Day 6 - A Picture That Makes Me Happy

I don't like this blog, because there is not one picture that makes me happy.  I mean, not just one.  I have a bulletin board on the wall by my computer with pictures all over it.  Plus, I have pictures taped to my monitor and pictures up on the cupboard, here in our spare room.  All of these pictures make me happy.  I love the ones of my kids, my grandkids, my aunts and uncles, the list goes on and on.  I'm really not sure I can pick just one that truly makes me happy.  But, I'll try.

Gazing out our hotel window at the majestic
Niagara Falls!

This was my first glimpse of the Falls when I
walked into our hotel room.

So, I guess I really did have to choose two.  They are really related, because when I think back on standing at that window and looking at the Falls, I get really happy.  I loved being there with my hubby and feeling the power of something our God had created and just soaking in the beauty.  It was a wonderful time for me.  I still think this blog should have been "Pictures that make me happy" and I would have filled it up!!

Oh well...more tomorrow!

Day 4 - Your Parents

This is truly the one blog I am thrilled to blog!!  My parents.  I had two really wonderful parents.  My parents instilled in us the importance of not only going to church, but reading the Bible and following the Lord - letting Him be your guide.  It is a great heritage and one I am extremely proud of.  Here's their story and I'll try some pictures at the end.

Mom and Dad - Esther and Calvin Ross - lived their entire lives in Missouri; mostly in the Kansas City (Avondale) area.  Dad was born in Hooker, MO, around the Ozarks area and Mom was born in North Kansas City. 

My mom's name was Esther Gail Williams.  She was the 6th of 7 children - 6 of which were girls.  She lived her entire life in the Avondale area.  She was extremely shy and used to say how my grandma would pin a handkerchief onto the collars of her dresses/shirts, because she was always chewing on her collars in her shyness.  She and her sisters, Verna and Dorie were very close as they were the last three born and were close in age.  I think her oldest sister, Beulah, was almost married when she was born.  Or at least, not long after, as my cousin, Carl, was almost the same age as Mom.  My brother said Mom got saved when she was young, like us.  Grandpa Williams helped build the Avondale Baptist Church.  It had been meeting in some other building.  They were members and it is the church that I grew up in, was married in and where the funerals of both my parents were held. 
Because she was so shy, I think Dad had a hard time getting her to go to places with him.  We saw her relatives all the time, as most, if not all, attended the church.  So, we would have to drive to visit Dad's relatives.  My Aunt Pansy was one we saw the most and I kind of remember visiting my Ross grandparents in their home.  But, Grandma Ross died in 1959 and I barely knew her.  Ross reunions were usually held at Aunt Pansy's in Quenemo, Kansas.  As Mom got older, I think she enjoyed their outings with the "Jolly 60's" group at church.  And they got to go to Israel one time and I know she enjoyed that.  She and Trudy went over to London to stay with Daddy for 6 months while he worked over there and they went sight-seeing when his work was done.  So, I'd have to say that Dad was a good influence on her in that way.
She had a very pronounced dread of people thinking badly of her.  I'm not sure if she was  abused as a kid (no one ever talked about such things), but I know she was teased because of the bigness of her legs. (It's a family thing, unfortunately).  She was constantly worried about her weight, although from her earlier pictures, I think she looked pretty good and no amount of weight loss changes those legs!  I know she gained a lot of weight when she got pregnant with my sister, Trudy, and was mortified that she was 36 and way too old for babies!  Anyway, her struggle with her weight was something she was constantly at me about as well, so our relationship over the years was very strained.  I loved her so much, but was never sure of her unconditional love.  Which was very sad, as I would have loved a closer relationship with her.  I really felt I was never good enough for her.  And even though, we did reconcile after Daddy died, we never had the close Mother/Daughter relationship I wish we could have had.
I have the letters Dad wrote to her when he was in the army and she sort of sounded unsure of his love as well.  I really feel sorry for her when I read those letters.  He is constantly assuring her of his love.  I know she finally was convinced of God's love as she got older and found a real peace in knowing how much He loved her. 
She was a worrier, but a prayer warrior, as well.  I will always remember her praying for us kids when we were little and as we got older.  One day when I was home sick, I saw her stand at the window as Butch went to school and pray for him.  In later years, when she wasn't doing real well, I passed her room and saw her sitting in her chair with her eyes closed.  I asked her if she was ok and she said, "Yes, Babe, I was just praying."  That's the memory I'll always cherish of my mom!  I even bought a Precious Moments figurine that reminded me of that time and her.
Mom had a stroke in 1993 and after that congestive heart failure.  She passed away in 1996 and I really do miss her.  The years she spent without Daddy were hard on her, but her thoughts of heaven were her comfort.

Arthur Calvin Ross was my daddy.  As old as I am, he will always be my daddy.  I loved him so much.  I was his little girl.
He was the 5th of 9 children.  They were raised Methodist and I think from reading his army letters that Grandma had them in church and it was Methodist church that was Bible-believing.  He quit school in the 8th grade and moved to Kansas City to live with his brother, Warren, and find work.  He joined the army when he was 18 or 19.  He served his term in north Africa, Sicily, Italy and Germany.  He was not a Christian, but one time in a foxhole when they were being fired on, he prayed and told the Lord if He got him out of this, he'd become a Christian.  He did just that, but not until the war was over and he'd been married to my mom for about 4 months.  I know my grandma Williams was a big influence on turning him to the Lord and had probably spoken to him before he went overseas.  
Like I said, I was Daddy's little girl and liked to go wherever he went.  Some of my best memories of going with him to the store or wherever.  I don't remember ever being spanked by him, but boy, one look and it would send me crying!  I hated to disappoint him.  
Daddy was a deacon in the church and served as chairman of the board and was a big Christian influence in my life.  He loved the Lord and wasn't afraid to let others know it.  He lived it!  He was killed in a car accident in 1987 while going to Wyoming with Mom, Trudy, her husband and their baby, Ashley.  It was the most horrific moment of my life.  I miss him dearly.  I could go on and on about both my parents, but oh my, this blog would be really long!!
Both Mom and Daddy were great singers - sang in the choir "forever" and I learned my alto from Mom.  I can still hear Daddy singing his beautiful bass in some hymns when I hear them or sing them.  They gave me my love of singing to the Lord.

I did an ancestor chart and charted my mom's side back to England and my dad's only to Virginia, but it was interesting to see who my ancestors were.  No matter where you came from in the past, it's where you are going that matters.  I know my mom and dad are in heaven rejoicing with their savior and I know I will see them there someday soon.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Me and Daddy

Me and Mommy - see
wasn't she pretty?
(and thin)

my favorite Army
picture of Daddy

The last time we were with
Mom and Daddy before
he died.  They came up
in the summer of '87

Day 3 - My FIrst Love

Wow - well, the Bible says our first love should be the Lord, (and He is!) but I'm thinking this means as in human love.  I guess we'd have to define "love".  The dictionary says love is " a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person; a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend; a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart." (etc., etc., etc.,)
I have a lot of friends I love and of course, I love my family.  I have had "boyfriends" that I thought I loved, but I guess my first real love was Dale.
I define it this way.  When I was in my senior year of high school, I worked at a place called National Bellas Hess - it was a mail-order place.  Two of my friends, Pam and Patti, worked there, too.  Pam got engaged that year (as did one of my other friends, Esther) and we three girls would sit and discuss her upcoming wedding on our break.  Pam was so excited to marry her David and one time was telling about the pretty negligee she had gotten for their wedding night.  Well, I just could NOT imagine being married and doing what married people do!!  I mean, YU-U-U-CK!!  It's like thinking of your parents "doing it"  (Shiver).  That's how I felt until two years later when I met Dale.  I don't know if you believe in love at first sight, but I do, because that's how it was.  And suddenly, getting married sounded pretty good!
So, I'd have to say my first "human" love was (and is) Dale.  My first love, though, is my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

See you tomorrow!