A Mother's Love, Part 3

(I've added the links to my sidebar if you missed the first 2 parts)

Thursday, Barbara and I spent the day visiting and playing with you. We went to her Mother's, Dorothy, and stayed a while. Then, we went to Mrs. Tullis'. I didn't know her, but she was your natural great grandmother. Barbara wanted her to see you one last time. She was nice and that is about all I remember.

Friday, I thought, would never get here. It was the day for you and I to go home, to your new home. Also, to begin our lives as a real family, the three of us. I was so excited. That morning, Barbara got up sick. She stayed in bed all day and finally felt a little better that afternoon. When Mervin came in, we loaded the car and they were going to take us home to La Grange. Our car was still in the shop. We took Casey and Andy to Dorothy's for her to keep. Linda Enderli, my best friend who lives in Baytown, had said that if we could come by her house on the way home, that she had all of her daughter's (Anna) baby clothes and wanted us to have them. I tell you, I don't know what we would have done without them, as you had only 3 dresses, one playsuit, and one pair of shoes. Oh, the pink suit you had on the first time I saw you was with your things. As you know, I still have it. It was the one you had on that Saturday I took those first pictures of you.

While we were at Linda's, Barbara got sick again and didn't feel she could go on to La Grange. We had to go all the way back to Liberty. Barbara said to Mervin, "Why didn't we stay all night and leave first thing Saturday morning?" Mervin said no, that we were all packed and he knew that I wanted to go home. I was so thankful for that. We hit all the 5 o'clock traffic through Houston. It was bumper to bumper for miles. You were so fretful and sick. I don't remember exactly what time we got home, but it was way after dark. Around 8, I imagine.

Your Dad was waiting for us. He hadn't even worked that day. He was sick, a case of nerves, I think. He had the house spotless. Dennis had gone to Hubbard, as usual. He was going to bring back his crib and my high chair for you. I was never so glad to be home in all my life. Your Dad and Mervin unloaded the car. We tried to talk Mervin into spending the night. I knew he was real tired and it would be so late for him to get home. It had been a very long day. He said no, that he was going home and that it was time for us to be together as a family. He was right.

Bami and Paw Paw Lutringer came up that night to see you. They lived in the apartment downstairs. The man who took care of the yard lived in a house next door. His name was Shank. He and his wife, Lucille, came to see you also. Then after awhile, everyone left and we settled in for the night and our new lives. Our prayers had been answered, for we were a real family now.

Saturday, we were going to take you and go to town, but you weren't feeling well and neither was I. So, your Dad went shopping and came home with a blanket, a teddy bear bottle, 2 rompers, and a dozen cloth diapers. Before your Dad could leave, the First Baptist Church Pastor had come by to visit. We had visited there the Sunday before all this happened. His name was Bro. Joe Shaver. When he came in, we had been laying on the floor playing with you. He said he didn't remember us having a baby. We told him what had happened. He stayed about an hour. Before he left, he prayed with us.

The next week, you and I both went to the doctor on Monday morning. The doctor took you off milk. You could only have Gatorade and jello water. He gave me some medicine for my stomach. By Friday, I had to call your Dad to come home. I was so sick and the medicine made me so sleepy. I was afraid I would fall asleep and couldn't take care of you. Friday afternoon, he called my Mother and Daddy. They came and about 9 that night, they took me to the hospital. I had to stay until next Thursday. It broke my heart to be away from you. Daddy (Pawpaw Christian) went home on Monday, but Mother (Meme) stayed to take care of you. Looking back, I imagine it was a good case of nerves. Seems we all had a case of nerves. Huh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I was both physically and mentally exhausted.

When I was released from the hospital on Thursday, you and I took Meme home to Hubbard. We stayed for the weekend. Your Dad and Uncle Dennis came after work on Friday. Everyone came to see you. Aunt Gladys and Uncle Vern, Aunt Mable and Uncle Billy, and Uncle Pete and Aunt Mary. They were all so happy for us. Here you were 13 months old, and you would have thought we had a newborn baby. That is exactly how we felt. You were so tiny. In fact, you only wore 9 month old clothes.

Friday, after your Dad got to Meme's, we went to Granny and Granddaddy Long's. Granny couldn't get over how good you were. They loved you so much.

While we were in Hubbard, a girl I grew up with came to see you. Her name is Priscilla Bailey Fuller. She offered us her baby bed. At that time, she had one child, a son Kyle. He had outgrown the crib. I guess I was a little surprised, as we were always friends, but not super close. We took the bed, as it was in a lot better shape than Dennis' was.

Granddaddy said that some of Dale's baby furniture was out in the shed. We went out there and got his high chair and car seat. They were nearly like new. We ended up with 2 cribs, 2 playpens, 2 high chairs, and 1 stroller. The lady who owned Keitt's Drug Store gave you your baby ring and the silver cup with your name engraved on it. So you see, Kristin, even though everything happened so fast, and for us not having been prepared, everything just fell right into place. We knew that the Lord had all of this planned for us to be a family. The three of us were just meant to be.

to be continued in part 4