My Family Part 3

My parents wasted no time starting a family. It was the days before reliable birth control so it was what every married couple did.

Ten months after the wedding Mom gave birth to a beautiful baby girl with dark hair and bright blue eyes. Her name was Melva Lynn after Daddy's first name and Mom's nickname.

I was a pampered child. My youngest uncle is only 3 years older than me. Actually for 4 days every year it is only 2 years older because our birthdays are so close.

My father had not known my mother when he was in the Navy. However he brought 2 kimonos with him when he came home. One was for his wife and one was for his little girl. I wore that kimono until I could no longer fit in it.

A little over a year later came a bouncing baby boy named Gary Melvan. Mom always said he was the most unsatisfactory baby. He did not like being held. He liked being by himself.

Except for a few years of marriage that was the way he lived most of his life. Alone. He had a heart attack at age 42 during Hurricane Andrew in Florida. He was in the hospital for about 3 days before he could remember our sister's number to notify family.

Gary recovered but had problems with his heart after that. He died the same way he lived. Alone. He was living in New York State and had a fatal heart attack.

Less than a year after Gary was born Randall Thomas was born. He was also a pretty baby. (We all were.) We called him Randy.

Randy was outgoing and (at least in my opinion) pushy. Now do not take that to mean we did not get along. We were all very close. Any mischief was done by Randy and me.

Randy was drafted in 1969. You will recognize that as one of the Viet Nam years. He was killed in 1970. It was the only time I ever saw my father cry.

Rebecca Rae was born 2 years after Randy. When her hair began to grow a bit it turned into little dark ringlets that looked like pincurls all over her head.

We called her Becky. She was a sassy child. she did not walk; she sashayed.

Becky had a stroke a few years ago. Her left side is paralized and she is presently living in a nursing home.

Two years after Becky came David Lee. David was a strange child. I have often said that David acted like his head was in a cloud. He often did not realize that anyone else existed.

David's passion was his cars and trucks... toys of course. He is probably the champion cars and trucks player of all time. He would take the hoe and drag it along the ground to make roads. Sometimes we played with him and sometimes he was content to play alone.

Finally I have a sibling I can report is still alive and healthy.

Right before David was due to begin kindergarten he was allowed to tell the rest of us that our parents were going to have another baby. It was so exciting.

Nalinlee Teddi was born when I was eleven. That seems to be the age a girl's mothering instinct really kicks in. She was my baby to spoil.

Nalinlee loved being a baby. When she was about 8 years old she finally gave in and allowed us to call he a LITTLE girl... emphasis on little. She was extremely shy. She would actually hide if someone outside the family came to the house so she would not have to say hello to them.

She too is alive and healthy.

Five more years passed and John Jay was born. One baby picture could be used for all of us except Johnny. He looked like Randy but like Randy was when Johnny was born.

Johnny was a great deal like Randy in personality. But he was the fussiest eater I ever saw. When he was in school he took his lunch. It consisted of one lettuce leaf between two slices of bread.

Johnny had a heart attack when he was in his forties. He has always taken good care of himself so he recovered quickly. Thank goodness his son and son-in-law were with him at the time. He has had a couple of procedures to correct problems relating to his heart.

Other than that he is alive and healthy.

My mother lost 6 babies early in pregnancy. There would have been 13 of us! Gloriosky, Sandy!

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to be continued..........