Seems We Just Got Started

As I can't sleep again, I notice our scrapbook lying at the foot of our bed, thought I'd share some of what is in there. Its old, brown, big, and all to pieces, but very loved. This old thing is nothing like what scrapbooking is today. It don't have any fancy paper, its real plain with those black corner pieces.  I started scrapbooking when Sammy moved from Iuka and added some after we got married. This is just a little of whats in there. Pages about me                                                               I made honor roll my senior year, huh!                             I have my permit and 1st driver licence. I got a certificates for not being adsent or tarty, for lettering in basketball and climbing Stone Mountain. Pages about Sammy He score...

You know I've always thought its important that we teach our children manners as they grow up. Oh heck, there is lots more to teach but I guess manners and respect was high on my list and still is. Now my bunch would forget most of the time around the house, but if they saw fire coming out of my eyes sugar would melt. Y'all don't wait till they are walking down the aisle at graduation, like me and think, Oh Lord, have I taught them enough to get by. Naw, they couldn't cook, clean their rooms, buy groceries or sew. I'd just assume to do all this as to ask especially when they were teenagers. . Now when they were little I'd let them help cause they wanted too. We would all get in that kitchen and make the biggest mess. You know like mix up cake batter and then the fight was on, who would get to lick the bowl and the beaters on the mixer. Awww y'all done that, too, I bet. I did when I was little. Another thing, we would let the kids ride with us to the post...

You know as our children were growing up, Sammy would always tell me, I wanna grow up with our kids. So he said, we had to stay up with the times. Now earlier in our marriage and with two kids at that time we couldn't afford very much, esp toys. I remember always wanting Nikki and Beth to have one of those lil red cozy coop cars but we couldn't afford it if we wanted to eat. Not even Santa could bring that! However when they were seniors in high school they got a real one. As times got better and we added more kids we started adding more toys. Of course somethings I was always against like; a  go-cart or a trampoline. I was afraid they might wrap around a tree or break something. Lord, don't mention that to Nikki or Beth cause to this day that's a sore subject. Anyway, Sammy always wanted us all to have a bike, so as the the kids grew the bikes got bigger too. I can remember us all riding around in the middle school parking lot on weekends cause there wasn't a lot ...

Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Well Jay Darwin did and his name was Bill. I don't remember the day ole Bill showed up at our house but he lived with us for about two years. Bill got in more trouble and Jay got out of trouble. I gotta tell ya, he made every move Jay did. I would have to fix Bill a snack, dinner, and sometimes we would have to wait till he would buckle up before we could leave. I told Jay many times "he had to go". One day Jay was real sad (which rarely happened) and he said, Bill had told him he was going away to "Jet Ski College"( I ain't ever heard of such) in California. Jay moped around for days. After several days went by I told Jay I hadn't heard him mention Bills name in a while and Oh My Goodness, he burst out crying. He said, he had helped Bill pack a few days ago and he left real early one morning. I hugged him and told him I was sorry and Bill would be fine. I was really thinking, good riddance. About two weeks went b...

I think Jay was 7 when he said he had to have a "talk" with me.  A "talk".... 7 years old .... and a boy????? Sammy was traveling quiet a bit and only home on weekends but I could always call him at anytime esp. if it was an emergency. Jay was serious and didn't wont his sisters around. We got to ourselves and this was our conversation. Jay: Mama you know I'm playing soccer . Me: yep Jay: You know boys need certain things. Me: Like what????? Jay: A cup. Me: With that water bottle I got you, you don't need a cup. Just squirt the water in your mouth. Jay: Aw!!! Mama.... not that kinda cup. Me: oh......OH!!! Me: Naw... you don't. Jay: Yeah, I really do cause I afraid I gonna get kicked in the privates. Me: Well when your Daddy comes home that can be something y'all can go and get. Jay: But I need it before practice tomorrow. Me: Son, I just don't know a lot about them thangs, Let me talk to your Daddy tonight and we'll see. Sa...

This is a story about Jay. For you out of towners, Jay is my son who was 9 years old when he passed away 17 years ago, He was a Fun Lovin' Kid. A few years ago, which seems like yesterday to me, I had to go to Huntsville so I decided to take only one child with me.( we had three at that time) I can't remember why I had to go but I just couldn't pass that mall up, since I was going by it anyway. The lucky child was Jay and he was 7 at the time. You know most of the time when I shopped I always brought all of the kids but this time with only one child I could shop for myself,. How hard could that be???? Normally, when I did buy me something I'd try it on after I got home. Well I don't know what got into me but I found a few things I liked and decided to try them on. Jay was the type kid who didn't want me even coming in the bath room while he was taking a bath and I wasn't crazy about him coming in the dressing room with me, but what was I gonna do with him?...

Ok, I guess I've jumped the gun, after the honeymoon was the " one foot over the threshold" story. Aw, you can go back and read it again if needed . Ha!  Heck, these stories ain't in no certain order anyway. I just start writing till I get sleepy.  About this 1st apartment. Sammy had found this gorgeous basement apartment for us in Florence Al. (NOT).... It only had 4 small rooms but we really didn't need much. It was over by UNA (college)  and it was decorated in the school colors too, everything was Purple and Gold, just ask Mama. One day Mama and Mama Helen ( my grandmother) decided they would help bring some of our wedding gifts to this Palace. Of course, this was a few weeks before we tied the knot and Lord knows they couldn't bring some of my clothes. I think they were holding out, thinking he might jump ship, so no clothes would be leaving the house till after we got married. Well I was so excited to show them where we were gonna live, if I could find...

January 12, 1974 was when God joined us together. It was on Saturday and Sammy had to work the morning shift at WOWL. His air name was Goodtimes Darwin.  I really don't know if he actually had to work or he just wanted to cause he said something along the lines it made the time go by faster. I do know I was listening when his shift was ending cause I wanted to see if he mentioned our big day. He didn't say a thing but played, Going to the Chapel.   You know me, I had to play by the rules so he wasn't seeing me till those church bells rang.  My wedding dress I borrowed from a cousin in Arkansas, I thought it was beautiful. Mama had to put it back on the gray hound bus the next morning. All the bridesmaids dresses were a sagey green ( some sort of green anyway) and they were all handmade by my grandmother ( Mama Helen ).  I can remember early that morning of the wedding , my grandmother and Mama were still sewing on those dresses. All the guys were wearin...