My parents...

Everyday, YES EVERYDAY, of my life I miss my parents.  I started parenting much later than my parents.  My Mother was 26 when I was born...I was 36 when my OLDEST was born and 43 when my youngest was born.  I pray EVERY SINGLE DAY that I am able to see them all grown with happy lives of their own.  I want to see what MARVELOUS things my babies will do in this WORLD, each one of them.  Every child should be given a chance at GREATNESS!!!  Do you ever just want to go back in time and have a "do over"?  Do you ever wonder if you had chosen a different path where you would be now?  I KNOW for a fact that I have made a lot of mistakes in life but had I made different MAJOR decisions I would not be where I am with a wonderful husband and 3 fabulous children.  Children not born through me but TO me!!!  I feel that each of my children were destined to be mine.  These children were not given to parents with great riches but they certainly couldn't have had parents who loved them more than I do!  I ADORE my children...I am happiest when they are happy!

I remember my Daddy used to say the CRAZIEST thing.  He would say, Pal, I think I love you too much!  I used to think, well that is just silly...but as a parent I SO GET IT!!!  When I reflect on my childhood probably the BEST part of it all is the fact that NEVER, not once, did I EVER question my parents love for me.  I know they adored me just like I do my children.  I was their World.  It was a simple family and a simple World but I can honestly say, I never had I day when I wondered if I was loved by someone while they were living!!  I want my children to be able to say that too~~

We were driving home from Pigeon Forge on Sunday and my oldest was talking about loud fast cars.  Dave and I started the conversation of what a NEW life that is going to be for us when he is 16 (not far away mind you).  I CAN NOT IMAGINE how my parents felt when they saw me drive off in SOME of the cars with dates/friends when I was a teenager.  WOW...I wish so much that they were here so I could say, "I AM SORRY".  I know I worried them on many occasions.

My Daddy was born to a coal miner in 1930 and had, what I consider, a rough life.  He was the oldest child.  Interesting that my Mother was the youngest of her family, a railroad family and I think Daddy just resumed the role of taking care of her when they married.  Momma was 19 when she & Daddy married.  He was her through a window at Fourmile Baptist Church and told his best friend to look, that was the girl he was going to marry, sure enough in just 4 months they were married and stayed that way til death did them part!