Dear Mothers,
Well, my dear David, age 26, gets out of jail tomorrow. He got picked up for driving without his license about three times. He got 10 days in the county jail. He got to go to work, though, because he has to pay for his stay there. It ain't like it's the Ritz Hotel or something.
I had his wife Tiff and the babies over for supper on Sunday. David called on the phone from his job and Tiff and I tried to be funny. I told David I was making a cake with a file in it to send to him and asked him if he wanted chocolate cake or yellow. Tiff tried to laugh on the phone and sing "Jail House Rock." We managed to keep a smile as we talked to David but, oh, our hearts were heavy. We have all driven without a license so no one was pointing fingers. It's just that David was to go to a class he had to pay for and couldn't afford to go. Those jails are full of charges against people who can't afford to pay bail or whatever. Anyone with any money don't do time.
We have all felt so bad for David. I talked to Johnny about it and he says, "Aw, Mom, that ain't gonna hurt David a bit. It's just 10 days and he gets out to go to work." I still hate it. Johnny said that David laughed as he told Johnny about the cake with the file. David was so worried that I would be so upset. I didn't want to let David know how bad I felt. But we will all laugh our way out of this as we do everything else. But I wonder when the jokes will be over and only bare-bones reality will be here to stare at. Probably never!
I am thinking of jokes about all of this as I go. Anything to bounce my heavy heart to a new place. To bounce my children's hearts to a place of courage. Aunt Toot encouraged me so much last night as she told me how wonderful my Happy Housewifery site looked. I haven't seen all the pics that you all have seen. I have the email machine and it doesn't go to other sites. Toot said the pics of the boys at Chrissy's NYC wedding were so neat. And she told me all the other things on the site. And so many of you last night encouraged my heart on the response group.
And then I talked to Tiff on the phone last night. She and the babies had just gone to see David at work. David held the babies and held Tiff so tight. Tiff told me, "Connie, you have done such a good job raising your boys. They are all so affectionate with their families. I appreciate how you and Jim raised them. Each one of your sons are so loving." She said that David held her so tight as he hugged her when he saw her come in at the store where he works. David, like Jim, is a loving father and husband.
All the kids are so loving with me except for Mary, and no matter how big they get they will sit on my lap. Mary loves me from a distance. She says, "Mom, I feel like its been a 100 years since I seen you." Well, it seems like a lot longer then that to me. But as Mothers, we have to go through seasons of lack and seasons of plenty. I guess we just joke our way through and when we are alone, we cry our way through. But we can never let our kids think they have done too much wrong that they can never be forgiven by God or by us. John is in Missouri now and David is to take care of his widow Mother for now. I love teasing Johnny on the phone and tellin' him that the guy he left in charge of me is in jail. And how can a jailbird take care of me?
This too shall pass.
Love,
Connie
