Stephenson Family Ties

“The study of mathematics, like the Nile, begins
In the minuteness but ends in magnificence."
-Charles Colton

Clark Vernon Stephenson enjoyed an audience as he came into the world! (And of all the kiddies, I’d say he doesn’t mind an audience still.) Anyway, his dear Aunt Kelly was eager to attend his birth. And with my ever present attitude of “the more the merrier!!!”…I invited her in!!! She had NO idea what she was in for!! (oh the joys of being young and clueless!!) Due to my negative experience with epidurals with my first born, I was true to my vow to only going natural with the rest of my deliveries. (this is way more information than is necessary to tell this story) Just understand that Im a baby deliver’in machine. My babes came into the world with relative ease, but not without the required blood, sweat and tears too. Aunt Kelly was exhausted when it was all over!!

Clarky came into the world a healthy and hefty 8lbs 11oz and was 21 inches long. We went home so pleased to have with us another lovely son!!
Im never quite sure if its selective memory or just the plain truth when I say that I cant ever remember a moments grief caused by this kid of ours.
He crawled for forever.
He took his time before talking. And when he did decide to attempt putting words together he started to stutter. We became a little concerned and so we took him to a speech therapist- who told us not to worry-”his brain is just working faster than his little tongue could follow, and in no time they would meet up and work just fine together!!” Which they did.

Thus began the adventure of watching that brain become a force to be reckoned with!! We really knew something was up when math was always easy for him. He was/is a sponge.

He loved school, until, for a time it couldn’t give him enough- so I home schooled him for a few years. When he wanted to learn Spanish and chemistry, he worked himself back into the public school system a class at a time until he was there once again full time. We could have ‘lost ‘ him again in the monotony of high school if it weren’t for a few pilot programs. Thank heaven for college courses offered to high school kids who qualify and even more kuddos go out to a high school teacher who somehow put together a micro-biology class for interested students. A new light went on in Sparkys eye. His head was turned. Research and medical things became his turn on!! Quickly they came to the the forefront of his interest list. The inner workings of the body became even more fascinating to him that how to make a computer work!!! Thus an interest in medical school when he returns from Chile.

Hes been gone 5 months now. He is sorely missed. As are his group of friends. There is no horrific music blasting from his room…but I miss his comings and goings and his quick wit and the twinkle in his eye.
To sum up ‘The Vern’ in a few clever words:
He’s musical, mathematical, and meticulous.
He’s as blind as a marsupial at midnight,
Wise as a meercat and full of mischief.
And now is a marvelous missionary to many!!
(Whew…….enough of the quirky play with ‘M” words!!! )




WHAT I KNOW:
Sparky is one to enjoy the journey!! Im just so grateful that we get to share some of the magnificence with him!!