EL PASO

WELL, I TOLD YOU I WOULD TELL YOU WHO THE NEW ADDITION WAS GOING TO BE. YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT TO FIND OUT, JUST AS I DID! ON WE GO. THE MATERNITY BLOUSE THAT MARTIN BOUGHT ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY WAS AN ICE BLUE COLOR, (I WONDER IF HE WAS DROPPING A HINT?) AND VERY "MAMA-ISH". I WAS SO PROUD TO BE WEARING IT, AND LOOKED FORWARD TO THE DAY THAT MY TUMMY WOULD BE STICKING OUT AND EVERYONE WOULD OOOH AND AHHH OVER MY PENDING DELIVERY. REMEMBER HAVING JESSICA? SAME THING. I JUST NEVER GOT VERY BIG WITH THIS ONE EITHER. AT NIGHT I WOULD LAY AND WAIT TO FEEL LITTLE FLUTTERS SO I WOULD KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT. THE FUNNY THING IS, I COULDN'T SHAKE THE FEELING THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TWINS. BACK THEN, ULTRASOUND WAS NOT VERY GOOD, AND THEY DIDN'T DO ONE UNLESS YOU WERE HAVING A PROBLEM. WHILE I AWAITED THE ARRIVAL, (STILL FAR IN THE FUTURE) LIFE WENT ON AS IT DOES FOR A YOUNG FAMILY. WE WERE ABLE TO BUY A CAR, USED OF COURSE, AND THEN SOME FURNITURE, ALSO SECOND HAND. WE BOUGHT A BEDROOM SET, MADE OF SOLID WOOD, MIRROR, BED, DRESSER AND END TABLES FOR 200.00. IT WAS A FOUR POSTER BED, AND I THOUGHT IT INCREDIBLY ROMANTIC. IT WAS PROBABLY 60 YEARS OLD, BUT THEN, IT WAS MINE AND I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE AGE. THEN, TO OUR GREAT JOY, A HOUSE OPENED UP ON BASE. IT WAS A TINY LITTLE THING, HONESTLY, ONLY 600 SQUARE FEET, AND WAS A TWO BEDROOM HOUSE. THE BEDROOMS WERE SO SMALL, THAT WHEN YOU OPENED THE DOORS, YOU HAD TO CRAWL ACROSS THE BED TO GET TO ANYTHING ELSE IN THE ROOM. SO, I HAD TWO BEDROOMS EACH 8X10 FEET, A LIVING ROOM THAT WAS 10X 12 AND A KITCHEN/BATHROOM THAT TOOK UP THE REST. THE KITCHEN HAD ONLY ONE CABINET, AND IT HUNG DIRECTLY OVER THE TABLE. THE REST OF THE TINY SPACE HELD THE REFRIGERATOR AND STOVE. YOU COULDN'T GET OUT THE BACK DOOR IF THE FRIDGE WAS OPEN, AND YOUR COULDN'T OPEN THE STOVE OR FRIDGE IF YOU WERE SITTING AT THE TABLE. THE TABLE WAS A TABLE FOR TWO, AND ONLY HAD TWO CHAIRS. BUT IT WAS OUR FIRST HOUSE, AND WE LOVED IT. THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS OF COURSE, ONE DAY MARTIN JUMPED UP FROM THE TABLE, BASHED HIS HEAD ON THE CABINET AND IT WAS TORN OFF THE WALL, BREAKING ALL OUR DISHES. OH, I FORGOT! I ACTUALLY HAD A WASHING MACHINE, IT WAS TURQUOISE AND STUFFED IN THE CORNER. WE FOUND IT ON THE STREET, AND BROUGHT IT HOME. IT WORKED GREAT IF YOU DIDN'T MIND ADVANCING EACH CYCLE MANUALLY, AND I LEARNED TO TIME IT JUST RIGHT. I WAS THE ENVY OF MY FRIENDS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A WASHER! OF THE FOUR OF US WHO WERE FRIENDS ON THE STREET, ONLY ONE HAD A PHONE. SHE WOULD GRACIOUSLY ALLOW US TO USE HER PHONE, AND I WOULD ALLOW HER TO USE THE WASHER. OF COURSE THIS DID NOT ALLOW FOR LONG CONVERSATIONS, AS HER HOUSE WAS 4 HOUSES DOWN. WE JUST COULD NOT AFFORD A PHONE, SO WE WERE GLAD FOR HERS.. AT NIGHT, AFTER WE GOT JESSICA TO SLEEP, WE WOULD LIE TOGETHER AND TALK OF ALL OUR BLESSINGS AND THE FUTURE TO COME. GOOD GRIEF, WE WERE SO POOR AND WE HAD NO IDEA! THERE WAS A STORE CLOSE BY THAT WOULD DISCOUNT MEAT THAT WAS GOING OUT OF DATE. THEY WOULD SELL IT IN A STACK OF PACKAGES FOR INCREDIBLY LOW PRICES. MANY WAS THE NIGHT THAT MARTIN HAD CHICKEN FRIED STEAK, POT ROAST AND OTHER MEAT DISHES THAT WERE SUCH A LUXURY TO US BECAUSE OF THIS BLESSING. IT REMINDS ME OF THE MEAT WE HAD IN OKINAWA, WHICH CAME FROM NEW ZELAND. I GUESS THOSE COWS OVER THERE WERE DINOSAUR COWS, I NEVER SAW SUCH HUGE SLABS OF BEEF IN MY WHOLE LIFE! NO KIDDING, THE CENTER BONE OF A ROUND STEAK COULD MEASURE 5 INCHES ACROSS! THE ROUND STEAK ITSELF WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES ACROSS, AND TOUGH AS A GRAND CANYON MULE! NO FRIED STEAK HERE, YOU HAD TO SIMMER THAT STUFF ALL DAY TO MAKE IT EDIBLE, BUT SINCE IT COST ONLY ABOUT .25 A POUND, I WASN'T COMPLAINING. IN THE BACK YARD OF OUR LITTLE EL PASO HOUSE, MARTIN PLANTED SOME TOMATOES AND SQUASH, AND WE HAD A LITTLE GARDEN. HE ALSO BOUGHT ME A USED SEWING MACHINE AND I WAS IN HOG HEAVEN. I MADE JESSICA'S LITTLE CLOTHES, BLOUSES FOR ME AND CLOTHES FOR THE NEW BABY. I HAD TO MAKE YELLOW OR MINT GREEN, BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE. ONE DAY, IN A DISCOUNT STORE, I FOUND SOME MATERIAL FOR .50 A YARD THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE PRETTY IN OUR ROOM. I WAS ABLE TO BUY 20 YARDS, AND HOPED MARTIN WOULD NOT HAVE A FIT BECAUSE I HAD SPENT THAT MUCH MONEY. I WORKED DAY AND NIGHT WHEN HE WAS NOT THERE, TO SURPRISE HIM WITH A NEW QUILT, PILLOW COVERS AND DRAPES FOR OUR ROOM. LOOKING BACK, THE FABRIC WAS HIDEOUS, BUT IN THE 70'S MOST FABRIC WAS. (REMEMBER THE ORANGE KITCHEN IN THE BRADY BUNCHES' HOUSE?) I FINISHED, AND WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION, BEGAN TO DECORATE. I HAD TO HANG THE CURTAINS WITH COAT HANGERS THAT I TOOK APART AND STRAIGHTENED, AND HAD ONLY ENOUGH FABRIC LEFT TO MAKE A DUST RUFFLE ON THE FRONT OF THE BED. NO PROBLEM HERE, YOU COULDN'T SEE THE SIDES ANYWAY. THE QUILT WAS REALLY FLUFFY AND WARM, AND THE PILLOW COVERS ADDED SUCH A NICE TOUCH. FINALLY I WAS READY TO SHOW OFF THE NEW ROOM TO MARTIN. I TOLD HIM TO CLOSE HIS EYES, AND THEN, SURPRISE! LOOK WHAT I DID! HIS JAW DROPPED WHEN HE SAW IT, AND HE LOOKED, WELL, I CANNOT REALLY DESCRIBE HIS LOOK, BUT HE RECOVERED QUICKLY AND GAVE ME A KISS AND A HUG. "YOU REALLY WORKED HARD ON THIS FOR ME, DIDN'T YOU?" HE SAID. I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH MYSELF, THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW UGLY THE FABRIC WAS. HE WAS SO SWEET TO HIDE HIS REAL FEELINGS, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL MANY YEARS LATER WHEN LOOKING AT A PICTURE OF THAT ROOM THAT THE PATTERN OF THE FABRIC COULD HAVE MADE A PERSON NAUSEOUS IF THEY LOOKED AT IT FOR TOO LONG! IT WAS NOT UNTIL THEN THAT MARTIN TOLD ME HOW SHOCKED HE WAS AT THE COLOR AND PATTERN OF THE FABRIC, BUT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE HURT MY FEELINGS BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH I WAS TRYING TO SAVE MONEY WHILE STILL MAKING A NICE HOME FOR HIM. (WHAT A GUY)! SUMMER GAVE WAY TO FALL, AND JESSICA HAD HER FIRST REAL HALLOWEEN. SHE COULD SAY TRICK OR TREAT, AND COULD WALK DOOR TO DOOR. THEN, IT WAS THANKSGIVING, AND SEVERAL OF THE FAMILIES GOT TOGETHER FOR THE MEAL. FINALLY, IT WAS CHRISTMAS. WE GOT A SURPRISE LETTER THAT MARTIN'S DAD AND LOLA WERE COMING TO SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH US. I WAS A WRECK KNOWING THAT WE HAD SO LITTLE AND COULD NOT REALLY HAVE A BLOW-OUT CELEBRATION. NOT TO MENTION, I WAS ALMOST 8 MONTHS PREGNANT AND GETTING TIRED MORE EASILY. I TOLD MARTIN ABOUT MY CONCERNS, AND HE SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE A NICE CHRISTMAS THE BEST THAT WE COULD. AND WE DID. IT WAS NICE TO HAVE FAMILY AROUND US AT LAST, AND I TRIED TO BE A GOOD HOSTESS, BUT WE HAD TO STUFF THEM IN JESSICA'S ROOM AND WERE VERY CROWDED. THE CLOSE QUARTERS MADE FOR A DIFFICULT VISIT, BUT THE GIFTS WERE NICE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD THE CHURCH, AND THAT GAVE US SUCH MEANING TO THE SEASON. EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEGUN TO BE VERY COLD AND EVEN SNOWED, THE TOMATO VINES WERE STILL PRODUCING. WE DID HAVE FRESH TOMATOES FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER-AND A VERY SMALL TURKEY. I REMEMBER THAT CHRISTMAS SO CLEARLY- OTHER CHRISTMAS SEASONS HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN, BUT THAT ONE WAS REALLY SPECIAL FOR SOME REASON. THE BABY WAS DUE ON FEBRUARY 7TH. I FINALLY GOT A SMALL TUMMY, AND SOMEONE AT CHURCH ASKED ME WHEN THE BABY WAS DUE, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO GIVE ME A SHOWER. THIS WAS AT THE END OF JANUARY, AND I SAID, "WELL, IT COULD BE ANYDAY!" (YES, I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT JESSICA WAS A MONTH LATE!) THE LADIES WERE SO SURPRISED THAT I WAS THAT FAR ALONG, SO, WE AGREED TO WAIT UNTIL THE BABY WAS BORN TO HAVE A SHOWER SO THAT WE COULD GET THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE BABY. FINALLY, FEBRUARY 7TH ARRIVED. NO BABY. A FEW MORE DAYS, NO BABY. VALENTINES DAY ARRIVED, AND OF COURSE, NO BABY. BY NOW, I WAS A CRYBABY OVER THE WHOLE THING, AND COULD NOT WAIT TO GET MY BABY. I WAS A REAL JIMENY CRICKET FOR MOST OF THE TIME, BUT MARTIN PATIENTLY PUT UP WITH ME. THE NEXT FRIDAY, WAS FEBRUARY 20TH, AND THERE WAS OF COURSE, NO BABY. MARTIN DECIDED TO TAKE ME OUT TO DINNER. WE WENT TO A PIZZA AND CHICKEN BUFFET. I ATE LIKE A PIG, (A WHOLE PIZZA AND PROBABLY A WHOLE CHICKEN TOO) AND WAS MISERABLY STUFFED. WE WENT HOME, AND SUDDENLY, THERE IT WAS. A CONTRACTION. ANOTHER, AND ANOTHER, LIKE CLOCK WORK. COULD IT BE? I DECIDED TO WAIT, AND THEN RIGHT AROUND MIDNIGHT, IT WAS CLEAR THAT I WAS REALLY IN LABOR. WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, AND TO MY SURPRISE, IT WAS IN LABOR! WHAT, NO SENDING ME HOME TIME AFTER TIME? NOT THIS TIME, IT WAS THE REAL MC COY. THEN, THINGS SPEEDED UP QUICKLY. PROBLEM THOUGH, I GOT SICK TO MY STOMACH. ALL I COULD THINK WAS THAT IF I PUKED UP A WHOLE PIZZA AND PROBABLY A WHOLE FRIED CHICKEN, THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE PAPERS AND THE GUINESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS AND REPORT IT. I SWALLOWED AND SWALLOWED. PLEASE, PLEASE, I PRAYED, DON'T LET ME DISGRACE MYSELF. I PROMISED NEVER TO STUFF MYSELF AGAIN, JUST PLEASE DON'T LET ME THROW UP THAT DISGRACEFULL GLUTTONY. THE LABOR RUSHED ALONG, AND THEN ONLY 2 1/2 HOURS AFTER I ARRIVED, I BEGAN TO HAVE AN UNCONTROLLABLE URGE TO PUSH. I COULN'T STOP IT, AND CALLED FOR HELP. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS THE BABY TRYING TO GET OUT. I HAD NOTHING FOR THE PAIN, BUT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL MYSELF WITHOUT GETTING HYSTERICAL. THE DOCTOR CAME IN, TOOK ONE LOOK AND BEGAN TO GRAB HIS GLOVES. "GET HER DOWN THE HALL!" HE YELLED, AND AS THEY RAN DOWN THE HALL WITH ME, I THOUGHT, "PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T LET ME THROW UP!" FINALLY, THE BABY WAS BORN. JUST ONE, NOT TWINS. BUT, A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL. WE NAMED HER BOBBIE JO. I WAS JUST ECSTATIC. SHE WAS PERFECT. I DIDN'T THROW UP EITHER! LIFE WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! THEN, SIX HOURS LATER, I WENT BACK INTO LABOR. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LABOR, I JUST THOUGHT I WAS HAVING SEVER AFTER BIRTH PAINS. I JUST LAY THERE AND HAD THEM, AND SUDDENLY, SOMETHING WAS BEING PUSHED OUT FROM ME. I PANICKED AND CALLED THE NURSE, WHO LOOKED AND CALLED THE DOCTOR. BEFORE LONG, I PASSED ANOTHER PLACENTA. AMAZINGLY, I STARTED OUT THE PREGNANCY WITH TWINS, BUT ONE DID NOT MATURE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS VERY RARE, BUT SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENED, AND THE PLACENTA FOR THAT BABY CONTINUED TO GROW AFTER THE BABY HAD DIED EARLY ON. I FELT SAD FOR AWHILE, I REALLY WANTED TO HAVE TWINS, BUT LOOKING BACK, I AM GRATEFUL BECAUSE I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A GOOD MAMA TO 3 CHILDREN AT THE AGE OF 21. SO, OUR BOBBIE JO WAS BORN. THE MIRACLE BEGAN. HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE 33 YEARS WITH HER? I WOULD HAVE PERHAPS DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, BUT HEAVENLY FATHER IS WISE TO KEEP THE FUTURE FROM US. AS IT WAS, I HAD SUCH JOY IN HER, AND AM GLAD THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DIFFICULT FUTURE AWAITING US. MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE