Pam

One of those people who touch your life forever and will probably never realize the impression they had on you.

Pam was the receptionist at Seattle Home Maternity where I have gotten prenatal care for the past three children.  She was so much more than a receptionist though, she was an integral part of the place as much as the rooms, scale, and hundreds of baby pics on the wall.  Guess I just took it for granted that she would always be there.

I usually tried to go to my appts. without my other children, but when they had to come she would watch them and play with them in the lobby.  When seri was 10 she wrote a report on Space and was so proud of it that she showed it to Pam and Pam taped it to the side of a filing cabinet near her desk.  I was totally surprised when four years later I was pregnant with #6 and saw that it was still there!

Matt loved going to all my apts. I think not just because he enjoyed them but also because it gave him a chance to talk to Pam.  Everyone loved chatting with her and she had this way of making you feel like you were the only client coming in that day.

Every once in awhile someone says something and you immediately know it is something you will remember for the rest of your life.  We were talking about big families and societies view of them currently and she said “In my opinion it is people like you and Matt that should have as many children as you can.  Our world needs more children like the ones you are raising”.  Man, I tear up now just thinking about it.  Such a profound thing to tell a mom who sometimes struggles with the question of whether she is doing right by her children or not, of whether she is worth anything.

Then there is the way she held your new born child…  Like saying, “well, there you are! I have been watching you grow and have been anxious to see what kind of little person you would be and you are just what I imagined.”  Not like they were new and fragile, but rather like it was a long lost friend that she was finally able to see again.

My heart broke a little when we got word that she would be moving to Belize. Having done the responsible thing of working and raising her family she was off to have fun.  How could you not love a  woman like that?  The thought however of her not being there when I get pregnant with our next is disheartening though.  We attended her farewell party to let her know we cared for her and were thankful for her friendship, but I can’t help but wonder if she will ever know the impact she had on me during my child bearing years.