Numerous Love Affairs

I'm going to share with you a few of my numerous love affairs. One might think I would be ashamed to share such, but I am not the least bit ashamed. I only hope others have been as blessed as I with the numerous men I have fallen in love with over the years.

My first affair happened so early in my life that I cannot remember a time when I wasn't in love with him. His name was Henry Claude Ward, but I called him, "Daddy". Oh yes, I was the normal little girl who was definitely going to marry my daddy when I grew up. It was quite a shock when I learned little girls didn't marry their daddies!

Let me tell you a little bit about him. He was huge in my sight, but in the sight of others, not so. My hero was no more than 5' 3" and for many years only 125 pounds. He was 36 years old when I was born but could keep up with the youngest of dads. He gave me piggy back rides to town (we never owned a car), took me to work with him from time to time, listened to my problems, corrected me by talking to me (I only received two spankings from him and don't remember but one of them.) Often when I would get a "tongue lashing" I would beg for a spanking. Those hurt far more than a beating and were probably a lot more effective. My daddy was a lover. He never entered or left the house without kissing both my mother and me. He taught me many things.......love for family, love for others, honesty, morality, self-discipline and much, much more during the 23 years I was blessed with his presence. I only wish he had stayed on this earth long enough to know and love all of his grandchildren as he knew and loved his namesake, Claudia, and his first grandson, Allen. Yes, my love affair with my daddy continues in memory even today.

 

My daddy around 1948

My next affair was with a much larger man than my daddy. His name was John Burie White, but I called my maternal grandfather, Papa. Papa was probably 5'8 or 9" and at least 250 pounds. We lived with my grandparents for a year before I started school. My love for Papa grew stronger during that year and it never waned. He was the depot agent in the tiny town of Dozier, Alabama and my cousins and I were welcomed to visit him at the depot any time we wanted. Papa taught me quite a bit during that year and the years following. He taught me, by example, to take care of others. There wasn't a time that I remember when someone other than he and Grannie were living in their home. They took care of his aunt, a distant cousin, two grandchildren and others during the years that I remember. I inherited (or maybe it was taught) some of my dry wit from him. He would make a comment and one didn't know if he was teasing or not until a wry little smile crept across his face. Papa also left this earth before I was ready to let him go and even though he's been gone for 64 years my love for him has lasted.

Pictures of my papa have been send to Huntsville so I don't have one available at this time.

And then I spread my wings a tad when I started school back in 1941. Of course my daddy was still my "main man" and my papa was a close second. However, there sat Billy Baker in "Miss" Elsie Hodnette's first grade class just waiting to be my next love affair. The two of us hit it off immediately and soon became fast friends. I don't think I knew what a sweetheart was at the time. I thought he was my boyfriend, as a boy who was a special friend. Soon people began asking who my sweetheart was and I realized, "why it must be Billy!" So, off and on from the age of 6 to the age of 15 we were sweethearts. Billy (he has grown up to be Bill now) taught me a lot of things about "love". I think the thing I learned most is the fact that a boy and girl can be very dear friends without the strings of intimacy. Oh yes, we held hands....and, don't tell anyone.....but we had a kiss or two....really just a peck. But, we were truly friends. I enjoyed being with him. I loved his parents (who also taught me a lot.)

A very important bit of information I learned from Billy happened when we were about 14 or so. Mrs. Tinsley, our Home Ec teacher, and Mr. Alsobrook, the Ag teacher, had their classes out planting flowers around the Home Ec/Ag building one day. Mrs. Tinsley told my friend, Nagel, and me to take the wheel barrow, go to Mr. Hatchett's and get it full of compost. We headed down the road and I asked Nagel what we were going to get. She said she had no idea. So we slyly went back to the school and I motioned for Billy to come over. I asked him what in the world compost was. He grinned (well maybe it was more like laughed) and told us to go to Mr. Hatchett's barn and fill the wheel barrow with horse manure! Thanks Bill, for steering us in the right direction without further embarrassment. And also thanks for being my friend from the ages of 6 to the ages of 80!

Billy Baker

I'm not quite sure when this was taken but probably late grade school or junior high.

I'll skip a few of my affairs.....one day I'll tell you about some very special uncles and other men who influenced me but now I want to conclude by telling you about the most important man that has ever blessed my life. His name, can you guess, is Doyal Clayborn Wright.

I could write a book about this fellow, but will try and make it brief. I was only 17 when he walked into my classroom at Opelika Vocational School. I do not believe in love at first sight for others, but it certainly happened to me. Something told me he was the one for me. We were quite different. I had just left home for the first time and was living with my uncle and aunt. He was 22 and had just served almost 4 years in the Army. I knew very little about "life" and he knew quite a bit. I had never traveled. He had been to several states as well as overseas. We were of different religions. We had very few things in common. But, God knew what was ahead for us. He knew our hearts. We met late September 1952, got engaged December 22, and married April 4, 1953.

Doyal, my lover and my best friend, has stood beside me through thick and thin. He has provided well. He has been the spiritual leader of our home and also a great servant of God. He served as an elder in two different congregations, served the Lord on foreign soil, preached while making a living as a Mechanical Engineer and has preached on a volunteer basis for a small congregation in Southeastern Indiana for the past 25 years. Oh how I wish I had the room and you had the time for me to tell you how he used the family to incorporate us in his efforts for the Lord. I never felt that he neglected us.

If anyone has close to a full measure of the fruit of the spirit it is my husband.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-25

So......how did that love affair work out? We have 6 children, 24 grandchildren and we're expecting our 38th and 39th great-grandchildren before the end of the year. Sixty-two years and counting!

 

 

Happy Father's Day to all the men in my life, both past, present and future, but especially to my one and only....Doyal Clayborn Wright.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:31-33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our First Baby!

Today, June 15, 2015 brings back so many memories!  Sixty-one years ago today we welcomed our first baby into the world.  What a welcome it was!  I weighed a whopping 95 pounds the summer of 1953 and a 9 months later gave birth to a 9 pound 3 ounce, 21 inch perfect little girl!  I had always planned to name my first little girl Claudia after my daddy, Claude Ward.  Then I came up with the bright idea of naming her a name beginning with "D" since we were Doyal and Drucilla.  So, for the first day we were thinking of Claudia Denise and calling her Denise.  My daddy came into the room and I was telling him our plans.  He seemed a bit disappointed but reminded me of the problems he and I had always had being called by our middle names and suggested we use the first name Denise.  Did I really want to do that, I thought.  NO!  I had always wanted my first girl to be named Claudia as I had always wanted my name to be.  So......we scrapped the idea of all "D's" and named that beautiful bundle of joy, Claudia Elizabeth for my sweet daddy and Doyal's wonderful mother.  I have never regretted the decision and I don't think Claudia Beth has either!

 

Henry Claude Ward

This was taken a few years before he died.

Claudia was just over 3 when her Granddaddy Ward died.

 

 

Millie Talsie Elizabeth Wright a couple of years before her death.

Claudia was 29 when her Big Mama died.

 

 

Is Claudia our favorite?  Ask her.  Then ask the others.  We hope all six of the children think they are the favorite.  To tell the truth each one is definitely favorite in his/her own special way.  But, when they get together and discuss this subject along with which one we love the most Claudia always gets the last word by reminding them,  "I'm the one they've loved the longest!"

 

 

Here we are surrounded by our children on Christmas 1988.

Paula on the left front, Sharon in the middle and Claudia on the right. 

The boys, Frank, Allen and Frankie in the back. 

Every time they are together Claudia reminds them that she is the one we've loved the longest.

 

I want to use this post to thank our first-born for many things.

 1.  First of all; thank you for teaching us things that only a first new-born can teach.  Things like, how to quickly and efficiently change a very poop-filled cloth diaper.  What to do when that first child throws up all over her mother and the car just as they drive in the parking lot at church.  How to "sterilize" a pacifier.  (For those who don't know take a guess.) How not to panic when the child is running a high fever and you have NO idea what to do.  How to handle a colicky  baby.  So many, many things that precious new-born taught us!

 

 

Claudia began teaching us the joy of parenthood from the day of her birth.

 

 

 2.  Next, the joys of early childhood.  Allowing, yes encouraging, her to bond with both sets of grandparents and not to be too concerned with their spoiling.  How not to panic when there were falls, bruises and scraps.  Learning that the term "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is NOT in the Bible.  It is okay to get dirty!  Quickly learning that it is a good thing to insist on a child hold your hand when out in public. (By the way, she now insists on holding my hand.....what goes around, comes around.)  Using a child as an excuse to have pets and teaching them to take care of them.  Whoa!  That's a stretch, isn't it?

 

 

 

 

She loved pretty dresses.

 

 3.  And then that child became a sibling!  Claudia taught me the joy of being a sibling, as the closest I had ever come was having cousins that I loved dearly.  She was the best big sister ever (and still is.) Twenty-one months after she was born along came Allen.  Then, two years after that was Paula.  Next, after a two and a half year wait here came Sharon.  By this time Claudia was a little over 6 and she claimed Sharon as her own.  Those three siblings weren't enough for her so after another two and a half year wait along came baby Frank.  And what do you know!  We acquired another sibling later when 11 year old Frank (we still call his Frankie) Hazelman entered the family.  Not only did Claudia show us the joys of being a sister, but the others taught me a lot about rearing a big family......just what I always wanted!  On a side note......what if we had gone along with our first idea of naming all the children with their first names beginning with "D"?  That would have been a mouthful.

 

 

Happy siblings, Claudia and Allen.

 

And then there were 6!

 

 4.  A few years later our first child began teaching us the joys and trials (at times) of rearing teenagers.  These were fun years!  I understood how a female teen felt, thought, acted and all that good stuff.  Because of this it was  frightening at times.  She was the first to grow into womanhood, the first to wear make up (way too much blue eye shadow at times), the first for us to be concerned about the length of skirts, the first to date......and all that goes with what a first teen teaches their parents.

 

We learned to rear and enjoy teens beginning with the first teen in the family.

 

 

 

 5.  And then, Claudia became a mother teaching us the joys of being grandparents!  Not only were we being taught, but our other children were learning to be aunts and uncles.  When that first grandchild (and all that follow) is placed in your arms for the first time you are transported to the first time your own baby was placed there.  Claudia, thank you for presenting us with our first grandchild and allowing us to be a part of his life from his birth until now!  And thank you for giving us four more Fords!

 

Thank you for my first grandchild!

 5.  Now that this first baby is grown she is not only my daughter, but my friend!  Thank you for teaching me that a daughter will always be a daughter, and in many ways that baby....little girl....teen....young mother, but can grow into one of the best friends a mother could ever imaging having.

 

My daughter, my friend and, in this case my nurse.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

Okay, Drue! Remember Your Motto!

I have come to the conclusion that I need to take my motto seriously.  Remember what it is:  "Remember, It's Not All About Me!"

 

Since July, I have had health issues with little let-up between them.  Recently I have been in severe pain from time to time with something much like gallbladder pain.  However, my gallbladder went to wherever bad gallbladders so almost 7 years ago. On January 9th I had an "attack" that lasted from about 10 at night and was still with me at 5:30 the next morning. I went to the hospital where I was admitted from early Sunday Morning on 10th and put through all sorts of tests from then until Monday evening around 7:00 pm when I was dismissed.  Nothing new was found!  So, we're treating "nothing" at the time by eating lightly and all that good stuff.  So, poor old pitiful me......I've had "me" in the forefront now for 1/2 year and I'm tired of keeping that sort of company.

 

After my last major attack a couple of nights ago I did what I should have done 6 or so months ago.  First I prayed (of course I've been doing that) and then the Lord and I decided the best thing to do is to get busy at least thinking of others whether I can do a lot for them yet or not.  We decided I would no longer wallow in pity about people not doing what I thought they should be doing for me, but to be thankful for all that is being done to make me better.  Then we decided I need to study His word more and I'm trying to do that as well.  And finally we agreed to get in my old habit of laughing!

 

That's what I want to share with you today......just a few personal funnies that have come to mind that you might find a bit humorous. I'm one of those odd ones who enjoy laughing at myself.  In fact, sometimes I crack myself up!

 

My mother once told me that when I was about 2 or 3 Daddy was teasing (he was a BIG tease) and said,  "I'm going to turn over a new leaf around this house."  She said I looked up from whatever I was doing and commented,  "Well, Daddy, then I'll just have to tear it out then."

 

Again, when I was in grade school the following happened.  My sweet, kind, loving aunt had a husband that I considered a grouch.  He might not have been, but that was my perception. One Thanksgiving he swallowed a turkey bone and had to go to a hospital 50 miles away for surgery.  He was there several days and when he came home I went over to check on him.  He seemed to be a changed man.  I couldn't wait to get home and tell Mother,  "Mother, you won't believe this but they cut all the grouch out of Uncle Clarence!"

 

 

Here I am at 7-years-old

 

 

Later, in High School I was asked to enter a speech contest through the American Legion using the title,  "How to Keep Our Youth in the South."  I wasn't the least bit shy (can you believe that!) but told them I would think about it.  I mulled over it for a few days and decided not to.  However, I went to hear my friend expound on the topic.  Boy, oh boy, oh boy am I ever thankful I didn't agree!  My thoughts were staying youthful such as exercising, eating properly, getting plenty of sunshine, etc.  Think about it.....that was NOT what they had in mind. I saved myself and the American Legion in Notasulga, Alabama a lot of embarrassment by turning down that invitation!

 

Soon after we married I was walking down Railroad Avenue in Opelika, Alabama and noticed a display out in front of one of the stores.  There was a stack of bed pillows on a table with a large sign, "Beat This!"  I picked up one, balled up my fist, drew back and realized that was NOT what they meant!  Beat the price.....NOT the pillow!

 

I know most of you are wondering if I passed this amazing ability on to my offspring.  Well, I definitely did to a couple of them. 

 

When we moved to Huntsville from Baton Rouge back in 1961 we contracted to have a new house built.  Each day we drove out and watered the lawn as there was supposed to be a lawn in place before the final papers were signed.  So, each day we loaded up the family (we only had 4 children at the time) and headed out to take care of our soon-to-be property.  There was a portion of Mastin Lake Road that was not paved at the time.  Once we came up on a truck that was watering the road to keep the dust down.  Three-year-old Paula asked,  "What is that truck watering the road for?'  Before we could answer she replied,  "Oh I know.  It's to make it grow!"  It must have worked as it wasn't long until the road was no longer dirt but was paved.

 

Then another time about the same time as the above Paula was standing with the refrigerator door wide open looking inside.  I said,  "Close that refrigerator door."  She looked puzzled and reminded me,  "Momma, my name's not 'Door'."

 

Sharon, who was our sensitive child, was sitting on the front steps with Rose Coleman when we were visiting them in Hamilton, New Zealand back in the mid-1960's.  Needing attention she looked up at Rose and said,  "Rose, feel my head and see if I have a headache."

 

Sharon has also passed this ability down to her children.  Makes a Momma proud.  When her oldest, Sarah was in first grade her teacher knew her well as they were members of the same church as Sharon and her family.  Sarah was a talker (I keep wondering where she inherited that!)  The teacher had asked her to quit talking several times and finally said,  "Sarah, this is the last time I'm going to tell you to be quiet." Sarah was so relieved and replied, "Oh good!"

 

I'm full of remembering my special "funnies" today and could share a lot more but you might not enjoy them nearly as much as I do.  So.....until next time......See you later and have a wonderful God-filled day. And I'll keep remembering......"It's Not All About Me."

Proverbs 17:22....A cheerful heart is good medicine: but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PONDERING

I have been in deep thought most of the day.  I wonder if it is just me, or if others who will be 80 next month have the same problem.

There are days when the oddest things escape me.  Yes, there are things that escape my mind often, but I'm talking here about odd things escaping my body.  When I am at home I barely notice when such things happen.  But, in public it's a whole different ballgame.

Take this morning for instance.......We were up very early for us.  Awoke at 6:30 and was out of bed soon after.  Doyal put on coffee for later and I fixed myself up to get to the hospital for an ultra sound.  Why in the world with a 7:30 appointment would an old lady bother to put on make up just to get on a narrow bed and have a nice technician squirt some jelly all over her upper body and roll a little ball all over to take pictures that we had no idea what they were? 

But, I get off the subject. By the time I got to the hospital I was having chest pains.  Mind you I knew what they were.  They had nothing to do with my heart!  And, by the time I got on that little bed they were worse!  Oh my!  How I wanted to be home where I could relieve myself.  I've never quite understood this.  If I had to burp I would have burped as quietly as possible and uttered a sweet, "excuse me."  But no!  I couldn't let that other bodily function escape me!  Not in that small room with just Doyal, the sweet technician and the old lady in the opened back hospital gown!

All the rolling and mashing and rolling and pressing was done and I had succeeded in "holding it off."  And then, horror of horrors, the sweet technician asked if I could roll over on my left side and face the wall.  Guess which side was exposed to that sweet young girl.  So, prayer was all that did it.  I'm not being frivolous here.  I was praying to keep holding off for awhile.  So....she rolled and mashed and rolled and pressed all over the right side of my back.  I'm so happy it was the right side as I don't think the left side could have survived.  Or, at least I don't know if she could have survived!

She was finished!  I was allowed to change into my clothes and leave.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough!  All I can say in conclusion is I have never been so thankful for an empty elevator with a closed door!!!!  And suddenly the pain around my heart vanished!