Family Life

Dear Mothers,

Yesterday John and his wife Christine and little Romeo, age 4, came over to see me as they are leaving Friday to go back to Missouri. Christine's family lives there. I always make a dinner as I love to cook for them. They are both excellent cooks and enjoy all of my cooking, no matter what I make. Well, I made BBQ beef ribs that Emily had given me. And I had mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans. Then yes, of all things, I made an apple pie. Now that I think of it, how did I do all of that with all the children about me? I know someone was prayin' for me -- thanks! Anyway, all the children had gone home at 5:30 and so my family and I had a lovely supper together. Christine cleaned up the house for me after supper as John and Romeo and I sat and visited and laughed.

Dear Mothers,

The phone rang this morning. "Mother, the barbarians have landed." It was Christian Joy telling me that John and David had made it to NYC. Last night the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played at a concert along with other bands like the Sonics. Anyway, Christian Joy is the Yeah Yeahs' personal clothes designer. So the boys (David, Dan, and John) got to sit at the V. I. P. table. Last night, I had Tiff, Christine, and the grandbabies over for supper. Anyway, the boys kept calling on cell phones back to their wives to tell them what famous people they were sitting by. Christian Joy said the boys were such a hit with all of her friends. Well, they all look so much alike. John and Christian look like twins almost. And Dan and David look so much alike. Joy's friends said that the boys make twenty of her. Chrissy said, "Mom, if the boys didn't like someone, they told them to their face." Oh, man, what a riot! NYC will never be the same. As the mother of this group, I feel like a fart in a storm.

Dear Mothers,

This evening, Jimmy (age 39) our oldest son and his wife Alecksondra and their little baby will be here. We will all gather at my folks for supper. The kids around here and their families will be there, too. My Mom is making Tacos and I will bring my macaroni salad. Then for the 4th we will all go to my brothers who lives on an acerage. And John will shoot off firecrackers for all of us to see.

Dear Mothers,

Sorry I haven't written much lately. I mean much of anything serious. Last evening, David and John came over with the grand babies. I knew Johnny would start telling funny stories, and he did. We were sitting outside in lawn chairs. I needed to laugh.

Dear Kitchen Saints,

Oh, wow, it's summertime and the livin' is easy.

I have a few hours to write this morning. I prayed last night over some things I want to write about this morning.

Yesterday J from the letters group came to visit and we had a ball. J is a happy mother of 4 children. Noah is the youngest and he is 3 months old. And the oldest girl is 5. Is all of that right, J?

Dear Mothers,

I am up late this morning. The kids all stayed up late, as Jimmy just got here around 7 last night. So, anyway, I stayed in bed this morning.

The Memorial will be today, this evening at 5 p.m. Mary Elisabeth is a flurry of ideas about Daddy's Memorial. Tiff and Christine are all doing the Memorial, too.

Dear Mothers

This morning I woke up singing a song that Jason (Chrissy's boyfriend) had played on the piano. It is a song to Jesus, a very simple love song. I thought, "Well, at least I wont be waking Papa up." Christian Joy heard me from the upstairs bedroom and I know I woke her. She ran down the stairs and listened at my bedroom door. I think she thought I was crying. Bless her heart!

I am up cleaning and cooking and getting ready for my day. Johnny will pick me up this morning to go to the hospital about midmorning. He is off today so we can go together. Thank the Lord, they took Jim's breathing tube out yesterday. I almost threw up when they did, as I had a fear he wouldn't be able to breath on his own. But he is fine. And when I had to leave, Jim called out, "Good-Bye, Honey Bun."