~*~ Meet the Family ~*~

This is the earliest picture that I can find of my family after I was born. ( I am the baby in my dad's arms.) Family---- one of God's greatest gifts. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and I thought my family was the "bee's knees." I thought my parents were the best, perfect and I loved them VERY much. I also thought that EVERYONE grew up in a loving, caring home like mine! I have such fond and wonderful memories of my childhood - combing my dad's hair as he drifted off to sleep, mixing up a cake in the kitchen on "M" St in mom's green ceramic bowl, arguing with my older brother and idolizing my oldest brother. I think I got my love for cooking from mom. She was always trying a new recipe and was a very good cook. I picked up every endearing name for my dad from TV and movie characters. Didn't Gidg call her dad "Daddy-o?" and Patty Duke "Pop - O?" Yep, those were names that I tagged my daddy with too! He was the BEST! It wasn't until years later that I realized that my brothers and I have different memories of family growing up! lol. I honestly think that comes from the fact that each of us have different personalities. And then I realized that no family is perfect. That EVERY family has it's dysfunctions! I did have wonderful parents that loved us and cared for us and raised us to be responsible adults. Money was not easy but we never realized or knew that as kids. We thought we had everything!! My parents were more strict than most parents and not as strict as some. Dad grew up in the big city of St. Louis and mom grew up on a ranch in Tryon, Nebraska. Dad from a very strict Baptist family. Dad remembered hearing Billy Sunday preaching in their church when he was a very young child. He was the second oldest of 4. Mom the youngest of 6, with 20 years separating her from her oldest sister. They attended a Methodist church that had "circuit" preachers that visited every Sunday. They often found themselves in the inviting home of my grandparents enjoying supper. From what mom related to me, returning preachers would actually ASK to eat with my grandparents! (The best cook in the county, I am told! - unfortunately she went to be with the Lord before I was born so I didn't ever know her.) I love my family! They truly were/are the best! Perfect? No, but the very best for my brothers and me!