Lord I’ve never walked this road
I don’t know who to be
Why me
Why this call
Why this child above them all
Why these hands
Why this place
Why this life for me to raise
Why this heart
Why this plea
Why this weight You gave to me
I didn’t understand Your plan
When I fell down on my knees
And asked You
Why me
Then the answer came so gently
In a way I didn’t see
You said, “She needed someone
Who would fight for her like me
Someone who would guide her
Through a world that’s hard to see
Someone who would show her
All the love she’s meant to be.”
And slowly through the quiet
Your mercy carried me
Why me
Why this call
Why this child above them all
Why these hands
Why this place
Why this life for me to raise
Why this heart
Why this plea
Why this weight You gave to me
I didn’t understand Your plan
When I fell down on my knees
And asked You
Why me
One day I’ll watch her walking
Into a world that doesn’t see
All the strength You placed inside her
And the grace You gave to me
I’ll be there when she needs me
Through every joy and fear
And every step she takes in life
I’ll remind her why she’s here
Now I know
Why this road
Why this story I now hold
Why this child
Why this grace
Why You placed us in this place
To guide her steps
To help her see
The strength You planted inside me
I once cried out in disbelief
But now I thank You
For choosing me
“Why Me” came from one of the most honest questions I wrestled with after Maddi’s diagnosis. I remember asking God why this was the road He had chosen for us. Why her? Why us? Why was I being trusted with something I didn’t know if I was prepared for? I loved my daughter completely, but I was becoming a father for the first time and suddenly wondering whether I would be enough for the little girl who was going to need me.
Over time, the meaning of that question began to change. Instead of asking why this had happened to us, I started wondering why Maddi had been entrusted to us. Maybe God wasn’t asking whether I felt ready. Maybe He already knew the father she would need and was trusting me to become him. Someone who would fight for her, guide her, believe in her, and remind her of everything God placed inside her when the world failed to see it.
I still don’t understand every part of God’s plan, and maybe I never will. But when I look at Maddi today, “Why me?” means something completely different. Now when I ask “Why me?” I’m asking how I ever got so blessed.
Extra Love
“Extra Love” takes something usually explained clinically and looks at it through a different lens. Down syndrome comes with an extra chromosome, but anyone lucky enough to know someone with Down syndrome may recognize some of the other things that seem to come with a little extra too. The smiles, the hugs, the joy, the patience, and a way of loving people without first deciding whether they’ve earned it.
There is something beautiful about a heart that doesn’t spend as much time noticing the things that separate us. A stranger can become a friend with a wave. A small moment can become something worth celebrating. In a world that can make kindness far more complicated than it needs to be, there is something powerful about simply choosing to love people as they are.
Maybe having something extra was never something that needed an explanation. Maybe this world could use a little more of it.
They said you came with something extra
Like it was a thing to explain
Words on a chart in a quiet room
Like love could be measured that way
But I’ve been watching every moment
The way you light up every door
And if that’s what “extra” looks like
Then maybe we all need more
You see the good in every stranger
Like everyone’s your friend
While the rest of us build fences
You just let the sunshine in
They were counting what was different
I was counting every gift
Extra smiles
Extra grace
Extra sunshine on your face
Extra patience in your heart
Extra light when days are dark
Extra hugs
Extra hope
If an extra chromosome is true
Then the world got extra love
Extra love through you
You laugh a little louder
You hold on a little tight
You find the good in broken days
And turn them into light
And the rest of us keep learning
From the way you choose to be
Showing hearts that lost their way
What love is meant to be
They were counting what was different
I was counting every gift
Extra smiles
Extra grace
Extra sunshine on your face
Extra patience in your heart
Extra light when days are dark
Extra hugs
Extra hope
If an extra chromosome is true
Then the world got extra love
Extra love through you
Maybe heaven saw this world
Needed something more
A little more compassion
Than it had before
So it sent a little kindness
Wrapped in human skin
A heart that keeps reminding us
What love has always been
Extra smiles
Extra grace
Extra sunshine on your face
Extra patience in your heart
Extra light when days are dark
Extra hugs
Extra hope
If an extra chromosome is true
Then the world got extra love
Extra love through you
Lucky Few
Within the Down syndrome community, “The Lucky Few” has become a way for families to describe the unexpected blessing of being part of a community they may never have imagined joining. What may have begun with uncertainty often becomes something families feel incredibly fortunate to be part of.
The four leaf clover captures that beautifully. In a field of ordinary clovers, every once in a while something rare grows. It isn’t less because it is different. Its difference is exactly what makes it special. And when you are fortunate enough to find one, you don’t see what makes it different and wish it were like the others. You realize you were lucky enough to find something rare.
“Lucky Few” is about recognizing that same gift in our lives. Sometimes the blessings we never expected become the ones we cannot imagine living without.
You move through life so naturally
Like love is all you know
No second thoughts, no holding back
Just letting kindness show
You don’t see the world like us
Or maybe you see more
Something simple we forgot
Something worth fighting for
There’s something in the way you are
That shows me what this is
We’re the lucky few
Now I see what they can’t see
You were never different
Just a little more unique
Like a four-leaf clover
In a field of green
You were never less
Just not often seen
And the world may wonder
But I know it’s true
He didn’t just choose you
He chose us too
That’s why we’re the lucky few
They say sometimes in a field
You’ll find one not the same
Not better, not less than
Just marked with a different name
A little more uncommon
A little more to see
And that kind of rare beauty
Was given here to me
I don’t see it like they do
I see who you’re meant to be
So if the world don’t understand
We’ll stand and let them see
The kind of love that changes hearts
And rewrites what it means
No we won’t be quiet
No we won’t be small
There’s a reason we were given this
And we will give it our all
We’re the lucky few
Yeah I see what they can’t see
You were never different
Just a little more unique
Like a four-leaf clover
In a field of green
You were always perfect
Just not often seen
And the world may wonder
But I know it’s true
He didn’t just choose you
He chose us too
That’s why we’re the lucky few
We’re the lucky few
We’re the lucky few
In Your Own Way
“In Your Own Way” is dedicated to the families who know what it is like to wonder what their child is thinking but cannot always hear them say it. While speech delays can be part of Down syndrome, many other conditions and circumstances can affect a person’s ability to communicate verbally, including autism, cerebral palsy, apraxia, and other developmental or neurological differences.
For those families, communication can take on an entirely different meaning. You learn to recognize a look, a gesture, a laugh, a touch, or the smallest change in expression. Over time, those moments become their own language, and you begin to realize just how much can be said without a spoken word.
This song is a reminder that being nonverbal does not mean having nothing to say. Sometimes we simply have to learn a different way to listen.
Sometimes I catch you staring
Like you've got the whole world there
A thousand thoughts behind your eyes
You're wishing you could share
I wonder what you're dreaming
What makes your heart take flight
If there's a story waiting there
Only you could write
If you could tell me what you're thinking
I'd listen all day long
I'd hold every single sentence
Like my favorite song
I'd chase every little question
Every hope you couldn't say
Maybe you've been telling me...
In your own way
I know you're happy by your laughter
I see your world through your eyes
I know when something's on your heart
You don't have to tell me why
You show me what compassion is
You teach me every day
Some of life's most beautiful truths
Never needed words to say
If you could tell me what you're thinking
I'd listen all day long
I'd hold every single sentence
Like my favorite song
I'd chase every little question
Every hope you couldn't say
Maybe you've been telling me...
In your own way
Maybe love was never measured
By the words we're able to say
Maybe hearts have their own language
In a thousand quiet ways
Every smile became a sentence
Every hug a melody
You were always telling me
Everything I'd ever need
You don't have to tell me what you're thinking
I can see it in your eyes
In every laugh
In every hug
In every time you cry
You were always speaking
In your own way
You were saying everything
Without a word to say
What Do You See
Some of my favorite moments with Maddi happen when we’re doing absolutely nothing special. We’ll be walking through a store and she’ll wave at a complete stranger. I get to watch their face change as they smile and wave back, and for a few seconds, two people who knew nothing about each other have made each other’s day a little better. She doesn’t discriminate either. Every once in a while, a mannequin gets the same enthusiastic hello.
She doesn’t seem to wonder who deserves her kindness or whether someone will return it. She just gives it. And watching her makes me wonder how many of those little moments I’ve walked past without ever noticing them.
I spend so much time thinking about what I need to teach Maddi, but the older she gets, the more I realize how much she is teaching me. That is the question behind this song. What does she see in people and in the world that I’ve somehow forgotten how to see? And if I pay close enough attention, maybe she can teach me how.
Why do you wave to strangers
Before you know their name
How do you find the best in them
Before they do the same
Why do the little things you find
Still make your whole heart move
What do you see inside this world
That I keep rushing through
What do you see
That I can't see
When you look at this world
What do you believe
What do you know
That I've forgotten now
What do you see
Can you show me how
You never count the things that separate
The way the whole world does
You see the heart before the rest
And somehow that's enough
You give away your kindness
Like it's easy as breathing air
And I wonder if you notice
How rare that is out there
What do you see
That I can't see
When you look at this world
What do you believe
What do you know
That I've forgotten now
What do you see
Can you show me how
I spent so long beside you
Trying to lead the way
Never knowing all the while
You were changing me each day
I kept asking what you saw
Till the answer came through
Maybe the world needs more hearts
That see the way you do
Teach me how you see
The world in front of me
The beauty in the ordinary
The good in everything
Teach me how you see
Maybe then I'll be
A little more like the person
I was always meant to be
You Make Us Better
“You Make Us Better” was the first song I wrote for Maddi, and the first verse comes from the moment we met. We knew there was a strong possibility she had Down syndrome, but we still didn’t know for certain. Then I saw her. In that moment, I knew, and somehow all the fear I had been carrying disappeared just as quickly. None of the questions or uncertainty mattered anymore. She was here, she was my daughter, and a bond formed that changed everything.
I thought my job as her father would be to teach her, guide her, and help her find her place in the world. What I didn’t realize was how much she would teach me. She has taught us to slow down, celebrate things we might once have taken for granted, and appreciate progress without comparing it to anyone else’s timeline.
There will always be things we want to teach her and ways we hope to prepare her for the world ahead. But somewhere along the way, the roles became a little less clear. We’re helping her grow, but she’s growing us too. She doesn’t need to become more like us. Simply by being who she is, she makes us better.
I remember the moment the room went still
Like the air disappeared against my will
They spoke in whispers, numbers and lines
But all I could see were your eyes in mine
Every fear I carried fell apart
When your heartbeat rewrote my heart
Words fell softly, heavy as stone
You reached for my hand like you already knew home
In that second, I finally knew
You weren’t missing anything, we were just missing you
You don’t see the world like everyone else
You feel it deeper, you give it yourself
You teach me patience, you teach me grace
You slow this life down, help me find my pace
You were never broken, never behind
You were made perfect, just in your own time
Every smile you give is a gift of light
You make us better, you make things right
I thought I was here to show you the way
But you’ve been leading me since your first day
Through every struggle, every small win
You remind me what really matters again
They’ll try to tell you who you should be
But I see the truth when you look at me
You carry a light they can’t explain
A kind of love that rearranges everything
You don’t see the world like everyone else
You feel it deeper, you give it yourself
You teach me patience, you teach me grace
You slow this life down, help me find my pace
You were never broken, never behind
You were made perfect, just in your own time
Every smile you give is a gift of light
You make us better, you make things right
If the road gets heavy, if the nights get long
I’ll be right beside you, steady and strong
But I already know, without a doubt
You’re changing this world just by walking through it now
You don’t have to prove a single thing
Your joy alone makes heaven sing
I see the good you bring into view
The world’s more beautiful because of you
You don’t see the world like everyone else
You feel it deeper, you give it yourself
You teach me patience, you teach me grace
You slow this life down, help me find my pace
You were never broken, never behind
You were made perfect, just in your own time
Every smile you give is a gift of light
You make us better, you make things right
Hard Life
“Hard Days” was written because I never wanted the Be Kind Collection to pretend this journey is always easy. There are appointments, long days, milestones that take a little longer, moments of comparison, and nights when you wonder whether you’re doing enough. You can be incredibly grateful for the life you have and still admit that some days are hard.
There can be pressure to focus only on the positive, especially when so much effort goes into changing outdated perceptions of Down syndrome. But acknowledging the difficult days doesn’t take anything away from the good ones. Families can celebrate every milestone, appreciate every victory, and love this life completely while still having days that are exhausting, frustrating, or uncertain.
Maybe that honesty is important too. Our lives don’t have to be perfect for them to be good. The difficult days don’t erase the laughter, the small victories, the ordinary moments, or everything we wouldn’t trade for the world.
Some days are hard. That doesn’t mean life is.
Coffee gets cold, we're running late
Another long drive, another long day
Appointments and work, bills on the table
Doing our best with the time that we're able
Some nights are heavy, some mornings are rough
Some days it feels like we're never enough
Then somewhere between all the worry and wild
You look up at me and you give me that smile
Some days are heavy, some nights are long
Some days take everything to carry on
Sometimes we're tired of staying strong
Still, somehow, we keep moving on
And when the hard days make it hard to see right
A hard day isn't always a hard life
We watch other kids race down the line
While we're learning how to take our time
We cheer for the inches, we cheer for the small
'Cause we've learned one step can feel ten feet tall
I'd be lying if I never compared
Or wondered why some things don't seem fair
Then you do what you do, in your own little way
And the timelines in my head just fade away
Some days are heavy, some nights are long
Some days take everything to carry on
Sometimes we're tired of staying strong
Still, somehow, we keep moving on
And when the hard days make it hard to see right
A hard day isn't always a hard life
Sometimes my mind runs years ahead
To questions I can't answer yet
Who'll know your heart, who'll know your name
Who'll stand beside you when things change
I wish I could promise I'll always be near
Be there for every tomorrow and year
So I'll spend all the time that I'm given tonight
Making sure you'll be ready to live your own life
Some days are heavy, some nights are long
Some days take everything to carry on
Sometimes we're tired of staying strong
Still, somehow, we keep moving on
And when the hard days make it hard to see right
A hard day isn't always a hard life
Ordinary Days
“Ordinary Days” is for the individuals with Down syndrome and the families who understand just how meaningful an ordinary life can be. Time with friends, dinner with family, a first paycheck, having somewhere to go and people who are happy you are there. Even a day without appointments, therapies, or another challenge to overcome can become something worth appreciating.
So many of the things people take for granted can become things another family looks forward to. Friendships, independence, being included, finding your place in a community, and simply having the opportunity to experience the same everyday moments as everyone else. These things may look ordinary from the outside, but sometimes they are the very things a family has hoped and worked toward for years.
Maybe ordinary isn’t something we should be so quick to overlook. Sometimes an ordinary day is exactly the kind of day you’ve been praying for.
Some folks dream of changing history
Chasing stars across the sky
But I've learned heaven hides its miracles
In the moments passing by
A front porch full of laughter
Coffee as the morning wakes
Holding hands across the table
Thanking God for ordinary days
Give me ordinary days
Filled with ordinary grace
A place where everybody's welcome
And everybody knows your name
A heart that's never left behind
A love that always finds a way
Turns out the greatest gifts in life
Are ordinary days
A first paycheck in your pocket
Someone waiting at the door
Friends who save a seat beside you
Who couldn't ask for anything more
Sunday dinners full of stories
Pictures hanging in the hall
One day these will be the moments
We'll miss the most of all
Give me ordinary days
Filled with ordinary grace
A place where everybody's welcome
And everybody knows your name
A heart that's never left behind
A love that always finds a way
Turns out the greatest gifts in life
Are ordinary days
Maybe what we call ordinary
Is someone else's dream come true
A place where love feels effortless
A world that makes room for you
Sometimes the smallest kindness
Becomes somebody's greatest day
Turns out ordinary days
Can change a life that way
Give me ordinary days
Filled with ordinary grace
A place where everybody's welcome
And everybody knows your name
A heart that's never left behind
A love that always finds a way
Turns out the life we've been praying for
Was ordinary
All along
Save Her a Seat
“Save Her a Seat” comes from one of the hardest things for me to think about as Maddi’s dad. I can be there now to protect her, advocate for her, and make sure she knows she belongs. But I know there will come a day when she walks into a room and I won’t be there beside her.
When that day comes, I hope someone notices her. I hope she finds friends who genuinely want her there, who pull up a chair without being asked, and who make sure she never has to wonder whether she belongs. Not because they feel sorry for her or because someone told them to include her, but simply because they see Maddi and value having her in their lives.
I know I can’t choose every person who will become part of her life. I can’t make sure every door stays open or protect her from ever feeling left out. Eventually, I have to trust other people with a piece of what I’ve spent my life protecting.
So if there is one thing I could ask of the people who will someday be there when I can’t be, it’s something incredibly simple. Save her a seat next to you.
She's got her mother's eyes
And a smile that fills a room
Still chasing butterflies
On a summer afternoon
She'll wave across a crowded room
To someone she don't know
And somehow leave with one more friend
Just by saying hello
I know I can't walk beside her
Every mile she'll ever see
But there's one thing I hope this world remembers
Long after me
Save her a seat
At the table when you're gathering around
Save her a seat
When everybody else sits down
When she's the new face in the room
Or standing somewhere on her own
Be the one who says
"We've been saving this for you"
That's all I ask
When I'm gone
Save her a seat next to you
Someday she'll chase her own dreams
Past the edge of this small town
Find her way through open doors
I prayed she'd never have to knock down
She'll have mountains left to climb
Roads I know I cannot see
But she's been proving people wrong
Since the day she first met me
And when I'm not there beside her
To calm her worried mind
I hope somebody takes her hand
The way I have a thousand times
Save her a seat
At the table when you're gathering around
Save her a seat
When everybody else sits down
When she's the new face in the room
Or standing somewhere on her own
Be the one who says
"We've been saving this for you"
That's all I ask
When I'm gone
Save her a seat next to you
One day I'll have to trust this world
More than I ever wanted to
Trust the people who'll become her friends
Who will love her like I do
'Cause someday she'll walk into a room
Without me by her side
And all I'm really asking is
Don't let her wonder why
Save her a seat
At the table when you're gathering around
Save her a seat
When everybody else sits down
When she's the new face in the room
Or standing somewhere on her own
Be the one who says
"We've been saving this for you all along"
That's all I ask
When I'm gone
Save her a seat next to you
Raise Our Voices
“Raise Our Voices” is about advocacy, but also about remembering why advocacy is still necessary. People with Down syndrome have come a long way in being included in schools, workplaces, communities, and everyday life, but there are still rooms where they are underestimated, overlooked, or expected to prove that they belong.
Real inclusion should never depend on someone changing who they are to fit into the world around them. It means making room now, recognizing their value now, and giving them the same opportunities to build friendships, chase goals, make mistakes, succeed, and simply live their lives.
Sometimes that means speaking up when someone else cannot. Sometimes it means challenging assumptions or refusing to accept that “almost included” is good enough. Until every person is given the opportunity to belong exactly as they are, we’ll keep raising our voices.
We’ve seen the stares, we’ve heard the doubt
The quiet rooms that left you out
But you walked in like you belonged
And somehow made the whole world wrong
Not by changing who you are
But by showing us who we are
You don’t need fixing, you don’t need more
You were always worth fighting for
You’re not a lesson, you’re not a sign
You’re a life that shines in real time
And if the world won’t make it right
We’ll raise our voices, we’ll raise the light
Yeah, you belong here loud and true
And we’re better because of you
Every milestone, every step
Every mountain you’ve climbed yet
You made the strong feel small again
Redefined what “brave” means
Not perfect days, not easy roads
But you never walk alone
You don’t need fixing, you don’t need more
You were always worth fighting for
You’re not a lesson, you’re not a sign
You’re a life that shines in real time
And if the world won’t make it right
We’ll raise our voices, we’ll raise the light
Yeah, you belong here loud and true
And we’re better because of you
So let them talk, let them assume
We’ll keep making room
Not someday, right now
Not almost, somehow
You’re not behind, you’re not alone
You’re exactly where love grows
You don’t need fixing, you don’t need more
You were always worth fighting for
You’re not a lesson, you’re not a sign
You’re a life that shines in real time
And if the world won’t make it right
We’ll raise our voices, we’ll raise the light
Yeah, you belong here loud and true
And we’re better because of you
321 Strong
“321 Strong” takes something meaningful to the Down syndrome community and turns it into a simple message anyone can carry with them. The 3 2 1 represents the three copies of the 21st chromosome, but in this song it becomes something more. Three words, Be Kind Always. Two hands willing to reach out. One heart capable of changing a life.
Kindness rarely begins with some enormous gesture. It can be noticing the person sitting alone, pulling up another chair, offering a hand, or being the one person willing to say hello. Those moments may feel small to the person giving them, but they can mean everything to someone who needs to know they belong.
You don’t have to change the whole world at once. Sometimes changing one person’s world is enough to start. That’s what it means to be 321 Strong.
One kid sitting by himself
Everybody passing by
One chair pulled up beside him
And it changed his whole night
One smile turned a stranger
Into someone who belonged
Funny how the smallest things
Can become something so strong
You don't have to change the whole world
You don't have to have it all
Three words
Be kind always
Two hands
Reaching out when somebody falls
One heart
Can change a life
One moment at a time
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
One friend became a family
One family became a cause
One act of kindness multiplied
Beyond what anybody thought
You never know who's watching
You never know who's holding on
Sometimes all it takes is one voice
To help somebody carry on
You don't have to change the whole world
You just have to start with one
Three words
Be kind always
Two hands
Reaching out when somebody falls
One heart
Can change a life
One moment at a time
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
If you see somebody standing alone
Pull up one more chair
If you see somebody losing hope
Let them know you're there
We rise by lifting others
That's how the change begins
And every time you choose kindness
Everybody wins
Three words
Be kind always
Two hands
Reaching out when somebody falls
One heart
Can change a life
One moment at a time
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
Three two one strong
Three words
Two hands
One heart
After Me
There is a question I see asked often in the Down syndrome community, especially among parents. What happens when I’m gone? Who will be there for my child when I can’t be anymore? I don’t have an answer to that question, and I’m not sure any parent really does. All we can do is love them, prepare them, surround them with good people, and do our best with the time we’re given.
But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this fear isn’t unique to Down syndrome. At some point, every parent has to accept that their child’s story will continue without them. They’ll make their own choices, build their own relationships, face struggles we can’t fix, and experience parts of life we may never get to see.
That’s what I love most about “After Me.” It began with a fear I recognized in the Down syndrome community, but became a song for any parent who has ever wondered who will love, support, and stand beside their child when they no longer can.
Maybe the best we can do is spend the time we have making sure the love we give them today continues through the people who will be there tomorrow.
You've still got that way about you
Finding joy in simple things
Turning ordinary moments
Into memories that sing
Every year you need me less now
Just a little day by day
Watching answered prayers unfold
As you find your own way
Every step you take reminds me
You were never mine to keep
Someday you'll chase tomorrow
Without my hand to hold
You'll write chapters I won't witness
Find a life that's all your own
If I've loved you well enough
You'll have everything you need
My greatest prayer
Is who's beside you
After me
You'll have mountains left to climb
Roads I'll never get to see
Lives you'll touch with quiet kindness
Just by being who you'll be
There'll be dreams you'll keep on chasing
Victories I'll never know
But I'll smile knowing you're still growing
Long after I let go
I can't choose the road before you
Only teach your heart to love
Someday you'll chase tomorrow
Without my hand to hold
You'll write chapters I won't witness
Find a life that's all your own
If I've loved you well enough
You'll have everything you need
My greatest prayer
Is who's beside you
After me
I can't walk every road beside you
Or catch you every time you fall
But I believe the love we've planted
Will outlive these four walls
When the days feel long and lonely
And life asks all you've got
I hope you feel the love we've given
Even when I'm not
Someday you'll chase tomorrow
With good people by your side
The kind who see the light within you
The way I have my whole life
If love keeps moving forward
Then a part of me still lives
In every heart
That loves you
After me
When you laugh
I'll be with you
When you love
I'll be with you
In every life you change
In every dream you chase
A little part of me
Lives on
After me
Maddi's Song
After writing an entire collection inspired by our journey with Maddi, I realized there was one song I still needed to write. Not a song about Down syndrome or about what our family had experienced, but something directly from me to my daughter.
“Maddi’s Song” is the conversation I hope we get to have someday. There are things she is too young to understand now, including how scared I was before she was born and how much becoming her father has changed me. Someday, I want her to know that story. But more than anything, I want her to know that none of the fears, questions, or challenges ever changed how I saw her or how deeply she was loved.
Being her father has also taught me that loving her doesn't mean removing every obstacle from her path. It means believing in her enough to let her find her own way. She continues to exceed my expectations, meeting challenges with a determination that reminds me not to underestimate what she is capable of. My job isn't to decide what her limits will be, but to support her, encourage her, and make sure she always knows I am there when she needs me.
Maybe years from now, when she understands these words in a way she can't today, she'll know exactly why I wrote them. The collection may have been inspired by our journey with Down syndrome, but through that journey we've come to know a community filled with individuals and families, each with their own story. By sharing a piece of ours, I hope others come away with a little more understanding of theirs, and that understanding brings a little more kindness into the world.
You won't remember that day, Maddi, you weren't even here,
When a phone call about you filled the room with so much fear.
Your mom and I just sat there, trying hard to understand,
How someone we hadn't met yet could change everything we'd planned.
They told us what it meant, and I could hear them loud and clear,
But understanding words is different when they're wrapped in fear.
I heard exactly what they said, just couldn't see it being true,
'Cause everything they talked about was now about you.
But you didn't need the answers, you just needed us around,
Little fingers wrapped around mine, sleeping safe and sleeping sound.
All those fears I'd carried with me weren't as heavy anymore,
Every day I got to know you showed me what I'd worried for.
So when you're older, Maddi,
And this life gets kinda tough,
If the world should ever tell you
That you're somehow not enough,
Come find me, I'll remind you
What I've known right from the start:
You never had to earn your place,
You've always had my heart.
There'll be things that come easy, there'll be things you'll have to fight,
Just keep at it, little girl, I know you'll get it right.
And I'll probably want to fix it, probably want to clear the way,
But loving you means knowing when to help and when to wait.
Someday you'll catch somebody staring, someday words might leave a bruise,
Someday you might ask me why some things are harder for you.
That's when I'll remind you what I've always known was true,
If God gave me the choice again, I wouldn't change a thing about you.
You might walk a different road, might take a little longer still,
But I've watched you keep on going with that stubborn little will.
The world might count your milestones, try to measure every day,
I'll count the smiles and lives you've touched along the way.
So when you're older, Maddi,
And this life gets kinda tough,
If the world should ever tell you
That you're somehow not enough,
Come find me, I'll remind you
What I've known right from the start:
You never had to earn your place,
You've always had my heart.
There's something I should tell you, maybe when you're old enough,
Your dad was scared back then, afraid I wouldn't be enough.
I wondered if I'd know just how to help you find your way,
Or how I'd ever protect you from the things I couldn't change.
I've watched you do so many things I once was scared you might not do,
Watched you fall and get back up like giving up ain't part of you.
Every little victory showed a little more of who you are,
And somehow every time I set the bar, you pushed it twice as far.
And I know we're just beginning, there's a lifetime still ahead,
So many things you'll prove yourself that nobody could've said.
I don't know where life will take you, what you'll dream or what you'll choose,
But after all I've seen so far, I'd never bet against you.
So when you're older, Maddi,
And I've grown older too,
When these hands aren't quite as steady
As they were when I held you,
Maybe you'll reach out and hold mine
Like I always did for you,
And I'll realize all these years,
You were carrying me too.