— John Michael Taylor joins our family — 1984 —
Due to the difficult time Susan had with her two pregnancies and the diagnosis of Annie’s cystic fibrosis, we decided that we would try to adopt the rest of our children. Knowing that the adoption waiting period was long, we applied for adoption with LDS Social Services in Kansas City when Annie was three months old. Lo and behold, we received word in early February 1984 that a big, bald, baby boy was born and would be coming to us. We were amazed, excited, and overwhelmed all at once. John Michael stayed with a foster family for his first two months while legal matters were resolved, and we went to pick him up in Independence, Missouri on a beautiful spring afternoon. I will never forget the look of John’s face and head when we first saw him — round, bald, and drooling. Believe it or not, this little boy carried with him an air of independence and assertiveness which has continued to be his hallmark in life. We were delighted with this new addition to our family and that we had received a baby so quickly. Our first few days were challenging as John adapted to us and vice versa, and we tried to synchronize the two baby’s schedules. Annie had never been a good sleeper, and John’s reflux caused him to be irritable, so Susan spent many long days and nights attending to the babies, while I struggled along with my residency. John outgrew his reflux and became more pleasant, cheerful, and fun-loving. He was bright and alert, and a very quick learner. He was then and is now a wonderful addition to our home and family.
The following entry appeared in my journal for February 1985: “The most memorable event of the last few weeks was our trip to Kansas City to finalize John’s adoption (we were living in Salt Lake City at the time). We stayed with Gary and Mary Silver, Gary being one of my anesthesia colleagues. We spent most of the night trying to get our two babies to sleep. It was a thrill to hear the judge pronounce John as officially ours. He really is a sweet boy and we love him very much. He weighs 22 pounds and sleeps 12 to 13 hours each night. He has a cute smile and plays well with Annie.”
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