THINGS I FORGOT TO TELL YOU

YOU KNOW, THERE IS SO MUCH TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR FAMILY AND OUR LOVE STORY, AFTER ALL WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED ALMOST 37 YEARS, AND FROM NOW ON, I MAY REGRESS AND ADD STORIES THAT I MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHEN WRITING ABOUT A CERTAIN TIME.
ONE STORY THAT I FORGOT IS ABOUT LITTLE OTTO. A DEAR FRIEND REMINDED ME TO WRITE IT, SO HERE IT IS. WHEN AARON WAS VERY SMALL, MY MOTHER CAME TO VISIT AND WE WENT TO LUNCH. IT WAS A VERY POSH RESTAURANT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT WE STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH A GENTLEMAN. THE SUBJECT TURNED TO PETS, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HIS DOG HAD GOTTEN PREGNANT ACCIDENTALLY AND HE DID NOT WANT THE PUPPIES. THEY WERE GERMAN SHEPHERD AND CHOW PUPPIES, AND BOTH THE PARENTS WERE CHAMPIONS. THE OWNERS DID NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE "MISFITS" AND THE MAN FELT JUSTIFIED IN JUST PUTTING THEM DOWN WHEN THEY WERE BORN. I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE WOULD CALL ME ON THE DAY THE PUPPIES WERE BORN, I WOULD COME AND TAKE THEM TO RAISE. A FEW WEEKS WENT BY, AND I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE PUPPIES. THEN, ONE MORNING, A CALL CAME AND THE MAN TOLD ME THE PUPPIES HAD BEEN BORN AND THEIR WERE 3 OF THEM. HE SAID THAT TWO HAD BEEN SPOKEN FOR, BUT THERE WAS ONE LEFT AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I STILL WANTED IT. I WOULD HAVE TO GO THAT DAY AND GET IT, SO I DID. THIS LITTLE PUPPY WAS THE SWEETEST THING. I HAD TO GET PUPPY MILK AND FEED HER EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS, AND SHE BEGAN TO GROW AND IMPROVE. SHE KEPT GROWING, AND GROWING AND WITHIN A FEW MONTHS, SHE WAS HUGE! SHE LOOKED LIKE A FUZZY HUGE BEAR, SO I NAMED HER SUGAR BEAR. SHE AND I WERE INSEPERABLE. SHE CONTINUED TO GROW, AND WHEN SHE WAS A YEAR OLD, SHE WEIGHED OVER 100 LBS. SHE LOVED AND PROTECTED THE CHILDREN AND SHE WAS A DEAR PART OF THE FAMILY. ONE DAY, WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OLD, SHE GOT INTO THE CHICKENS AND ATE A COUPLE. I KNEW THAT MARTIN WOULD BE LIVID WHEN HE FOUND OUT, SO I ASKED MY FRIEND A FEW STREETS OVER IF I COULD LEAVE SUGAR BEAR WITH HER UNTIL MARTIN CALMED DOWN. SHE SAID OKAY, AND TOOK SUGAR BEAR TO HER. I HATED LEAVING HER, BUT I WAS TRYING TO FIX THINGS BEFORE MARTIN CAME HOME. HE TOOK THE CHICKEN NEWS PRETTY WELL, AND TOLD ME TO GO AND GET SUGAR BEAR. WHEN I WENT TO GET HER, SHE WAS GONE! MY FRIEND SAID SHE JUMPED THE FENCE WHEN I DROVE OFF AND SHE ASSUMED THAT SHE HAD FOLLOWED ME HOME. OH, I WAS IN SHOCK! WHERE WAS MY BABY? WE DROVE THE STREETS THAT NIGHT, AND PUT OUT SIGNS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. SUGAR BEAR WAS GONE. I CRIED AND CRIED. IT WAS ALL MY FAULT, AND NOW I HAD LOST MY SUGAR BEAR. IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR ME TO START GETTING OVER LOSING SUGAR BEAR, BUT AFTER A WHILE I WAS BETTER. I NEVER DID STOP LOOKING FOR HER, ALWAYS HOPING THAT SHE WOULD BE ON THE STREET OR THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE FOUND HER. I HAUNTED THE SPCA, CALLING AND CHECKING IN WITH THEM. I FINALLY HAD TO ACCEPT THAT SUGAR BEAR WAS NOT TO BE FOUND. DURING THAT TIME, LITTLE OTTO WAS BORN AND I HAD OTHER PROBLEMS TO CONTEND WITH. ONE DAY, WHEN LITTLE OTTO WAS ALMOST A YEAR OLD, A FRIEND OF MINE WAS IN THE DRIVE WAY, TALKING TO ME FROM HER CAR. SUDDENLY, THE STRANGEST THING HAPPENED, A RATTY, FILTHY STARVING DOG CAME RUNNING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND BEGAN TO JUMP ON ME. THIS DOG WAS FRANTIC, WHINING AND CRYING AND TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTION. I WASN'T EXACTLY FRIGHTENED, JUST CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE DOG SEEMED TO KNOW ME. THEN, UNBELIEVABLY, I REALLY LOOKED AT THE DOG, AND I REALIZED THAT IT WAS SUGAR BEAR! SHE HAD BEEN GONE FOR ALMOST A YEAR, AND NOW HERE SHE WAS! THE POOR THING WAS STARVED, HER RIBS SHOWING, BUT IT WAS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT SHE WAS VERY PREGNANT. I FELL TO MY KNEES AND HUGGED HER AND CRIED WITH JOY. SHE JUST LICKED ME AND CRIED TOO. MY SUGAR BEAR WAS HOME! I TOOK HER TO THE VET, AND HE SHOWED ME WHERE HER FEET WERE WORN DOWN, AND SHE HAD NO CLAWS TO SPEAK OF. HE SAID, "THIS MEANS SHE HAS BEEN TRAVELING FOR A LONG TIME. SHE IS IN VERY BAD SHAPE, AND NOW THE PUPPIES ARE GOING TO COME SOON. SHE WILL NEED A LOT OF CARE. IT IS AMAZING THAT SHE FOUND HER WAY HOME, EVEN THAT SHE SURVIVED THE TRIP". I TOOK MY BABY HOME AND CARED FOR HER AS THE VET HAD TOLD ME TOO. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS THE PUPPIES WERE BORN WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUGAR BEAR WAS SUCH A GOOD MAMA, AND THE PUPPIES THRIVED. OF COURSE I FED SUGAR BEAR EVERYTHING SHE WOULD EAT, AND SHE IMPROVED DAILY. WITH ALL THIS GOING ON, I REALIZED THAT I WAS PREGNANT WITH BECKY AND I HAD TO WEAN LITTLE OTTO. HE WAS OLD ENOUGH, BUT HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE WEANED. HE KEPT TEARING AT MY BUTTONS AND TRYING TO NURSE AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. FINALLY, I BEGAN TO BE FIRM WITH HIM AND WHEN HE TRIED TO NURSE, I WOULD GIVE HIM A BOTTLE. HE WOULD THROW IT AND TRY TO CLIMB ON ME. ONE DAY, AS ALL THIS WAS GOING ON, I REALIZED THAT LITTLE OTTO HAD NOT BEEN DEMANDING TO NURSE AS MUCH. I WAS RELIEVED, AND THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD GO ON AND TAKE A BOTTLE FROM THEN ON. WHILE I WAS THINKING ALONG THOSE LINES, I WENT INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND SAW SOMETHING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET. SUGAR BEAR WAS NURSING ALL HER PUPPIES, (8 OF THEM) AND ONE LITTLE BOY! YES INDEED, LITTLE OTTO WAS NURSING ALONG WITH THOSE PUPPIES AND SUGAR BEAR DIDN'T MIND A BIT! "LITTLE OTTO!!! GET UP OFF THAT DOG! " I CRIED. OH MY GOODNESS, I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. INSTEAD OF GETTING UP OFF OF SUGAR BEAR, HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SAID, "MMMM DOOD". I PICKED HIM UP, AND JUST HELD HIM. MY POOR LITTLE BOY, WANTED TO NURSE SO BADLY. SO I GAVE HIM A FEW MORE DAYS OF BREAST MILK AND WATCHED HIM LIKE A HAWK. SUGAR BEAR WOULD HAVE LET HIM NURSE ANYTIME HE WANTED- SHE WAS SUCH A GOOD DOG.
SOMETHING ELSE IF FORGOT TO WRITE ABOUT, WAS THE DAY THAT AARON BROUGHT AN UNEXPECTED GIFT TO ME. HE WAS ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME, AND HE CAME IN THE HOUSE CARRYING A DEAD SQUIRREL. "MAMA, LOOK WHAT I FOUND" HE SAID. "NO, NO, NO, OH, GIVE ME THAT THING! IT IS NASTY! YUCK!" I SQUEALED. I SNATCHED THE SQUIRREL FROM HIM AND HE BEGAN TO CRY. HE DIDN'T MEAN TO UPSET ME, AND TOLD ME THAT HE WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS INSIDE OF IT. HE WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WAS BUILT LIKE PEOPLE WERE AND WANTED ME TO HELP HIM FIND OUT. I EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS BUILT A LOT LIKE WE WERE. AND I DIDN'T THINK WE SHOULD CUT IT OPEN TO FIND OUT. I THREW IT AWAY, AND THE THOUGHT NAGGED AT ME THAT I WAS EITHER RAISING A DOCTOR OR A SERIAL KILLER. THANK GOODNESS HE TURNED OUT TO BE A DOCTOR! AS THE CHILDREN GREW, I FOUND THAT THEY EACH HAD UNIQUE TALENTS. BOBBIE JO LOVED TO COOK AND READ. JESSICA LOVED TO ORGANIZE AND BOSS PEOPLE AROUND. SHE HAD LOTS OF CONFIDENCE, AND IT SERVED HER WELL. LATER IN LIFE, WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER, SHE WAS AT GIRL'S CAMP AND HER GROUP HAD GONE ON A LONG OVERNIGHT HIKE INTO THE WOODS. THEY HAD WALKED ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE CAMPSITE , AND THEN REALIZED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO SUSTAIN THEM, AND ONE OF THE OTHER GIRLS HAD FALLEN AND BROKEN HER FOOT. JESSICA AND HER FRIEND SUSAN DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD HIKE OUT FOR HELP, LEAVING THE OTHER GIRLS WITH THE ADULT COUNSELOR. SURE ENOUGH, THEY WALKED ALL DAY WITH NO WATER AND STRAGGLED INTO OUR CAMP LOOKING LIKE VAGABONDS. I WAS SO CONCERNED SEEING MY DAUGHTER LIKE THIS, AND WHEN SHE TOLD ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I WAS SO PROUD OF HER. SHE AND SUSAN FILLED UP WATER CONTAINERS, AND WE WENT WITH THEM TO RESCUE THE OTHERS. THAT'S JUST LIKE JESSICA, ALWAYS TAKING CHARGE. BECKY WAS FEARLESS AS A SMALL CHILD. ONE DAY AT CHURCH, AFTER THE SERVICE, I HEARD SOME OF THE LITTLE CUB SCOUTS SHOUTING AND RUNNING FOR THE DOOR. I WONDERED WHAT WAS WRONG, AND WENT TO THE BACK OF THE CHURCH TO FIND BECKY WAVING A SNAKE IN THE AIR. SHE HAD FOUND IT OUT BACK OF THE BUILDING AND WAS FINDING GREAT JOY IN SCARING THE BOYS! THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT THE YEARS MARTIN AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER, AND I WILL TRY TO LIST THEM CHRONOLOGICALLY, BUT, IF ON OCCASION I FORGET AND OMIT SOMETHING I THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ ABOUT, I WILL JUST BACK UP AND WRITE IT WHEN I DO THINK ABOUT IT. OH, TODAY, WE GOT A NEW BABY! WE GOT A FABULOUS GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPY AND NAMED HIM ROCKY. I AM HOPING THAT ROCKY WILL HELP MARTIN AS HE GRIEVES FOR BOBBIE JO. HE MISSES HER SO MUCH, AS DO I, BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS RIGHT NEXT TO HIM, WORKING WITH HIM ON HIS WOOD PROJECTS, FIXING THE HOUSE AND ARGUING WITH HIM. HE SAYS HE HAS A HUGE EMPTY HOLE IN HIS LIFE, AND HE HAS BEEN SO VERY SAD. I TOO, AM SAD, BUT I HAVE A DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS OF LIFE. I KNOW MY GIRL IS NOT GONE, SHE IS JUST NOT HERE. I BELIEVE IN LIFE ETERNAL, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ONLY A SHORT PART OF OUR EXISTANCE, THIS TIME ON EARTH. I AM SORRY THAT SHE ONLY HAD 33 YEARS, AND MY HEART IS TORN WITH SADNESS AND DISSAPOINTMENT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE MORE TIME TOGETHER, BUT I KNOW THAT SHE LIVES. MARTIN CANNOT SEEM TO GET PAST THE FACT THAT SHE IS GONE FROM HIM, AND HIS HEART IS BROKEN ON SO MANY LEVELS. I PRAY THAT HEAVENLY FATHER WILL HELP ME TO HELP HIM---I LOVE HIM SO MUCH, THIS MAN OF MINE, THIS MAN THAT HAS GIVEN ME EVERYTHING AND NEVER COMPLAINED. THIS MAN WHO HAS WORKED TO SUPPORT ME AND THE CHILDREN FROM THE DAY I MET HIM, AND WHO LOVES ME MORE THAN I CAN COMPREHEND. I HOPE LITTLE ROCKY CAN HELP HIM, CAN BRING HIS SPIRITS UP. HE NEEDS TO LAUGH AGAIN, TO JOKE AGAIN, AND TO HAVE JOY. HE MISSES LITTLE OTTO AND BOBBIE JO AND LITTLE MATTHEW. (OUR GRANDSON WHOM WE LOST IN DECEMBER). I MISS HIS CHEER AND LAUGHTER, AND I FEAR THE MOMENTS WHEN I HEAR HIS SOBS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. HE IS A MOUNTAIN, BUT I THINK THIS HAS REALLY BROUGHT HIM LOW. BOBBIE JO AND OTTO WOULD NOT WANT THEIR DADDY TO SUFFER LIKE THIS, I WISH THERE WAS A WAY TO CONVINCE HIM OF THAT. WELL, ALL WILL BE WELL, I KNOW IT, AND IN THE MEANTIME, I AM DOING ALL I CAN TO CHEER HIM UP. I MAKE SURE THERE IS ICE CREAM IN THE FREEZER, FOLDED SOCKS IN HIS DRAWERS, SAUSAGE, EGGS AND GRITS FOR BREAKFAST, DINNER WHEN HE GETS HOME AND THE REMOTE TO THE TV ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES! I EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO MAKE SURE THE WESTERN CHANNEL IS ON WHEN HE CLICKS ON THE REMOTE! MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I PRAY FOR HIM. AND I LOVE HIM. PRAY WITH ME, WON'T YOU? HE DESERVES ALL OF OUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. MORE TOMORROW, LOVE, NANASEE