I'M BACK!

THE TORNADO THAT I MENTIONED IN MY LAST BLOG WAS PUBLISHED FROM ANOTHER COMPUTER BECAUSE IT MESSED UP MY COMPUTER AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ONLINE. BUT I AM BACK, AND I CERTAINLY HAVE MISSED WRITING. TO GET BACK TO THE STORY, AFTER WE HAD RETURNED FROM OUR TEMPLE TRIP, I BEGAN TO MAKE PLANS TO WELCOME OUR NEW BABY. (NO.3) ONE DAY IN AUGUST, AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A CHECK-UP, THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE RADIO THAT ELVIS PRESLEY HAD DIED. I HAD TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND DIGEST THAT INFORMATION- I WAS VERY YOUNG WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO FAME, BUT HIS MUSIC AND TALENT HAD BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE AS LONG AS I COULD REMEMBER. I FELL IN LOVE THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE WITH HIM IN THE MOVIE, "BLUE HAWAII". I LOVED HIS MUSIC. I HEARD MY OLDER GIRL COUSINS GIGGLING ABOUT THE WAY HE "MOVED HIS YOU-KNOW" WHEN HE SANG. MY AUNTS WOULD BE SO SCANDALIZED WHEN THEY CAUGHT MY COUSINS WATCHING HIM ON TV. WE HAD TO SNEAK OFF TO THE MOVIES TO WATCH HIM, IN A BAPTIST COMMUNITY, IT JUST WASN'T DONE! HE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. HIS EYES CRYSTAL BLUE AND RAVEN BLACK HAIR. HE WAS POLITE TOO, SAYING "YES MA'AM AND NO SIR". OH, THOSE LUCKY LADIES TO BE IN MOVIES WITH HIM. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I HAVE NEVER HAD RESPECT FOR NANCY SENATRA AFTER THE WAY SHE TREATED HIM IN THE MOVIE THEY STARRED IN TOGETHER. (REMEMBER I WAS JUST A CHILD). I WOULD'NT HAVE TREATED HIM LIKE THAT! (LOOKING BACK, I NOW KNOW THAT THE LEADING LADIES WERE SUPPOSED TO PLAY HARD-TO-GET). THE BEATLES MEANT NOTHING TO ME. THEY WERE JUST TRYING OUTSHINE THE KING. THROUGH THE YEARS, I LOVED ELVIS, AND ALWAYS WILL. I WAS SO SAD WHEN HE DIED AND THE WAY HE DIED. I REMEMBER EXACTLY WHERE I WAS AND THE TIME OF DAY WHEN I HEARD THAT RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT. I FINALLY REALIZED MARTIN'S SORROW AT HEARING THAT JOHN WAYNE HAD DIED. I COULDN'T SYMPATIZE WITH HIME UNTIL THAT MOMENT. I LOVED JOHN WAYNE TOO- OOOOH, THAT MAN, HE WAS FABULOUS. HE WAS MY HERO, SO STRONG, ASSERTIVE AND COMMANDING. I AM AFRAID I PUT THE MEASURE TO ALL MEN BY HIS EXAMPLE. I THINK THAT IS WHY I FELL IN LOVE WITH MARTIN SO QUICKLY, HE EXEMPLIFIED JOHN WAYNE IN HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS ME. FOR MANY YEARS OF MARRIED LIFE, I HAVE SAT THROUGH MOVIE AFTER MOVIE STARRING JOHN WAYNE, AND PATIENTLY LISTENED TO THE NARRATIVE GIVEN BY MY HUSBAND AS TO WHY, WHEN AND WHERE EACH MOVIE WAS FILMED. (I GUESS MARTIN FORGOT THAT I WAS SITTING RIGHT BESIDE HIM THE LAST TIME HE EXPLAINED IT ALL TO ME!) I MEMORIZED EACH FILM WHERE HE DIED, (IMPORTANT INFO FOR SOME REASON). WE HAD JOHN WAYNE PICTURES, RECORDS, (YES, HE MADE A RECORD!) BOOKS AND FILMS. OUR COFFEE TABLE BOOK WAS "THE COMPLETE HISTORY AND LIFE OF JOHN WAYNE". WE EVEN HAD A CERAMIC BUST OF THE MAN, THAT STOOD IN HONOR UPON THE MANTLE. OH, AND DON'T FORGET THE PICTURE WHERE MARTIN PUT HIS FACE IN THE CUT OUT OF JOHN WAYNE TAKEN AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK! (HE DID ONE FOR INDIANA JONES TOO). BUT, WHO CARES? WE ALL HAVE SOMEONE TO ADMIRE-OR SHOULD I SAY EMULATE! NEVER THE LESS, IT WAS HARD ON MARTIN WHEN JOHN WAYNE DIED, AND NOW, HEARING ABOUT ELVIS, I COULD UNDERSTAND. THE FALL CAME AND I CONTINUED TO CAN MY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. MARTIN WONDERED WHY I WAS CANNING SO MUCH, AND I EXPLAINED IT WAS FOR FOOD STORAGE. ONE DAY, MARTIN HAD SOME GUYS OVER FROM WORK, AND I MADE LUNCH FOR THEM. I MADE TURKEY AND GRAVY, AND POTATOES AND VEGETABLES. MARTIN TOOK PRIDE IN TELLING THEM THAT THE TURKEY WAS AT LEAST A YEAR OLD- AND THAT I HAD CANNED IT MYSELF. (THAT TICKLED ME, HE DOESN'T USUALLY SHOW INTEREST IN STUFF I DO LIKE THAT). THAT FALL JESSICA AND I TOOK BOBBIE JO TO THE LITTLE PARK A BLOCK AWAY AND WE HAD SO MUCY FUN PLAYING IN THE FALL AIR. WE WOULD SWING AND SLIDE, AND IN GENERAL JUST HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME. I WOULD TAKE LITTLE PICNICS TOO, JESSICA LOVED THAT. REMEMBER THAT OUR LITTLE HOUSE DIDN'T HAVE HEAT? WE HAD A SPACE HEATER, BUT IT DIDN'T GO VERY FAR, AND SO WE ALL SLEPT IN THE SAME ROOM AT NIGHT. IT WAS VERY COLD THAT YEAR, (1977). THE BABY WAS DUE ON OCTOBER 14TH, AND I WAS AS BIG AS A TRUCK. SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE WOULD OPEN UP A PATH FOR ME TO GET THROUGH BECAUSE MY STOMACH STUCK OUT SO FAR. ALL I EVER HEARD WAS, "ARE YOU HAVING TWINS?" FINALLY, OCTOBER 14TH CAME, AND----NO BABY. NEXT FEW DAYS, NO BABY. WHY WAS I SURPRISED? A WEEK WENT BY, YOU GUESSED IT, NO BABY. HALLOWEEN CAME, NO BABY. I WAS COLD, HUGE AND MISERABLE, AND WORSE OF ALL, HALLOWEEN CAME ON A SUNDAY THAT YEAR, AND I HAD TO INVENT WAYS TO HAVE IT AT HOME, AS I DIDN'T WANT THE GIRLS GOING OUT TO TRICK OR TREAT ON SUNDAY. I LUMBERED AROUND MAKING GOODIES AND THINKING UP GAMES, AND EVEN MADE A LITTLE SPOOKHOUSE FOR THEM. THE NEXT DAY, THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO INDUCE LABOR AS I WAS GETTING TOO BIG. SO, ON NOVEMBER 2ND, LOLA CAME TO WATCH THE GIRLS, AND MARTIN AND I GOT IN THE CAR TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. IT IS A MEMORY THAT WILL LIVE WITH ME- AS WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR, CRYSTAL FLAKES OF SNOW BEGAN TO SOFTLY FALL. WE STOOD IN THE FALLING SNOW AND KISSED EACH OTHER, KNOWING THAT IT WOULD BE AN ETERNAL MEMORY FOR US. AFTER I GOT SETTLED IN MY ROOM, THEY STARTED THE MEDICINE TO PUT ME INTO LABOR. I WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE NATURAL BIRTH, AS THE OTHER TWO CAME WITHOUT DRUGS, SO I SETTLED IN AND GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS. LET ME TELL YOU THAT INDUCED LABOR IS NO PICNIC! RIGHT AWAY, THE LABOR PAINS WERE QUITE STRONG. HMMMM-NO DRUGS? NO! I AM KEEPING TO MY DECISION. DID I SAY THE PAINS WERE QUITE STRONG? THAT IS LIKE SAYING THAT AN ANT COULD WRESTLE AN ELEPHANT! BEFORE I KNEW IT, I WAS GASPING IN PAIN, AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY CAME CLOSE AND LIKE CLOCKWORK! I DECIDED TO COUNT CARS GOING BY ON THE FREEWAY THAT I COULD SEE FROM MY WINDOW. THE PAINS CAME LONGER AND HARDER- GOSH, COULD I DO THIS? I HAD TO! NO DRUGS! (REMEMBER, BACK THEN, WE WERE ALL IN THE EARTH MOTHER STATE OF MIND, AND IF THE PIONEERS COULD GIVE NATURAL BIRTH, SO COULD WE, MEANING THOSE OF US WHO WANTED TO EMULATE WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE REAL WOMEN). TODAY, IF ANYONE ASKS ME I TELL THEM, "DRUGS! GET DRUGS!" (EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT TEACHER!) FINALLY, 6 HOURS LATER, THE BABY MOVED DOWN INTO THE BIRTH CANAL- AND IT'S BIG OLD HEAD GOT STUCK! TOO FAR DOWN FOR A C-SECTION AND TOO BIG A HEAD TO JUST COME ON OUT. REMEMBER THAT SCREAMING WOMAN NEXT TO ME WHEN I HAD JESSICA? WELL, SUDDENLY I UNDERSTOOD HER WITH CLARITY! SCREAMING SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA, NEVER MIND WHAT THE PIONEER WOMEN WOULD HAVE THOUGHT. BUT, THEY HAD MOVED A VERY YOUNG GIRL IN WITH ME, AND SEEING HER FRIGHT AND REMEMBERING MY TERROR AT THE SCREAMING WOMAN, I DECIDED TO HOLD IT IN. (SOMEHOW). THE DOCTOR TOOK ME TO DELIVERY AND DECIDED TO MAKE 4 INCISIONS TO HELP THE BABY COME OUT. 4! WELL, I DIDN'T CARE, JUST GET THAT WATERMELON OUT OF ME! FINALLY, FINALLY, THE BABY CROWNED, AND THEN WE HAD TO GET TO WORK. WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE WORK IN ME! BUT, SOMEHOW, AFTER MANY TRIES, I WAS ABLE TO GIVE BIRTH TO MY SON! HE WEIGHED 9LBS 8OZ, AND THOUGH THAT IS SOMEWHAT BIG FOR A BABY, HE WAS VERY SKINNY. IF HE HAD BEEN ANY KIND OF CHUBBY, HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 11LBS. WHEN THEY LAYED HIM ON MY CHEST, I LOOKED AT HIM AND REALIZED THAT HEAVENLY FATHER HAD ONCE AGAIN TAKEN A CHANCE ON GIVING ME A SPECIAL SPIRIT TO RAISE. I HOPED I WAS UP TO THE CHALLENGE- BUT I KNEW THAT SOMEHOW IF LOVE COULD RAISE A CHILD, HE WOULD BE FINE. MARTIN LOOKED AT HIM, AND ACTUALLY ALMOST PASSED OUT. ALL HE COULD SAY, AS THEY TOOK HIM OUT TO SIT DOWN, WAS, "A BOY! I HAVE A BOY!" (AND GUESS WHAT MARTIN, THIS TIME HE'S YOURS, NOT THE OTHER LADY'S!) WELL, MARTIN'S FAMILY WAS ECSTATIC, THEY HAD A GRANDSON, AND KEPT CHECKING INSIDE HIS LITTLE DIAPER TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO MISTAKE. WE NAMED HIM AARON ABINADI SEE. I FELT THAT HE SHOULD BE NAMED ABINADI (AFTER A MORMON PROPHET) FOR SOME REASON, AND MARTIN DIDN'T CARE, SO WE DID. AS FOR BEING SKINNY, IT DID NOT LAST FOR LONG! HE GAINED WEIGHT QUICKLY, NURSING ALL THE TIME, AND WAS A GOOD BABY. BUT AS TO THE DAY WE TOOK HIM HOME, I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME WALKING BECAUSE OF ALL THE STITCHES, AND MY BREASTS HURT BECAUSE OF HIS VIGOROUS NURSING. I HOBBLED INTO THE HOUSE, AND INTO MY BED, ARRANGED MYSELF AS BEFITTING A NEW MOTHER THAT WAS EXPECTING COMPANY, AND GREETED MY LITTLE DAUGHTERS. OR, I SHOULD SAY, I GREETED JESSICA. "SISSY, WHERE IS BOBBIE JO?" I ASKED. "OH, I LEFT HER AT THE PARK WITH A MAN" SHE SAID. WHAT? AT THE PARK? WITH A MAN?!!!!!!!" "MARTIN!!!!!!" "GO GET HER!! HURRY!!!" MARTIN BOLTED OUT THE DOOR AND DOWN THE SHORT BLOCK TO THE PARK, TO FIND LITTLE BOBBIE JO SITTING ON A PARK BENCE WITH AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN. THE GENTLEMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE TWO LITTLE GIRLS WERE PLAYING AT THE PARK, AND THE LITTLE ONE WOULD NO GO HOME WHEN JESSICA WANTED TO. HE TOLD JESSICA THAT HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF BOBBIE JO SO THAT SHE COULD GO HOME AND GET HER MAMA. IT SEEMS THAT BOBBIE JO WANDERED OFF TO THE PARK AND JESSICA WENT TO GET HER, BUT SHE WOULDN'T GO HOME WITH JESSICA. WHERE WAS LOLA? I NEVER DID FIND OUT WHY SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE GIRLS WERE GONE, AND SINCE I DIDN'T WANT TO RUIN AARON'S HOMECOMING, I JUST LET IT GO. THE GENTLEMAN WAS SO NICE, AND ONCE AGAIN HEAVENLY FATHER TOOK CARE OF MY CHILDREN. SO, NOW I HAD THREE CHILDREN, AND VERY BLESSED TO DO SO. MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE