gender was announced by the doctor as a baby arrived.
We never knew if a boy or girl was coming.
We prepared for either.
As my second child was born Doctor Robert Taylor pronounced, "It's a boy," with almost as much glee as we felt to have a hoped for son. We loved our daughter and now had a son - a girl and a boy!
Tad was a delightful child.
His eyes sparkled with interest and just plain fun from day one.
They still do - he can see humour in even serious situations.
He told me once, "have a good day every day - it is a choice."
On his mission he wrote home,
"Smile - If you can't lift the corners, let the middle sag."
That saying is still one of my favorites.
Tad loves doing and being. He loves babies and people, music and drama, working and playing, biking and climbing, birds and animals, art and sports ... the list perhaps includes almost anything - he chooses to enjoy life.
When I learned to print professionally as a draftperson that type of writing did NOT amaze him - what was the big deal? He felt anyone could print like that if they chose to - and he could - and often did!
He excelled in school at any class he choose to do so in AND in any sport he attempted. His school basketball team, the Hamilton Hornets, won every game - except the last one in the championship - and second place was OK too. Cheerful Sportsmanship was a way of life. He sang and danced in Theatre (Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz and Johnny Pye in Anne of Green Gables) as well as solos and choir productions at church. In shop he made small furniture, jewelry and useful or decorative items such as a lamp that we still use. Tad always did what ever he decided to do - did it well, and often made it look effortless - and helped you to believe you could do the things you wanted to do.
'Nice' was a word we heard a lot - from Tad and from those that met him and especially from those that knew him. If he said someone or something was nice that was high praise - and when others said he was nice - he was ... well - nice about it!!
On a school writing prompt he said he had a nice summer, his teacher and family were nice, classes were nice, sports were nice, and ... well you get the picture - it was a very nice writing exercise.
He loved rhyme and poetry and often wrote verse.
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| about 6th grade with teacher remarks in red |
One of his first loves was art - even as a young child.
A beginning mosaic depicts a hawk.
Later art pieces received invitations for display or purchase.
His work improved year by year as he tried and applied new mediums, techniques and ideas and became meticulous. One of his first 'on his own' gifts was a water color portrait of me for Mother's Day. I cherished it then. I cherish it still.
Along with a typical 'nice' letter. No special occasion was needed for these - he just let people know he cared or that they were 'nice'. He genuinely has concern for all people and creatures. It is very difficult for him to understand any cruelty or unkindness. I often said he was a big marshmallow - all soft, sweet and mushy and I wonder how he survives in an 'adult' world - no - I think I know ... he chooses to see good, and be good, and do good.
This month he is a year nearer to 40.
I am not sure he needs to be any wiser ...
only to always remember the wisdom of his youth.
Happy Birthday, SON.