Miracle Baby

Before I go on to tell about our "miracle baby", a few more memories of our time in Novato have come floating into my mind. It was here that we made one of our first big purchases, a piano. Music has always been important in my life. I have never been blessed with musical talent, but I have always had a love for and an appreciation of good music. I had always wanted my children to have the opportunity to develop any musical talent or interest that they had. Debbie had continued on with her ballet lessons in Novato and showed real talent. Now we started Jeanie with piano lessons.
It was a part of one of our Family Home Evenings that we made paper mache puppet heads using balloons for the mold. We painted faces, added yarn hair, and made clothes. Jim even built us a stage with curtains and lights. When I was the public safety chairman for our school's PTA the older children and I put together a little safety puppet show for the children at the school. The characters were school children, a policeman, and a crossing guard. I don't really remember the story line only that it was to teach children safety in coming to and going home from school. Speaking of school, I'm sure Jeanie, Debbie, and maybe even Kathi (I think she was only in kindergarten at the time) remember the "rod" method of teaching math that surfaced at this time, and the questionable value they had in Dad's mind. That technique didn't last too long.
Because of Jim's job as a field engineer with the responsibility of teaching military personnel he had the status of an officer on base with all it's accompanying privileges. These included the use of the officer's club and swimming pool. I was able to take the children to the pool any time. They loved it! I think more than loving the pool, they loved the snack bar next to it.
Now let's talk about that miracle baby. I guess I have to begin back in Klamath Falls right after the twins were born. Although we wanted at least one more child in the future, my plate was pretty full right then. So we decided to try the brand new birth control pills that had just been introduced. And wouldn't you know, I was that one in ten thousand (or more) who had a negative response. The pills threw me into pre-mature menopause and I stopped ovulating. (I hope I'm not making any of my readers uncomfortable by talking about such a personal subject). The only good thing about that was that I also stopped menstruating. The doctor said that without a reversal I would not be able to have any more children. I was devastated! I remember telling Jim (my husband) how awful it would be to have our son Jim grow up in a house full of girls without a brother. I will never forget his wise words, "If that is the worst thing he has to face in his life, he will be one lucky guy." I'm sure that was supposed to make me feel better, but it didn't.

Now fast forward five years to Novato, California. It is 1965, five years later. The twins have started kindergarten, Jeanie is in fifth grade, Debbie in fourth, and Kathi in second. I have long since reconciled myself to the fact that we would be forever a family of seven. I hate odd numbers! I never wanted to have an odd number of children. It should have been four, or six, or even eight. But not five. But I had no choice. That was until Jim was called to be the Elders Quorum President of our ward. I went with him to be set apart by the stake president, and I confess I wasn't listening as close as I should have to the blessing which he bestowed upon Jim as he was set apart. But on the way home, he said to me, "Did you hear what President Allred said in his blessing?" I had to admit that I didn't know what he was referring to. He answered (and I'm paraphrasing), " He said that the deepest wishes of our hearts would be realized." I didn't know what Jim's deepest wish was, but mine was to have one more baby.

Nine months later on Sunday, March 20, a son was born to us, weighing in at 9 lbs. 2 oz. We felt it fitting to name him John (Jon ... Jim insisted on dropping the the "h" ) which means "Gift of God". He was truly our special gift from God. The doctors couldn't explain how this was possible, but we do. He was truly our "Miracle Baby".

And I was happy. We now had an even number!