May | 2014 | Blue and Green Together

Introduction: This diary has survived numerous moves and somehow still remains with me. I didn’t post all of it. Many entries were “We went to church” on Sundays, and “We watched Chips” on Saturdays. A few names were purposely omitted. All spelling/grammar/punctuation errors are left intact for your reading pleasure.

Diary cover 1980

Inside front cover: From Aunt Esther, Christmas — 1979 I am 8 years old!!! and turning 9!!!

Tues. Jan. 1, 1980 Today we went to church, to start the year in God’s house. The __family came to have dinner with us. I showed them my Lay ‘N Egg game, my painting, my Fashion Plates. We went to the farm and cut wood. Tonight we are going to my grandma’s. She will make Oleycooten.

Wed. Jan. 2 Today I had piano lessons. There has been no school for 2 weeks. For christmas I got a new bike, a purse, nail polish, nail remover and perfume. I also got a comb, three necklaces, Fashion Plates and an Lay an egg game. I also got this diary. We have a dog his name is Spottie. We threw are cat in the barn.

Thurs. Jan. 3 Today me and my brother went to the farm. I played the piano in the house (Not in the barn) I called my friend Brenda on the phone. Tonight we watched the Waltons.

Sat. Jan. 5 Today I went to my friends house. Me and Sara went to the farm too play. This morning me and mom changed my room around. January 7 school starts again and we have to write EVERY SINGLE WORD in cursive! YUCK!

Wed. Jan 9 1980 Today I went to school. We had art. Tonight Dad will finish paneling my room. I found out I will have purple carpet. It was Mom and Dad’s Aniversary. I had piano lessons And it was hot lunch

Wed. Jan 16 1980 Today it was hot lunch at school. I had piano lessons. Susie S. called me up and told me a bunch of jokes.

Thus Jan. 17 Today I had school. Tonight we watched the Waltons. Fred went to Awana.

Friday Jan 18 Today I went to school Sara D.B. came over to play.

Sat. Jan 19 Today there was NO school. I went to the farm with Dad. Grandma, Grandpa and me went for a walk all the way to Nichoulse road. I got new overalls. Tonight we watched Chips.

Tues Jan 22 Today I went to school. (as usual.) I went to Kim’s house and played soccar. She showed me her Barbie perfume maker.

Wed. Jan 23 Today I went to school. (as usual.) In school it was hot lunch. I had piano lessons. Me and Fred hauled in wood. (we always have to. yuck.) At hot lunch Mom came to my room.

Thurs. Jan 24 Today I went to school (as usual). I made cupcakes. Mom went to the Gospel mission. Fred went to Awana. Tonight we whatched the Waltons.

Friday Jan 25 Today I went to school (as usual) It was Dad’s birthday. Tonight we went to Upper Crust pizza and the walked around in the mall.

Mon. Jan 28 Today I didn’t go to school because I got sick. Tonight I watched Little house on the Prarie.

Sat. Feb. 2 This morning we whatched cartoons and I sorted out lids. This afternoon Joel V.D. came over. Tonight we watched Chips.

Wed. Feb. 6 Today I went to school. It was hot lunch and Sara came over and we biult a fort in the snow.

Fri. Feb. 8 Today I went to school (yuck.) Well tonight at school there was a play at school called the Electric sunshine man. boy I wonder how they can memorize all those parts.

Sat Feb 9 Today there wasn’t any school (yeah) Fred, Randy and Dad went to a harvestore free dinner. Grandma B. came over and gave me a perminent. When dad and Fred came home, they were drawin names and we got the grand prize a harvestore picnic basket.

Sun. Feb. 10 Today we went too church. After Church, we went to Aunt Lena’s and then too Grandma’s house for dinner. Tonight Aunt Nellie came over.

Mon. Feb 11 today I went to school (of course) After school I went to Sara’s house and we went sking. Tonight we had a baby sitter.

Thurs Feb 14 Today was valentines day. I passed out my valentine cards. Fred went to Awana And we watched the Waltons.

Friday Feb. 15 Today I went to school (of course.) Tonight Aunt Grace, Uncle Berney, and Betty and Andy came over. We smoked candy ciggars.

Original diary page. Apparently at some point I went through and put blue bingo stamps on every page.

Med May 14 Yesterday there was a tornado. School is closed because of it. Boy we’re lucky it didn’t catch us!

Sun. April 19, 1981 Sorry I haven’t written to you for about a year. Well, I’m 9 years old and going on ten. In March I performed a program at Miller Auditorium. It was exciting. There were about 60 other kids in it. It took hard practicing. Today is Easter. We went to church. The Senior Choir was pretty it sang with the trumpets, organ and piano. Tonight our Senior Choir will sing with the Third Chirstian Reformed Church. This year we have a Junior Choir. I’m in it. (I love to sing). I’m als in Calvinettes, next Sunday is Calvinette Sunday. I am still taking piano lessons. I have been going to ROCK CLUB. Miss Vandyk is my teacher. I like her. Next year she’s going to England. We have a new car. Kathy’s getting big. We are having Spring vacation this week yahoo. My boyfriend is _____________

Mon. April 20, 1981 Today is the first day of SPRING VACATION! Aunt Esther babysat while Mom went to work for ________ at Friendship Village. My boyfriend is_________but he doesn’t know it. Tonight I’m going to Sue’s house to spend the night then tomorrow she will come to my house and go to the church skating party!

(From that point on, the diary is blank.)

Your comments are always welcome!

It was many years before I was able to become a mom. My first child was born a month before I turned 36. When he would.not.sleep. on his back, my mom visited and gently rolled him over on his belly in the bassinette. She told me to get some sleep and reassured me she would watch him. I was a conscientious new mom and trying to follow all the “sleep on your back” rules. Mom told me “You all slept on your tummies, and you all survived. I will sit right here and watch his breathing the whole time. Go get some sleep.” I watched as she pulled up a kitchen chair right next to the basinette. For the first time in a few days, the baby and I both had a blissful time of sleep. I think Grandma was pretty blissful too, having some one-on-one time with her first ever grand-baby.

That was the first of numerous times I discovered my mom has great advice about raising kids.

Fast forward six years. A few months ago I called her, disturbed because this same child–who ended up sleeping on his belly from that moment on– was now caught in several little lies. She told me “Seems like all of you kids went through a stage like that about his age. You can’t let them get away with it. Stick with it (discipline/consequences), and it will pass.” She was right about that, too.

On a cloudy morning last week the kids were having numerous battles and I was overwhelmed. Time to call mom. She told me to send them out in the yard to pick up sticks. After another fight or two outside, it worked like a charm, and my husband was pleased with the big pile of sticks they set up to show him that afternoon. “Make them run around the house a few times” is her cure for loud crazy kids in the house.

My mom is not a stand-out-of-the-crowd type of person in any way. Unlike me, she is fairly shy. She is quiet when there are lots of people around, but when she is with her kids or close family members at home, she can be the life of the party. She is so much fun, and loves to laugh. When times are tough, she hops on the John Deere Gator to get some fresh air at the farm, or she sits down at the keyboard to fill the room with a hymn. She always thinks she should get a job! (How many times has she told me that!?) However, she is always working, even though she doesn’t get a pay check.

I told mom once that I felt her job was called “being available”. When my dad calls to ask if she wants to run out to Filmore Equipment with him to pick up some parts, she is always ready to go. When one of my brothers needs a ride to Martin Spring & Driveline to pick up their truck, she heads out the door to pick them up. She takes her sister-in-law grocery shopping nearly every week. She hops in her car and drives an hour or two to visit her daughter (ME!) who is feeling overwhelmed with life, illness and homeschooling her kids. This past week she took us all out for lunch. Stopped and bought supper for us too, so I wouldn’t have to cook supper that night! If she hears of someone who is ill, grieving, or having a hard time, she will bring them a hot meal–often that very evening. If you are ever at her house, you will hear the phone ring several times. It is one of her daughters calling just to talk and share the events of the day. Her sons call nearly as often, and know there is always a meal ready if they are hungry. She is a wonderful cook. She knows 999 delicious ways to fix ground beef, after many years of being married to a dairy farmer. Nothing makes her happier then taking a little road trip with dad, whether going to a toy tractor show or visiting antique stores and any place that fancies them along the way. She doesn’t mind a little adventure now and then.

She can be a little crazy. She will go buy a pack of Swisher Sweets every few years and smoke them with her daughters out on the porch while they laugh and laugh—all of them normally being non-smokers of course!

She has always shown by example how to respect the elderly. As children, she took us to visit relatives and friends in the nursing home. She still helps every month with a senior luncheon. When her dad wasn’t doing well in assisted living, she moved him into her house and took care of him. She loved her parents and treasures their memory. My mom would never “toot her own horn”, and most of what she does is behind the scenes. She will blush like crazy to know that others are reading this about her. She never spoke to us kids about these things like they were a “lesson to learn”. She just lives it, and we see it.

She’s not a saint. (Though you might consider her one, if you knew how I behaved during my teenage years.) She is a sinner, saved by grace. To me and my brothers and sisters, and others who are privileged to know her well, she is a beautiful woman. There are many godly women I admire and respect and consider to be heroines as well. Of all of these, I love my mom the most, and hope to be just like her.

My beautiful mom

Blue and Green Together

~~

Monthly Archives: May 2014

Age 9 Diary

I want to be like my mom

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