About | The Ella Life | Life with Down Syndrome

Hi! My name is

ella

And welcome to the ella life.

In so many ways, my life is like any other teenager: I go to public school, I love hanging out with friends and family, I enjoy a good Target run and late night trip to Taco Bell.

And while I love singing, dancing, (and I'm working on my acting skills), my true passion is all things FOOD! That's why you'll often find me in the kitchen, working on a new recipe, or traveling to try out new restaurants.

But, as a teenager with Down syndrome, my life also has it challenges. It's harder to make friends, harder to reach the microwave (I'm only 4'10"), and harder to hear (I have to wear hearing aids). But as Megan Bomgaars likes to say, "Don't limit me!"

the

ella

stories

My Dad (Kevin A. Thompson) is a pastor and writer and likes to tell this story so that people understand my "strong-willed" personality better:

When Ella was in preschool, we were notified about a problem. She had kicked a teacher. At home, we asked Ella about the incident and she denied it. We sent her to timeout. After a few minutes we quizzed her again and once again she denied it. After denying it a third time, she received a lengthy lecture about the dangers of lying. She began to cry. She was given one more chance to tell the truth. “Ella, did you kick one of your teachers?” Through the tears, she protested, “But I didn’t kick one of my teachers, I kicked both of them.”

down

syndrome

stories

Dad writes a pretty popular blog and he's written a lot about me and Down syndrome. Here are some articles about Down syndrome that cover from birth to raising a teenage daughter:

WHAT I PRAYED THE NIGHT ELLA WAS BORN (AND SHOULD PRAY EVERY DAY OF HER LIFE)