It was 1973
Daddy had paralyzed Mama when he pushed her off the balcony
And he ran when he learned what he had done in his druken state(one of many)
There was 6 of us kids but only two of us left at home
Me,the baby was 7 and my retarded brother was 22
I chose the picture above because it looks so much like the place I lived
Take away the car and steeple and add a second story to the house
And shorten the lake and it would be almost the same
It was a farm house, no indoor plumbing, we had gardens and animals
There was three cows, twenty chickens, two geese, two dogs and several cats
Each had a name and I loved them all
but Miss Maggiemay my blind pet chicken was my personal fave.
I had always seemed older so I was knowledgeable about farming
I can still hear Mama crying herself to sleep, and hear her prayer to God
Asking him to please help her to walk again so she could take care of us
Instead of me
And so that we wouldn't be separated
There was a country store down the road a few miles
The owners of the store was like my adopted Grandparents
We traded eggs for butter and flour allot
Bout the only thing they didn't sell was clothes
She was Slovak he was Italian, what a mix
They knew that we was in a bad way
And they let me earn my school supplies and stuff for cleaning
I served ice cream from their parlor
They helped as much as they could
Winter was here and there was so many chores to do
Thank God Mama had use of her legs during harvest time
She had canned corn,greenbeans, beets, tomatoes, tomato juice and peas
Thank God daddy had added the electric pump to the well
A neighbor had died and her daughter gave Mama the porta potty chair
I chopped wood for the wood burner for two weeks to have it last a bit
Didn't use the upstairs much, mainly for storage and my play house
We had an old number 9 wash tub we used to bathe in
I would wash Mama up best I could
Then i would see too it my brother was bathed
I bathed last cause I would be dirtiest from working or cleaning
I didn't understand what was so hard about how we lived
That electric,rent, and gas for our cooking stove had to be paid
Or at least not the money part of it anyway, the cost
Mamas sister would bring boxes of clothes
So them hand me downs was wonderful to me
Mama didn't ask for anything she was just grateful for what was given
About three weeks before Christmas I learned the animals had to go
All we would keep would be the milk cow, 4 of Mamas best laying hens
Miss Maggiemay, and Mamas dog
My heart was broken, them animals was my friends
I knew Mama was making something but didn't know what
She had explained that this Christmas there wouldn't be very much
But i told her that as long as we stayed together i didn't care at all
In the store of them dear old people was a lapel pin and a hat and scarf
I wanted these for my Mama and brother
I asked if I could work on saturdays too just to pay for them
Grandma just rubbed my long hair and walked away
It wasn't very busy lately, too cold to eat ice cream to much
But there was the catalogs I loved to look it, they was my dream books
When they got old I could cut out my favorite ones
I made a scrap book of the one that just made my heart swell
It was a frolic petticoat, long and flared at the bottom
It had fur around the cuffs , collar and the bottom, and a fur hand muff to match
It was a rich red with gold buttons
I would pretend i was a princess and that it was my coat
I knew i had to get a small fur from the woods out back to decorate
But when I got home Mama was crying and singing "Silent Night"
I loved to hear Mama sing
But i had not seen Mama excited in a long time
She pointed at the door to the front room and told me to have a look
Oh My God in heaven
Thank you
There was the biggest fully decorated Christmas tree i had ever saw
Mama said that the Landlord and his family had brought it
And in the kitchen was running water, I wouldn't have to pump it now
There was two large boxes of fruit and nuts and candy on the table
Under the tree was three gifts
I can still hear Mama saying"Maryellen, God works in wonderful ways"
The next two weeks seem to fly by
I was excited to find out what was in the boxes under the tree
But i still wanted those gifts for my family, the pin and hat and scarf
I asked again and they hugged me to them
Asked me to sit down
As i sat down a glow spread over granny's face
Tears spilled down her eyes as she told me a story about a little girl ...
This little girl loved her family enough that she worked instead of play
She didn't care that times was so rough as long as she had her family
She said that this little girl was very special indeed
Then she told me I was that little girl, and she was so proud of me
She smiled at me and she wiped her eyes
She handed me the things I wanted and said I had earned them
That Santa would want her to give them to me because i only asked for another
And not for myself
Gramps nodded in agreement and turned away so we wouldn't see his tears
He told me to grab my coat he would take me home because snow was falling thick
Grams handed me some pretty foil wrap and hugged me bye
I went to sleep feeling so peaceful that night
Christmas Eve held more suprise
Mama got a Christmas Card from someone still unknown to this day
Inside was a note that read: Your rent is paid for one year
God Bless
No name or return address
Mama rang the landlord and asked who paid this money
He said he didn't know who that he only got the money and a note in the card
The note in his explaining what the money was for
Mama hung up and started blessing God and thanking him for his Angels
That night as we was singing Christmas carols and making cookies
Gramps and Grams came
They had 6 gifts in tow
2 for each of us
My boxes was the biggest , my eyes was wide
And Just Because Of God's Angel's
There inside my boxes was my dream coat and muff
I knew right then that I was the richest child ever
I had love and Angels to watch over me
That was many years ago but so fresh in my heart
I still to this day have a pocket from that coat and a bit of worn fur from its bottom
But in my heart I have the most precious memories ever...
The Memories of the Kind and Loving people around us
God Bless Each One Of You
Maryellen


Click Below to Add Your Own Memorable Christmas :))

Please Pass This Page On So Others May Enjoy It Too
Visit my Credit Page :))
And Dont forget to Sign My Guest Book
Thanks
MERRY CHRISTMAS