February was routine the first three weeks but four days after John and Barb’s 8th wedding anniversary her mother died of lung cancer. She had suffered greatly and although it was a sad loss for all of us……we were thankful she was beyond that now. Mary was one of the most unselfish persons I have ever known. Her smile radiated from inside and found a way to get out to her face. When others were critical and she was given the opportunity to say something you would never hear her say an unkind word about anyone. She was a true Southern lady. Gentile and pleasant, pretty and delicate…..an excellent hostess. No one left their home without a lot of love being poured all over them.

My mother was very sorry to hear of her passing. She loved Mary for she had been to their home once…..maybe twice. She had also visited with Mary when they came through here a few times. Mom loved the special attention and she loved Mary. One by one, the people who were very special to mom were being taken away. She still asked about aunt Beulah and I just couldn’t tell her she was gone. I sometimes regret that decision. Mom could at least have grieved for her….something I didn’t understand at the time. Now I know it would have been kinder to tell her. We do the best we can at given moments but there is no second chance to go back and make things right.

On the same day we learned about Mary’s passing, the ground war started in the Gulf. Men and equipment were massed together to rid Kuwait of the Iraqi soldiers who occupied it. Never before had such an event this large been shown in almost every American home through television. Living in the modern era has provided many incites to world happenings we could never have known before.

The March birthdays came up….John, Jonathan and Becky. We talked to John and the family on the phone…they were off for lunch and shopping at the Mall. It was very special for Jonathan this year. He was 16 so he and Becky drove over to Hartville where I was working for the day to apply for his Driver’s License. He made 100 on the written and 89 on the driving test….he was one happy boy. I gave him some cookies to celebrate and we had his birthday dinner the following Sunday.

We had several spring storms with hail and wind but didn’t do damage on our end of town. Mom had been running a fever and not feeling very well off and on. It seemed she couldn’t get over it. She had her heart set on coming out for pancakes on one Saturday so I fixed them for her and I know it was good to get out a while and have some home cooked food. Especially since it was her pancake recipe that I always used.

John called on the 17th of April to tell us they finalized papers on a home they bought in Covington, Louisiana. It was on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain just about 45-minutes out of New Orleans. They were so happy to be home-owners and we were happy for them. It’s a big step up from an apartment….. a couple of days later, L.J. had his 6th birthday. Soon he would have a yard to play in and maybe a dog of his own. Those were exciting times.

The last day of April I was working at Headquarters here in Willow Springs when we heard horns honking…..we knew the 1138th guys from the National Guard stationed at West Plains were on their way home from the Gulf. The buses full of guys waving flags out the windows with a Patrol escort and blaring sirens streaked by. People were lined up and down the highway to wave and welcome them home. I’ll have to say….it was a great feeling to be an American……….

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther