ON WITH THE STORY!

LETS SEE, I LEFT OFF WITH---OH, WELL, I AM NOT SURE, ACTUALLY, IN THE YEARS THAT THE CHILDREN WERE GROWING UP, IT ALL SEEMS TO BLEND TOGETHER. THERE ARE SOME INCIDENTS THAT WERE LIFE CHANGING OF COURSE, AND SET THE COURSE FOR WHERE I AM TODAY, BUT I WILL WRITE OF THEM AS THEY COME TO ME. I AWOKE THIS MORNING, STILL FEELING YUCKY, BUT ALSO VERY GRATEFULL THAT I HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL LIFE TO FEEL YUCKY IN! MY BLESSINGS ARE EXPONENTIAL, MEANING THAT THEY CONTINUE TO GROW AND GROW, AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TELL HEAVENLY FATHER OF MY GRATITUDE. COMING FROM NOTHING TO WHERE I AM TODAY IS TRULY A MIRACLE, AND IF I EVER DOUBT IT, I CAN JUST LOOK AROUND AT THE MISERY IN THE REST OF THE WORLD TO REINFORCE THAT FACT. HAVING FIVE CHILDREN TO RAISE GIVES MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW. I OFTEN WONDER WHERE THE TIME WENT. I REMEMBER CLEARLY THINKING AS I NURSED ONE BABY, HAD ANOTHER ON THE WAY, 3 MORE TO CARE FOR AND THE WORRY OF FINANCES IF MY LIFE WOULD EVER IMPROVE. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER BEEN UNHAPPY IN MY LIFE, BUT ONLY BRIEFLY DISTRACTED BY TRIALS. I HAVE WORRIED ABOUT MONEY, INJURIES, ILLNESS, EDUCATION, AND MANY OTHER THINGS, BUT IT HAS ALL TURNED OUT FOR THE BEST. SO, IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THESE THINGS, MY FAMILY GREW AND PROSPERED. OUR LOVE GREW AND GOT STRONGER. MY FAITH BECAME SO MUCH A PART OF ME THAT IT IS THE REASON THAT I HAVE JOY.
AFTER THE FIRE, WE GOT OUR LIVES BACK INTO PERSPECTIVE AND WERE SO HAPPY. WE HAD A LOVELY NEW HOME, AND SHARED OUR BLESSINGS WITH CHILDREN AND FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAD AN ABOVE GROUND SWIMMING POOL, AND INVITED THE NEIGHBOR CHILDREN TO COME AND SWIM. THE SUMMERS PASSED IN IDEALIC SPLENDOR, SWIMMING, EATING, SLEEPING, HAVING THE FORTH OF JULY CELEBRATION,(ALWAYS FUN EVERY YEAR WITH FRIENDS COMING OVER AND BAR-B-QUE AND FIREWORKS). WE CELEBRATED OUR ANNIVERSARIES, THE TEMPLE ANNIVERSARY ON JULY THE 2ND AND OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ON JULY THE 3RD. MARTIN ALWAYS PLANNED OUR ANNIVERSARIES. HE IS SO FUNNY. ONE YEAR, HE BOOKED A DINNER CRUISE ON GALVESTON BAY ON A RIVER BOAT. HE BOUGHT ME A NEW OUTFIT, AND TOOK ME TO GALVESTON, WHERE WE HAD DINNER, DANCING AND SAILING FOR THE EVENING. ONE YEAR, WE WENT OUT ON THE MOTORCYCLE, ALL AROUND HOUSTON WHEREVER WE WANTED TO GO. SOMETIMES IT WAS A PICNIC AT NIGHT, (SO ROMANTIC), FISHING AND SOMETIMES JUST A SPECIAL DINNER SOMEWHERE. ALWAYS A GIFT FOR ME FROM HIM, AND ONE FROM ME FOR HIM. HE HAS ALWAYS MADE ANNIVERSARIES WONDERFUL FOR ME. WE ALWAYS CELEBRATED THE TEMPLE ANNIVERSARY AS "TEMPLE DAY" WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY. WE ALL PARTICIPATED IN THAT, GOING BOWLING, FISHING, TRIPS SOMEWHERE, BUT AS LONG AS WE WERE ALL TOGETHER. THEN, SOON CAME MY BIRTHDAY. I AM SUCH A BABY ABOUT BIRTHDAYS, AND MY FAMILY KNOWS THIS, SO THEY ALWAYS MAKE IT SPECIAL. I LOVE THEM FOR THAT. AFTER MY BIRTHDAY, CAME AUGUST, WHICH WAS OTTO'S BIRTHDAY, LOLA'S BIRTHDAY AND THE DREADED START OF SCHOOL. WE BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR THE START OF SCHOOL EARLY IN THE SUMMER BY PUTTING SCHOOL CLOTHES AND SUPPLIES ON LAY-AWAY. THAT WAY I HAD 3 MONTHS TO PAY FOR IT ALL. I WAS DETERMINED THAT MY CHILDREN WOULD HAVE ALL THEY NEEDED AND NOT FEEL DEPRIVED. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG. I HAD A LIMIT TO EACH ITEM, AND IF SAY, THE TENNIS SHOES WERE MORE THAN THE 20.00 (REASONABLE BACK THEN) THAT I HAD ALLOTTED, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE REST. BUT, LAY-AWAY DAY WAS LOTS OF FUN. IT TOOK HOURS TO CHOOSE EVERYTHING FOR 5 KIDS, BUT I JUST TURNED THEM LOOSE IN THE STORE AND KEPT AN EYE ON THEM. THEY COULD PICK AND CHOOSE, AND THE LIMIT FOR EACH ONE WAS 125.00. BACK THEN, THEY COULD GET A LOT OF STUFF FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY ON THE SALE RACK. AFTER ALL OF IT WAS PUT IN LAY-AWAY, OFF WE WOULD GO TO PANCHO'S, WHICH IS THE MEXICAN BUFFET I MENTIONED EARLIER. WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE, WHAT BLESSINGS WE HAD! SO MANY HAPPY MEMORIES! SURE, PROBLEMS TOO, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T REMEMBER THE PROBLEMS, EXCEPT FOR THE MAJOR TRIALS. SO, WITH THIS CHEERFUL VEIN GOING, LET ME TELL YOU THAT THE RUMBLINGS OF DIFFICULTIES WERE WAITING IN THE WINGS.
WHEN MARTIN WORKED AT THE POST OFFICE, HE HAD A SUPERVISOR WHO HATED HIM. MARTIN IS VERY TALENTED AT WHAT HE DOES, AND FOR SOME REASON, THIS SUPERVISOR TOOK HUMBRAGE AT THE FACT THAT HE COULD NOT BEST MARTIN IN WORK. THIS SUPERVISOR WAS HORRIBLE TO MARTIN, GIVING HIM JOBS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS JOB DESCRIPTION, LIKE BAILING WATER OUT OF THE MECHANIC'S PIT, CLEANING THE BATHROOMS, AND ALL SORTS OF DEMEANING LABOR. MARTIN COMPLAINED, KEPT RECORDS AND KEPT ON WORKING. EVERY DAY HE WOULD TELL ME HOW MUCH HE HATED GOING TO WORK. I HAD SO MUCH ON MY MIND, THAT I WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC TO HIS PAIN. THE PRESSURE AND THE ABUSE ESCALATED OVER THE YEARS. THE HIGHER-UPS DID NOTHING TO HELP MARTIN, IN SPITE OF NUMEROUS PLEAS AND REPORTS. WE NEVER COULD FIGURE OUT WHY, AND MARTIN WAS GETTING DESPERATE. WE COULD NOT DO WITHOUT THE JOB BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS. AFTER 14 LONG YEARS OF ALL OF THIS, IT CAME TO A HEAD ONE HOT AUGUST DAY. I CAME HOME WITH ALL OF THE LAY-AWAY THAT I HAD JUST PAID FOR TO FIND MARTIN'S TRUCK IN THE DRIVE WAY. HMMM. WHY WAS HE HOME SO EARLY? I STAGGERED INTO THE FRONT DOOR, WEIGHED DOWN BY BAGS AND BOXES OF SCHOOL CLOTHES, AND WHEN I SAW MARTIN WITH HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS, SLUMPING ON THE SOFA, DROPPED EVERYTHING WHERE I STOOD. IN ALARM, I ASKED HIM WHAT WAS WRONG. HE LOOKED AT ME WITH AN EXPRESSION THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN ON HIS FACE BEFORE. "I GOT FIRED TODAY" HE SAID. "WHAT?" I SAID, "THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU GOT FIRED TODAY!" HE JUST NODDED HIS HEAD. I WILL NEVER FORGET AS LONG AS I EXIST THE DECISION I MADE AT THAT MOMENT. I COULD FEEL EVERY PARTICLE OF STRENGTH WELLING UP IN ME THAT I EVER HAD- EACH OUNCE OF DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED, EVERY SPECK OF LOVE THAT I FELT FOR THAT MAN. I KNELT BEFORE HIM, AND WITHOUT ASKING WHY HE HAD GOTTEN FIRED SAID, "WE WILL BE FINE. DON'T WORRY. YOU HAVE ME AND THE CHILDREN. YOU ARE NOT TO WORRY. THIS WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES AND MAKE US GROW. IT IS TIME FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN TO KNOCK US OUT OF OUR COCCOON, AND THIS IS IT. DON'T WORRY!" HE GRABBED ME, CRUSHED ME IN HIS ARMS AND WEPT. OH, HOW MY HEART ACHED TO SEE HIM WEEP. AND, I WAS RIGHT. TOMORROW, I WILL EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW IT PUT US ON THE PATH TO A STRONGER AND MORE CHALLENGING LIFE. HOW IT CHANGED EVERYONE AND MADE US WHO WE ARE. LOVE, NANASEE