Oh Dear, Oh Dear !

Oh Dear Me ! Yesterday was a busy morning with a 7 o'clock and a 9 o'clock obligation and then our internet was down in the afternoon so I missed getting an important message off to a very important person in my life.... One that arrrived way back on April 9 1964 ---- That's right our firstborn came into our lives. SO HAPPY "DAY LATE" BIRTHDAY, STEVE !!
What a very important day that was for both of us. Especially after having the loss of our first child thru a miscarriage in December of 1962. I wasn't very far along but it was still a hard thing.
We were living in Port Angeles and were in the Coast Guard at the time. Bob was out at sea for a month on the CG Cutter Winona and I was visiting Mom and Dad in Aberdeen for a spell and while he was gone we lost the baby. Being the first I think it was even harder as then you begin to question if this was just a fluke or were we going to be able to have children.

But our God is gracious and sure enough in July of 1963 while we were living in Seattle, Washington (Bob got out of the Coast Guard in February and had gotten a job working as a civilian for the Coast Guard at Base Seattle) we found out we were pregnant again.
Things were all fine and dandy and then.... we found out there was a job opening in Astoria, Oregon and we decided we didn't want to raise children in the big city so at eight months pregnant we transfered and moved to Astoria.

Now I would not recommend moving eight months into a pregnancy but it can be done. When you are young and crazy you do those sorts of things. Had lots of help and managed to get moved into a little house on Clover Lane (isn't that a fun address - when we lived in Wildwood, New Jersey we lived on 146 W Crocus Road, that was a fun address too - but I'm on a bunny trail now)
Back to my story, now moving into a new town expecting a baby in a month, finding a Dr was on the top of the list. I first went to one, I did not care for at all so I got the assistance of our neighbor who had two children and she directed me to the "Baby Dr" in town. Yes, our good old Dr Kettelkamp who delivered all three of our children.
You know, the first delivery is always sort of a "what have I gotten myself into" sort of experience as you are laying there with each contraction. But as usual God took control and Bob felt useful in the pre delivery room timing contractions (which I don't think the nurse ever looked at, it just gave him something to do to feel important)
So at 9:55 am April 9, 1964 Steven Glen came to join our family at a walloping ten pounds!
(I know, I know big babies run in our family. I was 10 pounds at birth, Ken our second born was 10 lbs 6 oz, and then there was our grandson Ethan who beat us all at 11 pounds 4 ounces born to our daughter, Cathy)
But back to Steve - What a blessing he was to us. We had been married almost four years. Bob had been on isolated duty for a year (which means no wives) in the Coast Guard in Alaska) so that slowed us down a bit on having children. So Steve was a precious bundle of joy for us when he arrived. He was the first grandson on Bob's side of the family and that was a special blessing too. All of the grandparents were totally taken in by him ! I can remember after he was born the nurse laying him in my arms and his eyebrows were shaped exactly like his Dad's. How cute!
We soon learned the ropes of parenthood with Arlene Graham, my neighbor, being there for all of my stupid new mother questions. After all, she had two children and had all the answers.
He was a good baby and was a total joy to us. Each new thing he would do was so fun to watch from his first words to his first steps and then watching him grow thru his childhood.
Now he has grown up into a fine young man, married a beautiful young lady, loves the Lord and serves Him well and has given us three precious young men for grandsons.
What could make parents more proud..... SO HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT BIRTHDAY, STEVE,
THANK YOU FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT SON - WE LOVE YOU.
Hugs to you and Lorraine and the boys !