I knew before I married Russ that he had a heart for children and adults with special needs. We worked on cub scout day camps together and right away I put my boys from Scott Center with Russ because he could be trusted to meet their needs and to make sure they were treated just like any other kid at camp.
It was no secret that my life revolved around the needs of children with special needs. My own child and those that I taught. When we decided to get married and blend our families, Lynda was very much a part of our family. Russ's obvious love for Lynda was palatable. His understanding of how important she was to me was something I treasure to this day. When we were living in Oxford, we would often go and take Lynda for rides or shop for special toys for her. We spent hours shopping for her clothes and inventorying them so they could better keep up with them in her cottage. When we moved to Florida he understood when I just had to make a trip home to see Lynda and when we moved to Booneville, it was he who would get up early to drive to Oxford to surprise me with a visit on holidays like Mother's Day.
Lynda has always had a sixth sense about who liked her. If she patted you on your arm or back, she was giving you her seal of approval. The picture above is after we removed Lynda from the respirator and she had her hands and arms free. She played with her rattle toy and she patted Russ on his arm. What a treasure that she was able to communicate in her own way to him that she loved him and appreciated him taking care of her. He had advocated for her in the hospital. He had been my rock through the week from the time we entered the emergency room on July 30th until she passed away in hospice on August 3rd.
Lynda has influenced many of us in our life work decisions. Russ is one of those people. When we went to Florida to teach at the beach in 2002, Russ taught a severe/profound class of pre-school age children at Silver Sands in Ft. Walton Beach. It was a center school similar to Scott Center where Lynda went to school in Oxford, Mississippi. Isn't it amazing how God can use one little girl with special needs to influence so many others through the years? As he worked with families and children at Silver Sands, he always had Lynda close to his heart directing the ways he interacted with the kids and their parents just as my life experiences with Lynda always direct my paths in special education.
In the past two years since Lynda has been in heaven I could not have made it through without Russ's willingness to drop whatever he was doing and hold me when I saw a toy that reminded me of Lynda or a John Denver song came on in the grocery store. I don't have to explain. He just knows that sometimes the grief floods over my heart and for a few minutes, I'm fighting not to drown in sadness. It passes and life goes on but I know that he will always understand because he knows how important Lynda is to me and how so many things can trigger memories.
He and I both know she is in heaven and having the best time of her life. We cannot wait to see her again and praise God that he sent Jesus for our salvation and the chance to live with him eternally. I am so thankful that Russ is a man of God who loves all children...especially those with special needs.
Matthew 18:19 (NIV)
"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
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