Amazing Adam

December 28, 2009 . . . Thirty years ago today we welcomed our first son into the Warr family. He must have been anxious to come because he was really supposed to wait until January 14th, but we were glad to have him - made our Christmas extra special that year! Christmas Eve day, I was very pregnant, and a little housebound - so decided to put on my cross country skiis and do a round or so around the polo field across from our house in Bellevue. It was one of those beautiful Sun Valley blue sky and snow days. All went well until I stopped and was getting ready to take off my skiis . . . when PLOP! I just tipped over . . . (I think my center of gravity was slightly off . . . am using that for an excuse anyway.) Well gathered my chubby little self up and headed on home - but noted a bit later that it felt as if I had had an "accident" - then finally figured it out - I had landed hard enough to break my water. So called the doctor - and fully expected to have a Christmas Eve baby . . . but he didn't come for 3 more days. Things went great - he weighed in at 7 pounds and 4 ounces . . . the biggest one of the gang. The next day he and I headed home . . . the hospital had a big felt Christmas stocking they put him in - and we had to admit that he was probably the best Christmas present we had ever received . . . still feel that way about him!
He was the best baby . . . loved his thumb! And he had a silky blanket that was just right for cuddlin' up with as he enjoyed his thumb. His two older sisters thought he was

pretty great (even though Erika will tell you that I deceived her by telling her that she would always be my baby . . . they're all my babies!) The girls would entertain themselves and Adam too, by having him do things that only two older sisters could think of . . . like giving him the vacuum hose and letting it suck his face almost off . . . dressing him up in their tutus and painting his nails . . . but he lived through all of that without being adversely influenced.
The sister missionaries in our ward loved him . . . , I always hoped that someday their influence would help him decide to go on a mission. Don't know if it was them, or just him deciding . . . but he didn't let us down!
He started kindergarten in Bellevue. Was a fun little student - it was always fun to see his creations. About that time, I had to do something that I think he will never let me forget . . . he and one of his older buddies (1st grade), Shane Gillett seemed to have a fascination with playing with matches . . . and I was a little nervous when I found them lighting matches up in the loft - so did the ol' "let me show you what matches can do" lesson - lit one and gently (I think) let him feel the heat. Well he wrote about it in his little journal and has never forgotten (and maybe never forgiven), but it seemed to put a stop to his fascination with being a pyro man!
That same year, we loaded up the kids and headed south to Burley and Albion to visit the grandparents . . . singing "over the river and through the woods. . ." Well all went well until on our trip back. Whitney was just a baby so I had her on my lap (before infant car seat days) and the other kids were all in the back of the big Chrysler station wagon . . . had all the seats down and they were romping and finally settled down (pre seatbelt law days). Well I fell asleep as the weather was getting kind of nasty - snow and blow . . . and that's my way of coping with bad roads - just let Vic drive and I'll sleep! Well we were driving out north of Shoshone, by the ice caves when I woke up because I heard Vic say "Hold on!" . . . looked out the windshield and could see headlights coming straight for us . . . then it was slow motion . . . until WHANG! we collided! Kids flew all over the back . . . and Adam told his dad that he had broken his leg. After assessing everything - and saying a prayer . . . we got us all into the little cafe (which just happened to be open . . . it usually wasn't during that time of year) . . . Vic carried Adam in very gently - and a dentist from Bellevue was behind us and helped us get the rest of us in. We thought Erika had broken her ankle . . . turned out to be a bad sprain - Andrea cracked a couple of vertebrae, Jared had a few little bruises - Whit was safe and sound . . . I had a nice case of whip lash . . . and Vic was our man!! But Adam was right - he had broken his femur. After all of us rode in the ambulance to Hailey, one of our friends Rusty Washburn, took the rest of the kids and Vic and I stayed with Adam. They set his leg and then put him in traction . . . he had to stay in traction for about 3-4 weeks and then they put him in a body cast. He was so excited when he got to come home in a wheel chair and the body cast for Christmas. I treasure the time I got to spend with him in the hospital - he was such a good little patient . . . and everyone loved him! He had lots of visitors who came to see him and bring him little treasures . . . some of which he still has! That was a Christmas when we realized how blessed we really were to still have our family and to have family and friends pitch in and help us finish up our Christmas projects as Mrs. S.C. seemed to be spending lots of time at the hospital.
We ended up getting our trampoline because once Adam got off his crutches, he was very tentative about putting weight on his leg . . . but jumping on a new trampoline encouraged him to forget fear and just jump and build up his muscles. The only sign of his mishap, is his gait is just a little different . . . but no one seems to notice (and he doesn't even realize it . . . but a mom does).
Life went on - we moved to Boise and he found lots and lots of friends. There were about 14 boys his age in our new ward . . . and I got to be den mother to them . . . then Primary President to them when they were older scouts. . . and then taught them through several years in Sunday School. Loved those boys . . . but they were full of it - and still are a bit! No more major mishaps until he ran into the outside wall at Amity Elementary and knocked out his front tooth.
He had lots of interests - loved riding his bike, skate boarding, swimming, riding the motorcycle (especially the ol' Honda 100), and hanging out with his friends.
Adam was always very creative . . . who else would go to prom in a baby blue
tux as the guy in Dumb and Dumber! And who would think a date would go with him? But she did!
After high school, most of his friends went off to college - but Adam decided to get some of his wanderlust out of his system . . . and just kind of hung out - working and playing - but realized that playing wasn't so fun without your buddies. So he went to BSU for a bit . . . then went to BYU . . . then went on his mission when most of his friends were just coming back from their missions. He served in the Utica, New York mission - and had some interesting adventures . . . and some spiritual ones too. We always looked forward to his letters and especially his pictures - they had this wonderful dialogue on the back of them and it seemed as if we were almost there experiencing it with him. After he returned, I learned that the Lord really did watch over him . . . there were some of his adventures that were not ones to write home about - and a mother should only find out about them after her son has been returned home safely! We were proud of him for serving - it was a difficult decision - and when he went, we knew it was because he knew it was the right thing to do.
Then he returned and finished up his degree @ BYU in education - and did his student teaching in Houston, TX. He had some rather challenging students . . . and also worked with a rather challenging cooperative teacher. But he made it . . . and after teaching for a bit decided that wasn't what he wanted to do. But that's okay - because Texas is where he met Susannah - the love of his life . . . and also the rest of the Warr family! They got married on June 6, 2009 in the Houston temple. Our whole family made the trip and what a glorious day it was! Now life finds him back in the life of a student, working on his law degree and MBA in Moscow. . . and we hope that Susannah loves him enough to endure the dark and dreary winters of northern Idaho. So far, she has been a trooper . . . and we all love her for it! So today, just want to say how happy I am to be Adam Warr's mom . . . he is all that a mom could ask for and more and I love and appreciate him!