My Granddaughter, Trinity Grace playing with Grandma's helmet.
My husband and I had three children of our own, his daughter and our two boys, when we adopted our twin boys at birth. We knew the babies were at risk for special needs due to their background, but we had no idea what we were really in for.
Because alcohol had damaged their nervous systems, they spent the first years of their life banging their heads and screaming nonstop. It was a stressful time and put a lot of strain on our family. One doctor suggested I choose just one boy to raise and give up the other. How would a mother choose? Impossible!
It is now 11 years later and the twins do read (so much for pie in the sky). Their daddy has always ridden a motorcycle but there was a problem. Whenever he took one twin for a ride the other twin was left behind crying. The only logical solution was for me to learn to ride.
I have always been terrified of motorcycles. But my little boys needed a riding partner, and my older sons and husband were saying I wouldn't do it. Never tell me I can't or won't do something!
I studied for my learning permit, passed the test and signed up for MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) classes.
I couldn't get into an MSF class for two months, but I wanted to learn some basics before then. After borrowing a friend's bike for a week my husband decided I was serious and bought me my own motorcycle: a 2003 Suzuki Intruder VS800.
On the second day, when I accidentally rode the bike into the neighbor's yard, one of the twins said to me, "Mom, you need read book again."
My twin boys never let a day go by without making me practice. "You need more practice, Mom, we ride, too." And while I waited for my MSF class, I ordered the "Ride Like a Pro" DVDs by Jerry "Motorman" Palladino (http://www.ridelikeapro.com) and watched them with my boys. They loved them. I practiced everything on them over and over again in the parking lots close to my house. The boys would sometimes follow me with their daddy in the car and clap and giggle for me. They made me so determined to get that "M" on my license!
On the first night home from my MSF class they asked me if I passed. They asked me on the second and third night, too. When I showed them my certificate you would have thought I had won a Biker Build-off. The giggles, jumping up and down, claps and hugs made all that practice worth it.
A funny thing happened on the way to getting that "M" on my license: I got addicted to riding. It seems impossible that at one time I was terrified of motorcycles because now I just can't get enough of them. I have my special little boys to thank for that. Once again, they have given me more than I ever dreamed of giving them. At first, I did it for them, but I ended up getting ever so much more for me.
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