1972 - It was a very good year......

It was a very good year - my sweet Page was born in January of that year. It was a very cold day and my DUE date. I can remember BigD driving me down main street that cold Saturday morning just like it was yesterday. I lost my first baby in 1968 when we lived in Norfolk, VA. BigD was in the Navy and we lived in a furnished apartment for 6 months before he was sent out for a longer tour again. I was excited but nervous when I found out I was pregnant. We had lived way out in the country for awhile and had just moved back into town into a nice townhouse apartment. The doctors assured me that I needn't worry because I had lost my first baby so then I felt excited. That didn't last long and soon I was on bed rest, taking shots, more bed rest, premature labor, more bed rest and then things settled down a bit. Once we passed the danger point of early delivery, almost everyone was ready for the baby to come but NO - she waited for her due date. That's my southern daughter - she knows a lady is never early - maybe on time or fashionably a few minutes late but never early. We were excited for so many reasons - she was healthy, she was beautiful and she was a SHE. I never even picked out a boy's name because I wanted a little girl so bad. BigD was excited because she didn't have a nose or chin like Uncle Jimmy's. Sorry Uncle Jimmy :-). The picture above was taken at Sears around April of 1973 - She was about 14 months old. Normally she was a pretty happy little girl but not this day. You can't see it but I had to sit right beside the table with her sitting partially on the table and partially on my knees. I felt like a contortionist by the time they were through taking the pictures. If you look closely, you can see where she had been crying which always made Mama "go awwww - poor thing". I guess Page felt how much I treasured her and noticed that I didn't let her out of my sight too often. Some people have said I have always been an over-protective Mom but that was their opinion. I had my own opinions about what we owe our children who didn't ask to be born into this harsh world and tried to live up to the standards I set for myself. I'm
sure I failed in many areas but it wasn't from lack of trying so if you can think of some - please keep them to yourselves - I did the best I could and I personally thing they are wonderful adults so hopefully I had something to do with that. As a matter of fact, the first time I left her with anyone was 5 months later when I was the matron of honor in my close friend's wedding. I pumped some milk and left her with my mother-in-law who adored her. As I look at the picture of myself in my pretty green dress (Judee's mom Mae made it for me out of the same pattern she made the bridal gown) with the yellow daisies in my hair, I can see why a young boy at the KH looked at me walking down the aisle and said "look Mom - Mother Nature". As I recall, I stuck my tongue out at him. I cut that dress off and hemmed it and wore it for quite a few years. I also realize how ridiculous I was at this time because I actually thought I was fat here. These pictures were taken in the courtyard of The Country Squire which was a wonderful restaurant Judee's dad - I.T., co-owned. We both worked there - she was the cashier and I would occasionally fill in as a hostess back when we were pioneers. I just realized I don't have a picture of the restaurant and wish I did now that it no longer exists. Another thing that year brought was the lovely Diane - she and Rick got married a month after Page was born and he was the best man in the same wedding. His Mom is my Spiritual Mom and he has always been like a brother to me. His other two brothers moved away so it has been up to him to keep up with his parents and their health. He and Diane are both pioneering now as well as working on the RBC which keeps them very busy. I have such great memories of our many beach trips with the other 3 families giving our children wonderful memories of their childhood. It was a very good year....