An accident that paid for diapers and preschool

Now that 3, soon to be all 4 of my sons and their wives, are home owners... I figure now is a good
time to go through and distribute their father's items to them.

I found this picture of Bill and Kari…the little girl we cared for, before our sons were born.


Bill is younger in this picture (26?) than any of our sons are now!
Who does he most look like?? Anyone have an opinion?

Brock, Logan, McKay, Tyler a few years ago.

What I found most interesting about my findings yesterday is this list of goals Bill typed up. It has no
date on it and I don't know what prompted him to write it, but I am very thankful for #5.

Because of goal #5, and because he didn't just think about it, but followed through, I was able to keep
our home after he died, and I didn't have to leave our sons to find employment.

In going through Bill's momentos yesterday…..I came across some pictures of when he was in the
Army. He said those were the worst 3 years of his life, and I have unhappy looking pictures to prove it.

Bill is on the right side, 3rd from the front.

Part of his duties were playing his trumpet at the White House. Bill's parents were visiting one day Bill
was performing, and got this pictureof Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and his wife….




During one of his trips to the White House, after playing his trumpet in Pres Nixon's office, Bill had an 
accident on the way out. Somehow he ran into the statue of President Lincoln and hurt his knee. An 
ambulance quickly arrived (they don't waste time for injuries at the White House) and he was
diagnosed with some sort of permanent knee injury. 

Since it happened while "on duty" he was given a 10% disability for life. 
After we were married he signed the check over to me each month and told me to use it as I needed.
That little disability paid for diapers for several years, and then preschool
….then extra things the boys needed after starting school. Thank you Mr. Lincoln.

13 comments:

krheasley said...

It's really no wonder your sons have all turned out so well. They have had some really great men in their lives to look up to. I am so impressed with Bill's foresight and inspiration in knowing how to care for his family.

And it's not every family that has such high caliber of men in it. I'm definitely glad to be raising my boys with such good examples they can learn from.

Karen Mortensen said...

What a great story. I love hearing things like this. I didn't know he played the trumpet. Tom does too.

Anonymous said...

In that picture, I think he looks most like Brock.
I'm impressed that Bill was so conscientious about planning for the family's future... and that you have proof of it in writing! That's a treasure.
darlene

Rebecca said...

What fun pictures! I think he looks like McKay! Such an interesting story about his knee injury! Thanks for sharing this.

Heidi G. Ballas said...

We've always thought that Logan looked a lot like Bill. But perhaps it was the almost matching glasses they had back in the day.

Grandma Honey said...

That's right Heidi. I had forgotten all about the matching glasses!

grandmapeg said...

I noticed that in the picture of your boys that Brock's facial features, especially his mouth and chin, look the most like Bill's. Your boys all look similar though, so I'm sure they all have a look of Bill. Bill's foresight and goal planning sure was a blessing to you.

Grandma Honey said...

I don't think my boys look similar at all. But I think most Moms say that about their kids. They are very individual to me.

Anonymous said...

Love this post, what a good man Bill was! I have always thought Brock was the spitting image of Bill, with Tyler in close second. It is very interesting that others see McKay and Logan.
Peggy Sue

Susan Anderson said...

I think Brock looks most like him. Handsome men, both! (Of course, ALL of them are good-looking guys…)

=)

Brock said...

If it's a vote, I guess it's me. I know I've got Dad's eyes. I do feel like I look more like him the older I get.

Loved everything about this post, Mom. I didn't know that story about the White House injury at all, or even that Dad had been in the Oval Office (or maybe I did know it but forgot). Thank you for this!

Ammy said...

What a neat post! I think Brock and Logan look most like their Dad, but I dont think brock and Logan look like each other at all.

Anonymous said...

What a great post and story!! I was thinking that Logan and Tyler looked the most like Bill, but they all look somewhat like him, and yet each very distinct and different. All great boys, and now men!
Heidi

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