Yesterday, my ‘baby’ turned 35. I truly don’t know how this is possible. At some moments, it does seem like yesterday that we discovered a third baby was on the way. This was not a planned pregnancy – it was a total surprise. We had two charming daughters – just under 4 and just under 2 years of age, so we decided to wait until grandparenthood to enjoy the company of boys. Dick was becoming increasingly unhappy at the bank where he then worked and we had recently purchased our first home in Altadena CA. Another baby was the last thing on our minds at that point.
But guess what? God has wonderful ways of surprising us, keeping us on our toes and reminding us that – whether we like to admit it or not – we are not in charge here. After 2 girls, we assumed this would be another just like the first two. When the doctor lifted him up, facing away from me (he was, from the very beginning, not one to arrive at anything in the expected or usual way), I could tell from his backside that this kid definitely did not match the other two! As our two and a half year old crowed into the telephone when we called her at Dick’s folks’ home that night: “Mommy had a brudder!” Yes, indeed, Mommy had a brother.
Eric brought so many good things to our family – a great smile, a sunny disposition, an ability to dismantle his port-a-crib at about 9 months of age, and a wonderful language all his own. Our visit to a speech therapist at the age of 4 provided the first clue that God had given this little boy an extra helping of thinking power. He grew up to study philosophy and medicine, married a woman even smarter than he is and now has a beautiful 19 month old baby girl. Although the sunny disposition has given way to a somewhat more measured and mature mellowness, Eric continues to bring wonderful gifts to our family circle. I am so very glad he was born and that God surprised us with such a grand gift.
