Stephan's Story by Decades

Oldest son Stephan was born in Germany on a blizzardy March 12th forty years ago.

We came home a week to ten days later which was early for their health system back then. I refused to stay two weeks in hospital, standard for Caesarian births.

This is one of my favorite 1971 photos of Stephan.

Ten years later we were living on the M/V Doulos.

1981

My records, not my memory, tell me that Stephan planned his birthday celebration and the castle cake. The latter is not a surprise considering his talent for 3-D sculpture.

At age twenty Stephan was a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. I cannot remember, nor can I find records to remind me whether he celebrated his birthday there or with us. I'm assuming the former is true. These are a few photos taken that year, 1991.

The above photos are somewhat out of character, too serious.

When we celebrated his thirtieth birthday, he was recently married and acting more like himself!

Have ten more years made any difference? Come back next week for the 40th birthday party photos and tell us what you think.

Happy Birthday, Stephan!