Happy Birthday, Lynda

                 (This was Lynda's 4th Birthday and the first one with us )

Today is September 21st and would have been Lynda's 42nd birthday. It is also the seventh week since she went to be with Jesus.  When Lynda came to live with us in 1975, we were told that her birthday was September 28th.  All of the records we had from the social workers and medical profession.... everything said September 28, 1971 was her birthday.  Of course, we celebrated it on the 28th.  We did that until we were in the process of legally adopting Lynda in December, 1977 and the attorney got a copy of her original birth certificate.  You can imagine how surprised we were to learn that she had actually been born on September 21, 1971.  Her own parents and family had passed on the wrong information for something as fundamental and memorable as the birth of their first child.

It was strange to make the change from September 28th to September 21st.  I know more than a few times I told doctors or other people who asked me Lynda's birthday, September 28th, no September 21st.  They probably thought I was the most absent minded mother ever to not know my own child's birthday.

Of course this wasn't as bad as the time I first took Lynda to the doctor's office and they asked me what her Daddy's name was and I said I didn't know.  I was pretty busy trying to keep Lynda in the doctor's office without her disassembling all of the furniture.  I had noticed the receptionist had kind of looked at me funny when I said I didn't know her daddy's name but I had to turn immediately and retrieve Lynda.  When I sat down with her and did a rewind on the previous conversation, it occurred to me what the receptionist must have thought.  I was quick to go back and explain that Lynda was a foster child and I was soon on the phone to child services to find out Lynda's biological father's name.

I have wonderful birthday memories of Lynda whether we celebrated on September 21st or the 28th.  Lynda loved the song Happy Birthday so every day usually had a rendition or two of the song complete with clapping.  Enjoy your first birthday in heaven, Lynda.  I know that all of the angels are clapping for you and Jesus is holding you close to His heart as I am.

 Happy Birthday!!!