Family And Home

Well you all know I was raised in The San Luis Valley but I don't know if I mentioned that I was raised with my grandparents. My mother re-married and my grandparents didn't want me to grow up with a stepfather so they asked my mother if they could raise me. Which was a great idea because I had the most wonderful childhood. I never knew a thing about child abuse until I moved to the city. So it was the most heart breaking thing I could imagine. You don't come from a home like mine and expect people do such things. So thank you God for my grandparents.

My grandfather was born in 1902 so he had seen alot by the time I came around. He would tell me stories of life before. He lived through the horse and buggy days, that is an amazing thing to me. He used to work for ranchers when he was young, he was a cowboy. He did it all. Just like in the movies. And he loved it. He would say that things were much simpler then but that they were happier times. People were not so materialistic and that everyone was brought up with good manners. He had a good sense of humor and he would do little dances and things just to make us laugh. He was awesome.

My grandmother was born in 1907. She was an amazing woman. She worked in the fields when she was younger. She was a very good seamstress and an excellent cook. She was a very kind soul. She was a quiet shy woman around others but she was just a wonderful mother to me. However if you upset her she would let you know right then and there. She was a strong woman. If you saw her cry you knew it was something bad. But she had so much love and kindness, a heart of gold.

They were married in their thirties. And they had six children, five girls and one boy. They lived on a farm that had been given to my father by his mother. It wasn't a huge farm only eighteen acres. But it was big enough to feed the whole family. He owned horses,cows,pigs,shickens,geese,rabbits, and sheep. So there was always plenty of meat.And he grew a huge garden with every kind of vegetable you can think of. So we all helped with the planting and watering and everything else. And I can tell you nothing is as good as a carrot you just pulled out of the ground. He would wash it off for me and I would gobble up the sweet orange carrot. I love carrots to this day but they don't taste the same.

Now because all our meat and all our veggies were fresh the only items we purchased at the store were flour,sugar,salt and other spices. And of course shoes and clothes. So farm living was inexpensive and very good for the earth.

By the time I was born all the children were out of the home except for one of my aunts. We are ten years apart in age,so I had someone to chat with and play with,until she graduated and moved to the city.

So I had my parents all to myself and I was a happy happy girl. I have alot of memories since the age of two. But most of the good ones start about the age of seven. I don't remember alot of things before just a few things here and there.

Now growing up on the farm I had alot of pets. And when a mother would not feed her young we had to. So if you have ever lived on a farm you know that baby lambs will follow you around all the time. And they are so cute and soft and I loved them. Pigs are different they make lots of noise and don't like to be picked up. But you have to feed them and so you just let them squeal until they start feeding.I never had to do this with a cow for some reason the cows always took care of their babies. But I have to say that a baby chick is just one of my favorite farm babies. However roosters are a different story. They are not the friendliest animal. But I did love horses and especially the new baby colts. The geese were ok they sort of scared me because they were so loud and big. The bunnies of course were cute and cuddly but I wasn't allowed to play with them all the time. You know they get infested with fleas at certain seasons. And we always had dogs. I love dogs.

Since I can remember this is how the day would go. Early in the morning my grandfather would get up and make a fire in the wood stove. Then my grandmother would start coffee in those coffee pots that perculate on the stove. It would smell so good throughout the house. Then I would hear my grandfather go out to feed and water the animals.

My grandmother would start breakfast and just before it was done when the house was cozy warm she would wake me up. I would get all cleaned up and we would all sit down to breakfast. We would always say grace before every meal. I still do. Then we would just chat about what was going on for the day and what needed to be done. Breakfast would be over and my grandfather would continue with his chores and I would help my grandmother with the dishes and housework. Then came time for the fun stuff. We always made yummy cakes,cookies,breads, whatever she was in the mood for. And like I said before she was an excellent cook. And even a better baker. So I would help her make whatever she was making and we would chat about cooking and family and being kind and all those good values they installed in me. And talked alot about God. I was brought up a Catholic so God is a big deal in my family. I was glad she taught me so much about God because I needed to learn and because I would one day have to make my first Holy Communion. But she taught me so much during our cooking sessions and I loved being with her all the time.

On somedays I would go out and spend the day with my grandfather. I didn't like him to be alone all the time. And he would teach me about the animals the garden good manners and of course God. He would look up at the sky and say Thank you God he was very happy on his farm and he loved being a farmer.

On saturdays we would go into town and buy what we needed at the store. Or if we needed clothing or other things we would drive to Alamosa and shop there. We would always have lunch at the park in Alamosa. Or we would eat at one of the restaurants if it was to cold for the park. On the ride home we would stop at my aunt's house and visit her and her family. Sometimes we would stay for dinner. Then we would head on home.

Sunday we went to church no ifs ands or buts. And I enjoyed going after all if you didn't go to church you were not faithful to God. And I loved God still do and always will. After church we might go visit family or go into town and have lunch there. This was how it was Monday -Sunday.

Now the holidays were full of fun,family and lots of good food. My aunts,uncles, and cousins would come down for the holidays. There were alot of us and I always had a blast. We would play games and stay up laughing and talking until we were told it was time to stop. And of course that made us giggle even more. For the few days that the family was all there it was like a whole different world. It was loud but not annoying just laughter and happiness all around. And the food was excellent.

For the Christmas holiday we all went to midnight mass together. I love that memory of all of us in church together. It made me feel like all my family was being watched over by God and that they would be okay. Even to this day I sit and think of things that went on during the holidays. I always think we grow up too fast. But I'm grateful for all the memories.

Now I was a very good little girl. I was taught very good manners. And a big thing in my home was respect. You must always respect your elders. If a friend of the family stopped by I always had to say hello and how are you. I was shy then so i didn't like this much but i did it because I loved my parents and I wanted them to be proud of me. After all I didn't want their friend to think they were raising a wild child with no manners.

And of course my grandfather talked to me about credit. He would say, {your credit is very important don't ever ruin it . People will trust you and know that you are a keeper of your word if you have good credit. And your word should be all that you need. So don't ruin your credit} So I have to say I did really good at that for a long time but now well have to fix it up. I know better i just wasn't wise about a few choices. Live and learn as they say.

All that is good in me, I say is because of my grandparents. They loved me with all they had and they taught me how to treat others. I was never able to have children but if I had I think I would have been a great mother. I had the greatest teachers. i watch Little House On The Prarie all the time because I used to watch it with them and it reminds me of growing up on the farm. We always watched those kinds of shows. I don't know if any of you are old enough to remember The Waltons but that was one of their favorite shows, and mine. I guess I related alot to these shows and that's why I loved them so much.

Through out my life people I've worked with or met and become friends with have always told me that I am a very good person and that they will always love me or care for me. This of course makes me very happy and I always tell them it's because my parents were the greatest. They taught me to be the way I am. I try to be the same person all the time because I can't be anything else and for that I'm grateful Even with all the problems I have with my health because of my tumor I still try to keep a good outlook on life and the people that are a part of it.

Thank you God for giving me the most important thing, loving parents.