24 years ago!

Twenty four years ago tonight, on a not-so cold winter night I gave birth to my youngest son in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was due to come on the 7th so he was due to arrive almost any time. However, with my record of having babies at least 2 weeks after the due date, I wasn't even thinking it was time. Even though I was having contractions, they weren't too bad, and Kristi needed a pair of shoes. So I took her to the mall around 6:00 PM or so to help her find some. I was never one who wanted to spend a lot of time in a labor room laboring. We went home and had dinner, which I probably made. ( we didn't eat out much in those days). It seems like we got to the hospital during the during either a great BYU or New Mexico State basketball game with UTEP. I hadn't ever had a TV in a labor room before, and Bruce and I were really enjoying the game.

I was ready to have that baby right after we got there, but had to wait for Dr. Lopez to get there. It seems like he was still putting on his shoes when he came in to the room. Off I went to delivery and the rest is now history.

We didn't even think we would have a fourth boy, so we had a couple of girl names picked out--Brittany, Michaela and Brandy (my mom's neighbor said, "you wouldn't name her after a liquor would you). Anyway, we had no boys' name in mind.
So Bruce left the hospital sometime after 1:00 in the morning and we were both so tired, we said we would discuss it in the morning. He woke up at least the girls just enough to tell them that we had another boy. He said they just rolled over and said, "Oh". Well, I didn't sleep much and the name Adam came to my mind. I loved it, and then thought of my Grandpa Houston's middle name of Cooper ( which was his mother's maiden name). I was so excited that I never gave it another thought, and could hardly wait until morning to tell Bruce. I think he was surprised that he had no real choice in the matter, but then I wouldn't have been me if I had let him have a say. Actually, we had always decided together our children's names. I remember Heather calling me from the Junior high to tell me that she didn't like it, and offered Brett or something like that as an alternative.

So Adam Cooper it was, and he became adored by all of his brothers and sisters. Heather was going to early- morning Seminary then, so she was always up early to get ready. She would give Adam his first bottle of the day and change him and put him back in his crib, so I could get an extra hour of sleep.

Adam was always an alert boy and wanted to be outside investigating, so he wanted to come and go with his brothers. He was always very industrious and had a couple of little money making businesses. It wasn't enough to paint rocks for "pets", but he painted bloody eyeballs on them and sold them to the neighbors for 50 cents to 1.00. We didn't know anything about it until the Dalleys told us they were regularly buying eyeball rocks from Adam.

One stake conference Sunday after church, Bruce and I were taking a nap. Adam was outside with all of his Golden Books laid out on the lawn by the curb. He was stopping people to buy some of his books. We also knew nothing about that until a couple of days later that we saw his picture in the paper which called attention to the fact of what he was doing. It was something like " On Sunday, Adam Buchanan sold books in his front yard". I think Bruce and I were more worried that the bishop would see what we let our son do on the sabbath more than that he could have easily kidnapped!!

After having 3 other sons begging for dogs for a pet, it was Adam that we gave in to. We just knew that it would finally. So we got Andy, a chow from the pound for his birthday. Andy was about 1 1/2 years old and trained. We all gave it a good go at it, but poor Andy wasn't really a family dog. He wouldn't sit when prompted or fetch or run with the boys. He only seemed happy on the carpet in the house, and refused to go in his new doghouse, and chose the cold snowy backyard instead. Bevan was the best to him, taking him for daily walks at night after a day of work. So after a go of it for 6 weeks, Andy went back to the pound. Dad wouldn't take him back so I took Adam and Spencer with me and took Andy back. So I still have the reputation of not letting my children have dogs. I love dogs, but want them to live somewhere else.

Well, I digress from talking about Adam. He has always loved the outdoors and whether someone went with him or not, nothing stopped him from trying new things and doing the things he enjoyed. He never spent much time trying to impress girls how cool he was or did things to show off for their attention. If he wanted to do that he would have joined the soccer team, or other sports. He pursued camping, backpacking, rock climbing, ice climbing, biking, skiing, snowshoeing. He, like his brothers, is a very good skier, and has a great appreciation for the environment around us.

There is so much more to write about you, including that you are married to a very wonderful and understanding girl, Lisa, and have a darling daughter, Ryan Paige. But I will save that for another day.

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to YOU!!