Ink-stained wretch

I am a hard person to surprise. A self-proclaimed control freak, I am normally very intuitive to any change in the normal routine. I noticed my husband was acting strangely last Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the evening, my friend Jan, a.k.a. The Reporter’s front-page columnist, and winner of the first ever Ink-Stained Wretch award, visited me. She told me that she wanted to bring something by, as I was recovering from surgery.

I was thrilled to have a visit from Jan. Her warm and encouraging personality could brighten anyone’s day. While she was at my house, I was excited when I heard my husband’s car pulling into the garage, much earlier than normal. I told her, “Oh good, you can meet Jamie!”

The three of us chatted for a bit until Jan had to take a phone call. She stepped outside to take the call. When she came back in, she announced that she needed to go. She asked Jamie to walk her to her car, as it was a bit slick outside.

Little did I know, they were in cahoots, plotting to surprise me. There was a small snafu in their plan. Something they needed to discuss. I was clueless.

After she left, we went about our evening, discussing preparing dinner and a few other things. Something continued to seem off with Jamie. I kept telling him I was worried about him, that he just was not acting like his normal self. He shrugged it off and blamed exhaustion.

We were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner, when he announced someone was at the door. I heard him talking to our visitor, and I ran through who I thought it could be in my mind.

Then, it hit me. That is my editor’s voice. What is Stu doing at my house on a random Wednesday evening? Is he releasing me from my title of columnist?

I slowly made my way to the door. Though I had spoken to Stu many times on the phone, we had never had the chance to meet in person. In my shocked state, I shook his hand and asked him what the reason for his visit was. He said, “Jan will be here in just a minute.”

Jan was just here, I thought. Two visits from Jan in one day? Unusual, but ok! My wheels were turning as I invited Stu in to take a seat in my living room. We chatted for a few minutes before Jan arrived.

At this time, I was just looking back and forth at the three of them trying to figure out what in the heck was going on.

It did not take long before they revealed the reason for the surprise visit.

It was worth the wait.

They told me they were there to present me with the Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Things were fuzzy, as I tried to take in all they were saying to me. I could not believe the positive things they were saying were about me as a writer.

All I could think of was, how am I receiving an award for my writing? They presented me with my award, along with a few other goodies, including an awesome fountain pen. As they kept talking, I had tears streaming down my face.

The last couple of weeks had taken a toll on me after my surgery, and I was in a lower place than I have been in awhile. God has way of meeting us in our low places and He uses experiences and people to bring us back up.

Hearing the impact my writing has made on not only them, but my community as well, was incredibly meaningful to me. I thanked Stu for giving me a platform to help educate and inform others about life with a disability.

As they were getting ready to leave, Stu mentioned he wanted to get a picture of me and Jan for the front page of the newspaper. I panicked. I certainly was not feeling and looking my best and told them as much.

First, Jan offered her glasses to me, to help me feel more put together. I put them on and could not see a thing. Then, a hat was suggested. I agreed, as I do like a good hat moment.

The next thing I knew, Stu offered the hat off his head. His hat, that is part of his signature look. That made the moment that much more special.

A perfectly, imperfect moment. I am now a proud ink-stained wretch.

Until next time …

Amy Shinneman is a former National Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, disability blogger, freelance writer, wife, and mom of two boys. She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. You can find her blog at humblycourageous.com and reach her on Instagram @ashinneman.