I THOUGHT OF BOBBIE JO TODAY

YES, I THOUGHT OF BOBBIE JO TODAY, BUT THEN I DO EVERYDAY, SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. I AM AT THE GRIEVING PROCESS POINT WHERE YOU SOMETIMES FIND YOURSELF WANTING TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL YOUR LOVED ONE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GONE.
I AM PLANNING A HOUSEWARMING PARTY FOR A PRECIOUS COUPLE WHO ARE BUYING THEIR FIRST HOUSE AND EXPECTING THEIR FIRST BABY IN OCTOBER. AS I CONSIDERED WHAT TO SERVE, I THOUGHT "WELL, I'LL JUST CALL BOBBIE JO, SHE ALWAYS DOES SO VERY WELL AT THESE THINGS". SHE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT CRAB PUFFS, OR, A NEW RECIPE SHE JUST SAW IN A MAGAZINE, WHAT COLOR TO MAKE THE CAKE, WHAT KIND OF DECORATIONS TO DO, EVEN HOW TO DO THE INVITATIONS. GOSH, I CAN'T CALL HER. AND, WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE WONDERFUL BASEBALL SEASON FOR JAYBIRD AND HIS TEAM (THE KNIGHTS), I WANT TO SEE HOW MANY GREAT PICTURES BOBBIE JO TOOK DURING THE TOURNAMENT. PICTURES OF THE BOYS AT BAT. JAYBIRD AND MARTIN. JAYBIRD CATCHING, SPITTING SUNFLOWER SEEDS, DRINKING GATORADE. NO PICTURES FROM HER THOUGH. I WAS PICKING OUT SOME PAINT TODAY, AND I THOUGHT, "BOBBIE JO WON'T LIKE THIS, SHE NEVER LIKES ANYTHING THAT I PICK OUT", BUT, I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ANYMORE EITHER. TO TELL THE TRUTH, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HER TELL ME HOW MY PAINT CHOICES ARE AWFUL. IF I COULD HAVE THE CHANCE, I WOULD LET HER PICK OUT THE PAINT AND BE GLAD TO DO IT. I WANT TO DRIVE TO LA MARQUE TX AND VISIT HER AT HER HOUSE-LISTEN TO HER BRAG ON HER FRUIT TREES AND HER DOGS. TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY, AND I WANT TO HEAR HER ARGUE ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE DINNER. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD MISS THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I DO. I MISS HER. I MISS OTTO TOO. IF I DIDN'T HAVE A SURE TESTAMONY OF THE ETERNITY OF FAMILIES AND LIFE, I DON'T THINK I COULD GO ON MYSELF. IT IS TOO EASY TO BECOME WEEPY WHEN THINKING ABOUT HOW LIFE HAS "CRAPPED" ON ME, BUT FORTUNATELY, I RECOGNIZE SELF-PITY WHEN IT ATTACKS, AND AM ABLE TO PULL MYSELF OUT OF IT MUCH QUICKER THESE DAYS. WHEN I WOULD FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF, BOBBIE JO WOULD SNAP AT ME TO "PULL IT TOGETHER!" I REMEMBER ONE MORNING, I GOT UP AND GOT THE SOY MILK OUT OF THE FRIDGE. SOY MILK IS REALLY VERY GOOD, BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR MORNING, I BEGAN TO FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF THAT I EVEN HAD TO DRINK SOY MILK AND NOT REAL MILK. I WATCHED THE TAN COLORED MILK STREAM INTO MY CEREAL BOWL FROM THE CARTON, AND SUDDENLY IT OCCURRED TO MY HOW UNFAIR THAT IT IS THAT I HAVE TO DRINK SOY. I BEGAN TO QUIETLY SNIFFLE INTO MY CEREAL, WHEN BOBBIE JO CAME INTO THE KITCHEN. "WHAT ARE YOU BAWLING ABOUT?" SHE ASKED IN HER USUAL "CARING" WAY. THAT JUST LIT THE FIRE TO THE DYNAMITE. "I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DRINK THIS CRAP YOU KNOW, I MISS REAL MILK, I MISS EGGS, AND I MISS MEAT. I WANT PORK CHOPS, I WANT FRIED CHICKEN AND I WANT A STEAK. IT IS NOT FAIR! I AM A GOOD PERSON, AND I WANT TO EAT A BRISKET! BRING ON THE BIG MACS, BRING ON THE WHOPPERS. I DON'T WANT TO DRINK BROWN MILK!!!!" ( I CAN EAT NO DIARY, MEAT OR EGGS DUE TO E-COLI POISONING, IT DAMAGED MY DIGESTIVE TRACK). BY NOW, I HAD REALLY WORKED MYSELF UP INTO A WATERFALL OF SELF-PITY AND WAS SOBBING INTO A DISH TOWEL. MARTIN CAME IN AND ASKED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR MOTHER NOW?" HE ASKED BOBBIE JO. WITH AN INCREDULOUS EXPRESSION, SHE SAID, "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! SHE IS BAWLING OVER BROWN MILK!" MARTIN ALWAYS KNOWS WHEN IT WISE TO RETREAT- AND THAT IS WHAT HE DID. WELL, FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, EVERYTIME BOBBIE JO SPOKE TO SOMEONE, SHE HAD TO REPEAT THE "BROWN MILK" STORY. BY THE END OF THE DAY, WE WERE ALL LAUGHING, AND MARTIN SUGGESTED THAT THE NEXT TIME I FELT SORRY FOR MYSELF OVER BROWN MILK, I SIMPLY GET A CARTON OF CHOCOLATE SOY AND GET OVER MYSELF. IT IS THINGS LIKE THIS THAT I MISS THE MOST. WELL, MAYBE HER BONY HUGS, (HER ELBOWS COULD DO SOME REAL DAMAGE), OR MAYBE HER WONDERFUL WAY OF MAKING UP TO ME WITH A PIE OR SOMETHING EQUALLY DISTRACTING. I GUESS I JUST MISS IT ALL, EVERYDAY, WHEN I THINK OF BOBBIE JO. LOVE, NANASEE