Category Archives: Remembering

Baby Yes

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Not all little girls like to play with dolls. Some prefer coloring books and markers. Others like riding toys, building blocks, or just doing whatever mommy’s doing.

Back when granddaughter Emerald lived in Michigan, I got to babysit her a good deal, and from early-on she was a coloring person. But there was one brief period when she bonded with a doll – a soft one about 8” tall.

It mattered that this baby was decked out in Emerald’s favorite color, and even her skin was pink. During those days when the two of them were friends, Emerald was 3 years old, and I wondered if she had named her dolly.

“Does your baby have a name?” I said.

Emerald didn’t have to think. “Baby Yes.”

“Her name is Baby Yes?”

“U-huh.”

The explanation was that her doll always said yes. I found that charming, and a fascinating discussion followed.

Our conclusion was that Baby Yes had the right idea. It was good to be positive about life and to embrace opportunities with yeses. It was especially important to say yes to God and the things he wanted us to do. Emerald said she was up for that.

While my grands were here this summer, Baby Yes got lots of attention from granddaughter Lizzie, who also happens to be a very sweet yes-person – and who is definitely a dolly girl.

                                ******

At the end of the summer, all 12 children had headed home, and I began reorganizing the well-used toy bins. When I opened the doll container, I found a jumble of undressed, sticky babies with marker-make-up. Dumping them all on the basement floor, I decided to have some grandma-fun.

While their tiny clothes swished in the wash machine, I cleaned up their faces and hands, feeling like I was playing dolls again. Each of these babies has history with our family and bears the name given them by our 3 daughters when they were little.

There’s Jennifer, Baby LaLa, Connie, Allison, Megan, and others. And of course there’s Baby Yes.

As I lined them up for a photo to send to my granddaughters, little Baby Yes stood out from the crowd – all because of the name Emerald had given her. Looking at her, I decided I want to be a yes-person, too, especially when God is the One asking the questions.

Jesus asked, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. (Matthew 9:28)

A Few Words from Mary

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Today, September 24, marks two years since my sister Mary died. As is true for anyone who’s lost someone precious, I still experience strong frustration at not being able to talk to her. Having valued her opinions and ideas for 70 years, I feel a void because of her absence.

1973 setSince the early 70’s when we had our first babies, the topic we most talked about (for the next 45 years) was mothering. We shared the highs and – more importantly – the lows. We  hashed over problems, exchanged solutions, and recognized God’s ongoing partnership.

 

M.E.P.Thankfully, Mary left behind many of her opinions and ideas about mothering, and recently I found a sampling. During the years we worked together in the Moody Church nursery, our Nursery Committee put out a quarterly newsletter called the Crib Sheet.

Each issue began with an article called THE HIGH CHAIR written by our chairman — Mary. She shared what was important to her, and in the issue I just came across, she summarizes what she calls the “privilege” of motherhood. Re-reading it today was a satisfying way to remember and honor her:

Crib Sheet

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them!” (Luke 18:16)  Mary loved it when they came to her, too. Then one day Jesus asked Mary to come to him…. and she did.

Nine Years Ago Today

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Today, September 22, is the 9th anniversary of the day Nate and I learned of his fatal cancer. He’d been bothered by severe back pain for 7 months and was scheduled for surgery when pre-op tests told a different story.

After that appointment at a Chicago hospital, we pointed our mini-van toward the peace and quiet of our Michigan home. As I drove, Nate used the time to call each of his 7 children to tell them personally what we’d just learned. As emotionally draining as that job was, he wanted each of them to hear it directly from him.

Normal life came to a screeching halt that day as we tried to absorb the shock. No one knew what was going to happen, but all agreed it couldn’t possibly be anything good.

*          *              *              *              *             *              *              *             *              *

Recently I came across a paper with Nate’s handwriting on it, something I don’t often see these days. It was the first page in a blank book, dated 9/22/09. He had titled it, “Journal of Willard Nyman.” *

In less than 20 words his first entry summarized the dreadful truth:

Sept. 22, 2009The Dr told me I have [metastasizing] pancreatic cancer today. Thought it was back problem all the time.

In those words I could hear his grave disappointment but also a measure of acceptance. Though Nate had hoped to write down his thoughts as he journeyed through cancer, he never had the chance. The daily pace moved too fast for that. This first entry was his last.

Because September 22 has come around 9 times now, I find myself thinking back without tears. Though I miss Nate every hour of every day, God’s healing of my heart has taken away the pain of remembering.

Now when I go back to that time, I think of the many ways God was on the move. On September 22, when we’d all agreed nothing good could possibly happen after the diagnosis, we had been wrong.

M and N, Aug. 09God pulled our attention toward him on every one of those 42 days by causing unusual things to happen in and around us. He proved how very close he was and sustained us by sprinkling blessings over each day’s harsh circumstances. And God is willing to partner like that with every person through grievous situations. He sustains us, rescues us, and is so close he can even carry us.

The Lord said, “I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4b)

* Nate’s real name: Willard Nathan Nyman (Photo taken 8/22/09)