Category Archives: Family History

Call it What you Might

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There are many names used for tomorrow – traditionally a holiday to celebrate the eve of a holy day, that of All Saint’s Day on November 1st.  The kids learned in their Sacred Arts class this week that the word Halloween is derived from holy evening. 

Of course, we have all sorts of various groups who claim Halloween as their own – Day of the Dead is celebrated in the Hispanic culture, pagans claim it as their special day to rise above the religious, fall festivals by some denominations who claim the holiday itself is satanic…and then the old-world Irish and Celts mark it as the difference between the “light” months (spring & summer) and the “dark” months (fall & winter).

In our house, Halloween is first celebrated as being Reformation Day, and my hubster was very pleased to see that our praise team (during the second, blended service) held up the traditional hymn last Sunday that is known throughout the Lutheran world as the one sung for the reformation – A Mighty Fortress is Our God.  It’s always funny when one of “his” traditional hymns comes up on the screen at church, because the kids think he somehow had something to do with it.  hehe

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In light of all of that, we’ll be celebrating a lot this weekend.  Today, I’ll go help DD#3’s third-grade class with their party by bringing a healthy fruit tray (filled with RED fruit) and assisting in their craft project.  Tomorrow, we’ll say special prayers of thanks as we mark Reformation day.  Tomorrow night, we’ll take the kids to town for a trunk-or-treat at a local church, and then on to some houses for some serious trick-or-treating.  Then on Sunday, we’ll celebrate All Saint’s Day in church, with recognition to those who have passed on to their just reward this past year.

And I’ll enjoy every bit of it – because the joy that will be found on my children’s faces makes it all worthwhile.

Only in Podunk, Texas

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Our local school enjoyed homecoming this past week, with the high school having fun activities each day, and the week ending with a blackout pep rally (glow sticks were used) and then the football game on Friday night.  I had to work, but the hubster took a video of DD#3 and her cheer squad, the Bob Kittens – doing all the fun stuff little cheerleaders do. 

Saturday began with the annual parade down Main Street.  Main Street, Medina is about five blocks long.  It’s so short, most of those who were participating actually went down the parade route twice, once while we all waited for candy to be thrown at us and the second time (to get back to the starting point and their vehicles) to make sure those on the opposite side of the street saw you!

Son-man was IMpatiently waiting for the parade to begin:

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We had the lead mule and horse riders, showing the true Texas colors:

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Then we had the elementary floats, each based on a children’s book that they’d read.  I couldn’t ignore the cow jumping over the moon – especially at 10 in the morning!

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DD#3’s float was based on a Dr. Seuss book, and our lovely daughter got to be the nurse character:

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DD#2 was a really cute M&M from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:

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Then the parade had the usual alumni-filled cars, with students clear back to the 1930’s.  Next came the homecoming royalty, which includes a male and female student, chosen by their peers, in each class. Then, the volunteer fire department had a couple of trucks go thru the route.

And finally, the epitome of Podunk, Texas – this was one of the entries in the parade — and one we’ll not soon forget!

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(it’s a honey-wagon, for those of you not familiar with life in the country)

So THIS is What Family Feels Like

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I recently told my aunt that I never felt a part of their family, even though I lived with them for three years (when I was 15) and consider them to be the folks who finished raising me.  I don’t think it surprised her, but it made me pause for a minute to think back on my personal growth over the years – and mainly, my willingness to fit into their lives and visa versa.  The moment I finally felt like I was thought of as one of their children was when my aunt was very sick in the hospital, in 2007.  Not only did my cousin (their oldest daughter) contact me about the issues and keep me informed, but my uncle called me, too.  He’s never called me since I left their state when I was 19, that I can remember – Ever.

And to me, that was extremely sad.  He was my mother’s brother – he was not only closest to her in age, if any of her siblings were really close to her, he was the one.  Yet, it’s always been my aunt (his wife) who has been the one to keep in contact with me over the years.  I needed that connection to my mother, and he was/is unable to provide it.

After my aunt got out of the hospital and was on the mend, we took a long weekend and drove up to Nebraska to see them.  While sitting on the porch with my uncle, he asked me why we would make such a long trek for such a short visit.  My answer was simple then, we were all worried about Grandma L (they ARE my children’s grandparents, and do a wonderful job at that role) and I wanted to make sure my kids got as much Grandma and Grandpa time as was possible, because there is love there, and my kids need to see that, feel that and hear that.   As little of my extended family as we allow the kids to be around, Grandma and Grandpa are good ones that we would give unlimited access to, if we were closer in miles to them.

My cousin, Robin, calls me her sister.  She was nine when I moved in with them, and although she has a younger sister (who came along a few months after I moved to their house), Robin and I basically grew up together – even though it was for just a few short years.  Of course, I’m a nut and think of her as my cousin, but that doesn’t mean anything BAD in my book, because I have siblings and my relationship with them is much less close than with Rob. 

After living in Utah for seven years, I think I’ll change my way to relate to Robin and call her my sister-cousin.  hehe

Anyway, Robin and I really grew together when she was pregnant with her first child, Madison.  Miss Maddie was born a year after our youngest daughter was, so I was in the throws of nursing and diapers when Rob needed to hear an “all knowing” voice to help her through her pregnancy and new motherhood time.  It was special to me, that she looked to me for assistance during that time.

And I consider her children to be my nieces and nephew. 

Which leads me to this letter we received in the mail earlier this week — addressed to “The Harrison Cousins”:

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Ain’t love GRAND!  And FAMILY, too!  I’ve done everything I can to not tear up over the all-encompassing HUG that this little girl has shown my kids.  And me.  But, I just can’t help it — I *finally* feel like I’m a part of a family!

PAPA-razzi

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My husband didn’t believe me.  Nope, he thought I had finally fallen off my rocker.

He was wrong.

We drive to church along Highway 16 in the Texas Hill Country.   Just about halfway to town, we pass Escondida, a spa resort owned by Bob Phillips, the Texas Country Reporter.  Anyone who’s anyone knows who Bob Phillips is, as his television show has been around for years and years.  We used to be so tickled when we lived in Utah and could get RFD-TV and watch Bob in the middle of the night – a taste of Texas home up there in the high desert. 

So, we get on the road to church Sunday morning, and I just happened to mention that I had the camera (the kids were performing in church, yaknow) and if we saw the Texas Country Reporter auto, I wanted the hubster to hop out and take a picture.  Well, he’s not hopping anywhere – but, he questioned me.

“Really?” he said, as DD#1 took matters into her own hands and opened up my camera case and handed him my camera.

“Yes, really,” I replied.

He looked at me like I’d completely gone over the edge.

I looked back at him with one of THOSE looks – and he resigned himself to the fact that I was quite serious and he had a job to do. 

And he did it – my night in shining armour!

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When he got back in the car, still trying to figure out if I’d lost my last marble, one of the kids in the back seat piped up — hey, we got our own PAPA-razzi!!!

You can see the Texas Country Reporter website here, and view some of their videos here (make note that at the end of some of the videos, the vehicle you see above is parked in that exact spot, for the ending of those segments).

Family History

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A cousin sent me some newspaper clippings from WAY BACK WHEN – I was probably in the 1st or 2nd grade when the incidents occurred.  I don’t even remember them, but a cousin (who is just a year older) does….as his dad was my dad’s business partner in a livestock auction in Fort Dodge, Iowa.  You will have to click on the articles to read them in their full format.  Looks like fun times were had by all!

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My dad has his back to the camera and is the one in hte middle (with hair)…my uncle Robert, Dad’s brother, also has is back to the camera and is the bald one on the right of Dad.

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