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ROBIN'S STORY
  Robin was born when Lucinda was 171/2 months old. Our girls were very different right from the start. Lucinda had lots of dark hair and delicate features. Robin was born without hair, but when it did come in, it was strawberry blond. Their differences went much deeper than their coloring.
Robin had been a very easy child. Learning to walk, toilet training and talking were quite uneventful. She just knew how to do those things when it was time. Socializing came natural for her as well. Robin wanted her room to be decorated and neat, so sharing a bedroom with Lucinda was not easy for her.
 In second grade Robin had an outstanding teacher who allowed each student to work at their own pace. She set up several work stations around the classroom. The students picked up the materials they needed for their next assignment from these stations; every child worked at their own pace.This allowed Robin to work ahead of the other children. Robin loved school and enjoyed achieving. Her teacher had a hard time having assignments ready for her.
 In Carson City, Robin attended a year-round elementary school. It worked out really well to have Robin go to a year-round school, because during the regular school year, every nine weeks she would have a three week break and stay home while our other children were in school. I tried to give her extra time and attention at those times, and during the summer she could “escape” to school while our other children were home for summer vacation.
We owned two show quality Akitas (large breed of dog from Japan) that Robin and I trained and showed at a few dog shows. When she needed braces on her teeth, we saw that she got them. We tried to give her the time and attention she needed, but it wasn't humanly possible to give her an amount of time and attention equal to what Doug and Wade required.
When Robin was in high school, she worked at the sheltered workshop a couple hours a day for high school credit. Robin earned good grades and had not problems with citizenship. Being athletic, she enjoyed participating in church softball, volleyball and basketball. We tried to support her by attending all of her games.
Robin graduated from high school and moved to Rexburg, Idaho to attend Ricks Junior College.
I felt panicky when it was time for Robin move away, but as much as I needed her at home, I couldn't prevent her from living her own life. She was a big help with house work and shopping for our boys so they were dressed like the other kids at high school.  Robin successfully completed two years at Ricks and graduated with an associate degree. After a little time working in New Jersey as a nanny (and seeing how the other half lives), Robin came home and settled down to studies at Utah State University in Logan. She decided to major in Communicative Disorders. That surprised us, since she would be working with children like Doug and Wade everyday. As a teenager she hadn't always appreciated their "unique qualities". After receiving her bachelors degree at USU, she decided to go to The University of Utah in Salt Lake City to get Master's degree.
Robin worked at Fred Meyers this entire time to put her self through school. She currently works in the public schools and at care facilities, treating patients who have had a stroke and require therapy to relearn how to swallow.
 A friend of Robin’s told me, "The reason that Robin had pushed so hard to get her master's degree was because she assumed that she might be responsible to take care of her siblings at some point, and she wanted to be in a position to support them if she needed to do that." Robin had never discussed that with us. We had never planned for her to take care of Lucinda or her brothers, but we certainly appreciate her willingness to do so!
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