Precious Memories. Lynn Stannard
a few years, we lived in a small town in a neighborhood with other young families. Our two daughters, who were about 4 and 6, became very good friends with two young sisters about the same ages. Since our families lived one house apart, the little girls could easily visit each other’s houses. They enjoyed many hours of fun together.
About mid-morning on this particular day, our four year old came back home from visiting her friend Amy. She had some surprising news. “Amy has a new pool.”
Amy’s family pool was above ground, about three feet high. I hadn’t heard anything about a change. Besides, it seemed a little early in the season to be getting a pool. So I probed a little deeper.
“How do you know they have a new pool?”
“Well, it’s kind of funny. It looks just like the one they had last year, but I know it’s a new one.” she insisted
“And how do you know that?”
“Well,” she responded patiently, “the one they had last year I couldn’t see inside over the edge. But this one I can.”
Go Adam
To this day, we don’t understand why a C-section wasn’t performed. When baby Adam was born Jan. 10, 1994, my daughter Ginger had been in labor for an extra long time. When he finally came into this world, this beautiful infant scored poorly on the “APGAR Test.” This is a series of checks the nurse makes on a newborn to assess its health and any special needs.
The report was that the nerves in his neck had been damaged at birth, and he was suffering from partial paralysis from the waist up. Most likely his hands and arms would not allow him to hold a pencil or write. He would probably never swing a bat, type on a keyboard, or play an instrument. The whole extended family and friends grieved for him.
My friend Jan and I had been meeting regularly as prayer partners and took this need to the Lord. We prayed for healing for Adam and comfort for the family.
Amazingly, Jan was a physical therapist for children. However, she knew that her company would not be called in for this situation, because they didn’t take Ginger’s insurance. She did know exactly how to pray for him. So we met and interceded for this little one and for the rest of his family.
A short time later, Jan came to our prayer time with incredible news. Ginger’s insurance company didn’t have any child therapists that were suitable to help Adam. So her company had contacted Jan’s office, the only one in the area that could do this type of infant therapy. Months became years as the therapists in Jan’s office worked tirelessly with this little boy who was always so determined, yet always brought smiles and happiness to every appointment with him. Ginger watched and learned how to do his physical and speech therapy with him and would continue giving treatments at home as a labor of love for her precious son. Over the years, Adam progressed to normal and was able to attend public school without restrictions. He developed a great love for music and his dogged perseverance at working his fingers and hands allowed him to become an accomplished guitar and violin player, despite the grim diagnosis he had faced as an infant. The sounds of his music bring tears of joy to all who hear it, especially to those who know how hard he worked for it.
Then, at age 11, Adam was climbing a tree in the backyard. His father saw him as he fell, but he was too far away to help ease the fall. Adam shattered his leg and skull and was unconscious for days. He spent some time in the pediatric ICU, had several surgeries on his leg, and then spent many months in a wheelchair, even in school. Actually, he became kind of a hero to his fellow students. While in his wheelchair, he was appointed captain of his soccer team for his leadership and team spirit. Through it all, his attitude was: “I’m going to be all right.” He learned firsthand what it was like to live with a disability. As a result, he goes to great lengths to raise awareness in those around him to look for ways to be helpful to others.
Miracle on miracle. As I write this, Adam will be graduating from high school this month. He can walk, run, and play soccer very well. He is quite skilled at guitar and playing his great-grandfather’s violin. He can drive a car and ride the horses his family owns. And was he ever a handsome dude in his tuxedo for the Senior Prom! In fact he can do anything that any other 18 year old can do. Go Adam!
Jimmy’s Excuse
Jimmy’s sisters had this simple formula that was absolutely magical! My brother-in-law Jim, the youngest of 4 children, had three older sisters. As he observed what they did on some school days, he thought he had found a great way to stay home from school.
One morning he tried it. He looked up at his mother and complained, “I can’t go to school today.” Then, with his face screwed up in obvious pain, he added, “I’ve got cramps.” (He had seen the magic those words had brought time after time.)
His mother folded her arms and studied him for a few moments. She tried to hold back the grin, as she pointed up toward his room. “Go back upstairs and get dressed right now, Jimmy, or you’re going to be late for school today.”
It was several more years before he found out why the excuse didn’t work for him.
The Sixth Birthday Party
“I haven’t had a birthday party since I was 5 years old,” my husband would sometimes complain, while I would be preparing for just that for one of our daughters. A birthday party. He was just teasing me, but it was true. Actually, I don’t remember having one myself.
As his 36th birthday approached, our dear friend Rachael suggested that we invite some friends over for a “Sixth Birthday Party” for him. We started laughing as the ideas began to flow. Let’s see. Come dressed as 6 year olds. Bring presents for a 6 year old. A menu that would please 6 year olds: hotdogs, potato chips, Koolade, candy, and of course birthday cake and ice cream. Maybe we would add a few healthy dishes on the side. We could play games like “Pin the tail on the donkey”, a pinata, and duck-duck-goose.
Since we planned it as a surprise, we had to come up with a strategy to get Dick out of the house. Then he would need something to wear when he returned, so he would fit in. Somebody made him a T-shirt with a yellow duck on the front. Tony took him bowling. Later, when they returned home, the conspirators whisked him upstairs to change into his duckie shirt. His eyebrows went way up, but he went along with the gag
Some of our friends joined the fun with creative ideas of their own. One couple came dressed in bib overalls and sneakers. A woman wore a short dress with a petticoat, and in her hair a big red ribbon. She even carried a huge red lollipop. I remember a man wearing a beanie with a propeller.
We had a hilarious time. We played games, like the pinata set up in the backyard. Dick blew out candles and opened his presents.
The highlight of the party happened while people were just standing around in the family room talking with each other. Pat and John secretly reached into the pockets of their bib overalls and pulled out a frog and a toad. They quietly set their hoppers down on the floor of the family room and then yelled, “Hey! Don’t step on Freddie, my frog.” “What happened to Timmy Toad?”
The last straw was when someone asked, “Where’s Michael? I can’t find my mouse.”
At these words, one of the women absolutely freaked out and tried to climb the built-in bookcases next to the fireplace. It took quite a long time to settle her down, while all the critters were being collected and returned to their respective pockets.
All too soon it was time to go home. It was a hilarious and unforgettable experience.
Thank a Vet
A course on landscaping would help Dick redesign our arrangement of shrubs and gardens. With quite a bit of experience, Steve had offered to teach such a course, and Dick signed up for it. As an incentive for people to attend, Steve held a drawing of names of those signing up: he would come to the winner’s home and give some specific landscape ideas. My husband won the drawing!
When Steve came to our house,