LIMA — Tanya and Todd were sitting outside on the front porch of their home, despite a brisk breeze that put a slight chill in the air on a recent sunny day in November.
“Hey, it could be worse!” Tanya said. “It could be snowing!”
“It could be worse” could describe their lives, too, heading into a financially challenging holiday season.
Tanya and Todd have many mouths to feed. They’ve got a 7-year-old child together but they also care for Tanya’s six children by a previous relationship, ages 15, 14, 13, 12, 11 and 10. The 10-year-old was born with spinal bifida, a birth defect that affects the spine. He’s also autistic.
Tanya’s mom lives with the couple, too.
“She’s had cervical cancer,” said Tanya.
But the cancer is in remission and the 10-year-old boy’s deformed spine was surgically reconstructed when he was 5 months old.
“He does walk, he does everything like a normal child, he’s just autistic,” said Tanya.
Both Tanya and Todd have jobs. But the needs of such a large family are great.
Todd joked that Santa Claus could bring the family a furnace. “It just up and quit on us,” he said. “I’ve got a friend of mine who said he could come and check it out, but that’s going to cost $600 to $700.”
But, such nuts and bolts aside, the couple is hoping The Lima News’ Empty Stocking program will help brighten their children’s lives on Christmas morning with toys or electronics such as video games.
“We’d just like to see them get something they want,” said Tanya. “We’ve tried to get them one thing that they wanted. They’re not real picky.”
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