I AM FROM

I am from dust, tornado's, and rain , from days filled with heat so dry that you feel like you stepped into the oven and all you want to do in go inside and rest in the cool air and drink a tall glass of ice cold koolaid.

I am from the stucco, two story home filled with love, nestled in a quiet neighborhood, where the kids play out in the yards, hiding behind the giant evergreen trees and riding their bikes until you hear the parents calling to come home.  No cell phones then. Only the smell of the Gardenia bushes in full bloom and honeysuckle blooming on the fences.

I am from a strict family that believed in God and believed that a family always ate around the kitchen table together. There was no way that you could get away from not tasting everything on the table  from spinach, boiled squash and boiled okra and mother and daddy never took sass off anyone.  If you did sass, you knew that the belt would be taken off and your sweet little bottom would be stinging soon.  If you were lucky, you only got one spanking, that is if Daddy wasn't gone.  For when he returned home, you could count on another stinging on the bottom.

I am from the holidays spent traveling to six hours to grandparents homes to savour the sweets that you knew would always be there and hugs and kisses from your aunts and uncles.  If you were bad on the trip, as soon as you got out of the car, you would run into grandma's arms.  For there was protection there.

From a house that only has four children to a house filled to the walls, our cousins were just as excited to see us as we were them. Knowing that in a few more months we would be back and then perhaps the Zoo, Six Flags.   Or could it be miniature golf while our mother's went shopping?

I am from a Pentecostal home, where there were strict rules and if the church doors were open, you would find my family there.  So what if a Revival lasted for ten weeks, no complaining in our home.  Living for the Lord was at the top of the list and we were expected to act right.

I’m from Lubbock, Texas.  Born in the big city of Dallas to a family that sometimes could come up with the corniest jokes.  We still had family left in Switzerland and Germany. You never knew who would be hamming it up.  I had one uncle that had a great voice and then one that loved to turn his upper eye lids up and then scare  the kids.  There was never a shortage of fresh corn, tomatoes, peas and fruit when we went to our grandparents home.  They believed in healthy eating and  sodas were called, "Belly Washers".  Ice Cream was only Neapolitan, never just vanilla or chocolate. 

I am from a family that loved to play games at the big kitchen table, where my cousin and I would play like we were princesses and  play with our dolls.  The television set was not found in the living room, but in the back den.


I am from a family that loved each other and tried to be there when the going was good or bad.  Pictures were not taken very often as I grew up.  That is until the first grandchild came along and I got to be the first one that presented my parents with grandchildren.


I am from a family that had only one son and that was my Daddy, who was my knight in shining armour.  I knew that he would always be there for me, but now has gone to live with the Lord.  I know that one day I will see him and my grandparents.


I am from a family on my Mother's side that always made the holidays a joy.  My Mother was always one that looked after others.  She could never just stand by and let someone that she knew do without.  She taught me the gift of giving to others, just as my Daddy did.  She grew up in a large family that did not have alot of money, but what they lacked in money, they made up in family time.


I am from a family of two brothers and two sisters.  I have a relationship with my two sisters, but not so with my brothers,    But my youngest one is coming around and I think that the Lord is going to heal that relationship.  Family is very important to my life.  I have four lovely daughters and I never want to get to the place that they could do without me and their Dad.


I am from a family that has lost both parents, all the grandparents, some uncles and aunts, but will look forward to the day that I see them in Heaven.  Some of our family members may be gone, but will never be forgotten.  I feel honored to have been raised in this family of different temperaments, personalities and stages of life.  But one thing is for sure, we love each other.

This a second writing assisgnment from www.mamakatslosinit.com/2011/09/where-im-from-2/