Page 76 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine

Focus
FAMILY

The Value

L
ife
of Life by Warren and Pamela New

Pam enlisted help important to them, even if we couldn’t
from early childhood always bring our children. Sometimes,
professionals who came our children couldn’t navigate the
to our home to train her to social setting without disrupting it;
do therapy that the whole sometimes they weren’t welcome. We
family could perform instead focused on the good things in
with our children. We life God had given us over the years:
spent money on orthotics, good health, understanding friends and
ur children were born under specially made toys and family, good schools, and a peaceful
normal circumstances, like eating utensils. When school started, and prosperous society that provides
Omost children, to proud parents we worked with the teachers and help for the disabled and acceptance of
with high hopes that they would aides to help our children function the handicapped.
grow up to make a difference in this as independently as possible. Pam’s
world. But during his first years, our parents, R.C. and Mary Lou Taylor, Amazingly, both children are happy
son, Jonathan, was slow to develop. provided invaluable respite care, and healthy, each with their own
His developmental milestones came giving us time to catch our breath and unique personality and “ministry.”
slowly or not at all: He had difficulty sleep all night. We had our personal Jonathan developed an affection for
walking even after several years, he had struggles and conflicts, but we a Christian cowboy production, “The
no speech, he couldn’t dress or bathe managed to eventually work through Gospel Bill Show,” and he forced his
himself, and he was active at night. We our differences and keep our marriage caregivers at the Lubbock State School,
went through a similar routine with strong. We’ve been married 46 years and later at his group home, to watch
his sister, Andrea, five years after he now. We eventually learned about it with him for hours at a time. This
was born. At that time, the medical the somewhat rare genetic condition became his evangelistic mission to his
professionals had no idea what was our children had called Angelman world. Andrea expressed unconditional
wrong. All they would tell us was Syndrome. love with exuberant laughter, animated
that our children were profoundly excitement, and gripping hugs when
handicapped and that they would be We had to fight the urge to think about meeting friends, family, and strangers
severely limited for life. We were faced the wonderful events of life that we alike. Even though they couldn’t speak,
with a life we never expected. Pam’s lost, that most people take for granted they communicated life and love.
teaching career was put on hold to with their children: sporting events,
care for the children while I worked to graduations, weddings, first jobs, We always found a church that
support the family on just my income. family vacations, grandchildren. We accommodated our children, even if it
We were forced to make hard decisions always tried to celebrate these events wasn’t one we were used to attending.
and face harsh realities. with friends and family because it was One church we joined held a meeting
to recruit people to help with the

76 Lubbock Senior Link