LOVE LIFTS THE HEART

Crapser Hunt gives a glimpse of farm life in conjunction with raising a Down syndrome child in her work of nonfiction.

Life on the dairy farm was difficult enough before Crapser Hunt’s fourth son, Bobby, was born with special needs in 1965. Lacking resources and facing indifference from her husband and extended family, she copes day to day. Written in the style of a journal and including photographs, the book shares the author’s feelings of being overwhelmed by the farm and the hard work it requires as she must also act as primary caregiver to Bobby. Short chapters also cover education, home tutoring and the value of small chores. Other complications faced by the family include various hospitalizations, successive pregnancies and the questionable sufficiency of one bathroom in a household of six kids. Eventually the author moves toward her goal of writing a book by taking a correspondence course. The brevity of the text illustrates the stoicism of farm life, creating poignancy in what is not said—between the lines regret mixes with acceptance. The drawback of this stoicism, though, is a lack of detail. Sometimes the work takes on the tone of a family Christmas letter, narrating a general outline of events without delving too deeply. But the book is strongest when discussing Bobby and the associated challenges. The author also reprints two poems by others, “Heaven’s Very Special Child” by Edna Massimilla and Rita Dranginis’ “Just Smile,” that have given her courage along the way. A quick and engaging read, Crapser Hunt’s story provides support to those in similar situations and is a good place to turn to at the end of a bad day when a caregiver feels discouraged and alone.

Its unique locale and positive outlook make this a welcome addition to parenting collections, though the brevity leaves readers wanting more.