I was a single mom working as a secretary at a loan office when I met my future husband John. This is the engagement photo we took for him. To say he dove in deep is an understatement, lol.
We made a choice after we were married I would become a stay-at-home mom (yes I was an intelligent woman with other dreams, but this was my first dream). We also planned to have another child one day.
Only two years later and another little girl was added to the mix.
I loved being a stay-at-home mom though it wasn't always easy. Finances seemed to always be tight. Whichever car broke down became my car. Eventually we would sell the irreparable one which left me most the time without a car.
There were moments rising up within my soul to write again and I did write a few poems, short stories, but I knew that could all wait until my girls didn't need me so much.
What amazes me is that these days flood back into my memories so clearly; they are so special. I call them ripples in time, because we were jumping, lol, dancing, singing, laughing, storytelling, playing games and wrestling (yes girls really do wrestle).
I've always called the girls *my little women* because that's what they were to me; little women in training.
I knew I was investing the very best of me into them. Not only teaching them to crawl, walk, talk, run, swim, dance, play games indoors and outdoors, but also do chores, laundry, cooking, how to save money in their piggy banks; most importantly to have fun along the way.
Even then I was a fantasy writer in my mind who enjoyed telling them wondrous stories of which they liked to play dress up and imagine they were Princesses.
When life would get really rough and I needed a break we would lie down very still on my bed with facials or newly painted nails; soon they would fall asleep.
Other days when things got a little crazy I would begin to sing this song while cleaning the kitchen very loudly:
OH NO! I forgot the dishes
Laundry, forgot my bed
There's still so much work to do
Oh my aching head!
But I love you, I love you
I really, really do
And I pray that God will guide me
To do the best for you
Yes I love you, I love you
I really, really do
And I pray that God will guide me
To do the best for each of you
By now each girl would run into the kitchen with bright smiles and begin to dance around together while I sang.
My oldest daughter lives in California and is a Caterer, a Secretary, married to a Worship leader who is soon to become a Pastor. She has two children.
These are my other daughters, the second from the left is my so called *adopted* daughter. God was good to me and didn't replace my oldest here in Virginia where I live, but made her absence a little easier with her addition.
As you can see there's still a lot of silliness in this family; a lot of singing, dancing, game nights and of course wrestling, but mostly with their children, lol.
They together have 9 children and one foster. Two are Teachers, one is a Nurse and one is a Bank Manager.
I believe my investment was worth every minute and we all together are creating Magical Days of our own. ;)
