Bushnell Family 2008   

   Our summer is taking shape with each member of our family figuring out what is priority for them, and mixing it with
what works for everybody else. With so many teens and adults around, being flexible is sure the best way to stay relaxed. Our solution is simple. We have learned to just sit back, and let it all go on around us. We still take our weekly Friday night out. It is a priority. And unless I am physically at a birth, no matter how tired or stressed either of us are, we take the time together.

Tom is finishing his last 6 months of law school. I don’t think any of us can really remember when he wasn’t studying!
Neither can he!

Sherry’s birth center in Libby, Montana, is finished and the three midwives that share it are all getting new clients.
Sheela (22 years old, adopted from India at age 22 months, and born without eyes/blind, RAD.), Lynny (19, with
severe cerebral palsy and autism, adopted at age 14 months) and Jordan (23 years old with Down syndrome, adopted at birth) are all having fun in the sun. Sheela has taken over more and more of the cleaning and tidying, getting Lynny and Jordan to learn more skills in the self-help department. Being very useful is their joy.

We have a canopy covered deck, so Lynny in her wheel chair, can enjoy the outside without getting burned by the sun. But what she realllllly likes doing is playing on the trampoline. And for someone with spastic CP, that is quite the giggle session. We plan to take them tent camping locally, along with Mercy, (age 13) ShaHannah (age 6) and Jayben (age 9) some time in July.

Our most exciting news is that we have a new member of our family. Kyler Jacob was born March 1st. He is one of the most beautiful babies we have ever laid eyes on! We are so blessed to have a new baby around. Renita’s mom was here
for the birth and that was a tremendous blessing to all of us.

Becoming grandparents for the first time, we found that our jumble of emotions were normal…. After talking to our own parents about their experiences. Being midwife, parents, grandparents, all rolled into one, was wonderful…. But
which hat to wear, when?

Renita, our daughter-in-law and special treasure, is a very careful mommy. She is doing a wonderful job with Kyler. She is nursing and he looks like a very contented baby. Jacob is a very helpful dad. We are very proud of them both.
How can one family be so blessed? Only by the grace of God. Here are some really nice pictures!

Tom, Sherry, Jacob, Renita and baby
Kyler, Josh, Zack, Zeph, Sheraya, Jordan,
Sheela, Lynny, Mercy, Jayben and
ShaHannah

On the special needs children:

Sheela is 22 years old and blind, has been our constant household help.  She is such a blessing to us.  Our lives are definitely more brighter, more organized and cleaner with her help!

Lynny, 19 with cerebral palsy and autism, has stepped up in skills.  This summer, with Sheela’s prompting, she has learned to clear the table, put away dishes, do some laundry, clean up the living room and generally participate in a much bigger way. She is very excited to be a real helping part of the running of the home.  Yes, we do run things through the dishwasher and often things are misplaced. But her heart is so sweet and helpful that hardly anyone complains.  (O.K. the mucky glasses in the cupboard need to be sorted out from the cleaner ones once in a while, but hey… it is a small thing!) This is huge for her, as she has been in the past more prone to just sit and sit and sit.  Now she is busy and happily so.

Jordan, 23 with Down syndrome, has also been able to do a whole lot more.  He spent the summer learning how to do morning and evening dishes (by himself), and this summer was outside helping a lot with the log home building crew and generally getting pretty sun burnt.