Jewel by Bret Lott

In 1943 in Mississippi, life could not be any better for Jewel Hilburn and her family. When Jewel finds out that she is pregnant, the family is even more elated. That is until Jewel's childhood friend, Cathedral, comes along and delivers a frightening profecy that the baby that she is caring will be a handship for her and be a test of life. When the baby is finally born, all the fears are put to rest. The baby seems fine, even perfect, and Cathedral's profecy is dismissed by the family. But when Jewel notices that her baby is barely moving, eating and asleep most of the time, she takes the baby to the doctor. The doctor informs her that her baby is a "Mongolian Idiot" (has Down Syndrome) and will not live past the age of two. Instead of institutionalizing the baby, Jewel takes the challenge head on, and learns the struggles of raising a Down Syndrome child.