Through much hard work on Lora's part, we pulled off a surprise 30th birthday party for Amy. Thanks to all who came and kept the secret!! Carol and Perry, Tara, Jerime and Ellie, Sheryl and Duane, Brenda and Katie, Barry, Lori, Whitney and Erica, Bobby, and of course Chuck and Jake! Dad had a shot in his eye on the afternoon of the party so, they couldn't be with us which was the only bad part. We are planning cake and ice cream at their house on Sunday afternoon, after all, she only turns 30 one time.
Lora, Chuck and I arrived at Josie's in Scammon, Kansas, at about 6:00. Lora had bought party hats, noise makers, fun straws and all the confetti and tablecloths. We hurriedly got things ready and with a secret phone call from Tara, we knew when the birthday girl would arrive!
She really didn't know anything about it. It was fun to surprise her. The food was wonderful as usual. I divided my leftovers for 2 more meals!! Yum yum!! Chuck's mom use to love Josie's so, I say she was smiling down.
Lora, Amy and Tara
Ellie and Gus30 Years ago Chuck was working for Gulf Chemical, a great job, and I was working for the Kansas Veterans' Commission. Amy was due on August 17 but, about that time we set up a dark room in our bathroom to develop black and white pictures ourselves. I would sit 9 months pregnant cramped in the little bathroom in what became Aunt Carrie's house and is now one of our rentals, watching Chuck develop the greatest black and white pictures. We bought all of our supplies at Wingo's Camera in Joplin and at that time was one of my favorite places to go. When the 17th of August came and went we were still busy developing pictures. We were anxious for little J. R. (Jeffrey Ryan) to get here, we had no idea in that day whether it was a boy or a girl. We were so young and life was so fun!
We had decorated the baby's room in Sesame Street, and Big Bird and Cookie Monster were anxiously awaiting the new arrival. Mom embroidered the neatest Sesame Street Picture for the room and it was perfect in our eyes. Mom also crocheted baby afghans for the new baby, along with Madeline Hamacher, Cheryl Haynes, Mrs. Cowan Polly's Grandma, Grandma Seal, Polly and some others I can't remember. The baby was going to be well taken care of, hopefully not spoiled!!
On August 29 we went to bed as usual and the contractions started, I would hit Chuck and tell him to time them, by the time the next one would start he would be sound asleep, they were quite aways apart so I guess it didn't matter. We got up in the morning and things were still far apart. As the day went we were sure it would be that day. In the afternoon we called my Dr., Dr. Mary Shanahan, only to find that she was not in the office and we would have to call Dr. Bopp's office, as he was on call for her. We called and they said to come to his office and they would check me and see if it was the real thing. Well, I was dilated to 5, so it was the real thing! They sent us on over to Freeman Hospital and we got there around 5:30 p.m.
As I was growing up, dad always said when you get married you are on your own. He didn't mean it in a bad way at all, he wanted us to be dependent on ourselves not on them, not that they wouldn't have been there in an instant. He had seen so many other kids of our generation not step up to the plate and be responsible. Anyway, Chuck and I called no one else, we just went on to the hospital. Looking back now and seeing how everyone does it now, it would have been so much fun to have had everyone there.
We got to the hospital and things were really progressing, I would look at the clock, thinking it would be 10 or 12 hours and not knowing if I would make it or not. Well, at 8:12 p.m., on 8-30, little Amy Susanne was born weighing 8 lbs 14 oz. and according to our phone bill, at 8:28, as I was being wheeled to recovery I called my mama and told her It's a Girl!! We were all so surprised but, I was so very happy!! I never ever wanted a boy again. I had my precious not really so little baby girl, who appeared to be all cheeks and chin! Chuck remininces about Dr. Bopp and how drunk he was as he delivered her, something daddy wasn't to thrilled about!! But, he didn't drop her!!
And so now, 30 years later, it seems so appropriate that Amy is studying photography and loves to take pictures, it was meant to be. We are so proud of how beautiful she is, inside and out.
So, Lora, thank you for all the hard work you did on the party, you are both such a blessing.
