Some Precious Memories, and some very old pictures.. Hope you find something you'll like..

I hope that you read this TRUE story, and enjoy even parts of it.. I will say, I am no writer.. Not an English teacher and  I am no story teller.. So what I am saying is simply this.. Take my mistakes as love, and any words in the wrong places as hugs.. (as my Aunt Jenny used to always say) She was always so much fun to be around, and she and my grandma (Mom's mom) could sure tell some scary stories to a bunch of camping grandkids/ nieces and nephews.. But, I love them for all the fun times we had! BIG "HEAVENLY HUGS" to both of them as well as to Mom and Dad, Mr Kimberlin, Michael, Justin, Tim, Aunt Mary, Aunt Bertie, Jim, and sooooo many others, and of course our 5 little ones.
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anyway, a few times, and again on Sunday, one of my daughter n laws ask me to write down the TRUE story of my husband and I and how we got together (for our grandchildren, and them to have in the future)

.. So, I am going to attempt to do so... bare with me please and remember my Aunt's saying:

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A TRUE story for our Grandchildren of How their Granddad and I got together.. Especially since we never even "dated"... for us, it's 
"SOME PRECIOUS MEMORIES" with perhaps a chuckle or two thrown in among them.. 
         To tell you, my Grandchildren about your Granddad (Norman E Kimberlin Jr) and myself is going to take some time.. But we will surely try.  For starters we met when I was around 8 years old, He was around 16..  Our dad's Mr T"Joe" Sparks, and Mr N E Kimberlin Sr and a good friend of theirs Mr Clayton Moss played guitars together, just sitting usually around our living room, or at the Moss's living room (since Great Granddad Kimberlin lived in the country at that time). Soon Dad talked his Dad into bringing Norman's Mom (Celia) and the kids to church.. and over now and then for Sunday lunch. Sometimes we would also go to their house after church. Families used to visit way more than they do now, and seems like their family was as big or bigger than ours, so we all did wonderfully together. Fathers played music, ladies talked and cooked, and kids played, so it was a good match. 
        It was the usual meals, lots of delicious food, and it had to be.. Their were many kids in both families, and the families were still growing.. Always back then (and still do at our house) the men ate first, then the kids, and lastly the ladies and older girls..  That way in case more of something had to be made, there was time to add extra's.
      One fine weekday in the summer Norman Jr was helping my brothers Buck and Timmy with the addition of our dinning room and the boys bedroom. There was always a connection in a totally friendly only way between us. I had been busy around the house helping out with kids, dishes, cleaning, and carrying this and that to the working fella's. We also rode the bikes when they had stopped for a break, just right out in front of the house.. But then,  Out of the blue, your Granddad told my Mom "Hey, I'm going to marry this girl when she gets old enough."  Mom's answer??? She simply said.. "Yeah, I know"... 
      Years passed, our families stayed pretty close. We got older as time has a way of making happen. Norman and my brother Buck dated cousins at one point. Your Granddad was a hit with many ladies, a very nice looking fella.. and as it turned out biding his time.. I also double dated a couple of times with my Brother and his date for the evening (but not many as I was still rather young).
      Granddad went in the Army in January of 1965 at 18 and 1/2 years old..He visited a time or two when he was in on leave, but still no dating or even talking of such things between us, just friendship... I was only 11 back then.. lol and only 13 when he got out of the army in January of 1968 .. he was 21 (I turned 14 in March, he turned 22 in June of 1968) He worked in Maryland for awhile, staying with his Aunt Bertie.. (she was wonderful, I loved her so) So, we only saw each other every now and then..
       But in January of 1970 he called me one early evening. We talked for awhile then he quickly said "I love you and want you to marry me?" Well, we hadn't seen each other for awhile, so I wondered if he was drinking? I ask, where are you? He said at Weese's bar and cafe.. I said "Oh, that figures" he quickly said "No, I'm only drinking coffee"  I thought "GULP" 
      He then would watch for me when I would get off the bus and we would talk a little on my way home. He worked 11 to 7 at H.O. Canfield (perhaps spelled wrong) But down Iron Gate. His family bought the house from my family and many years later we bought the house from his Mom at 1025 Hattie Street.. My parents owned it for years, and I pretty much grew up there.. but when Mom's parents retired, they moved to Florida and sold their house to Mom and Dad (then Jenna bought it from Mom after Dad died, but mom lived there another 21 years, before she passed) Both houses addresses used to be Route 5 Mallow... 
       On the 15th of February, 1970 Norman surprised me at school and picked me up saying "Come on, we are going to the laundry mat to dry our Mom's laundry" They both mostly used clothes lines, but it was pouring the rain down! And with families that BIG, you didn't allow laundry to go long or it was just so much, or someone would not have clean clothes to wear. People didn't have no where near as many clothes or places to put them as they do now days.
        To my surprise on our way to the laundry mat, he parked up town in front of a jewelry store. He just got out, ran to the passenger side of the car and said "Come on with me".. When inside, he started looking at engagement rings.. and chose for me a little set with a diamond sitting at an angle that had smaller little diamonds on each side of the wedding band that would attach.. And him a wedding band. He put my engagement ring on my finger when we got back into the car. Then on to the laundry mat and dried our Mom's clothes and folded them.. 
       The we left and went straight on home.. He thought maybe he would just pull up and let me out.. "No way" I told him, "You are going in with me".. He did.. Mom's eyes were as big as saucers when she saw it, but she said "You got that out of a bubble gum machine" then she looked at him, (and repeated like he hadn't heard her) "You got that out of a bubble gum machine".. 
       Well, after that, since we were engaged I was allowed to ride back and forth to the hospital with him to take his Mom.. His dad had a very serious ulcer operation, and an infection set in, they had to remove one of his ribs to allow it to drain.. He was in the hospital 97 days. Let me say I didn't ride every night by any means, but a couple of times a week maybe. Also I could ride back and forth with him and his Mom to and from church, so he started going on Wednesday nights, Sundays and Sunday nights, giving us a little more time together. Also he could come to our house a couple times (in the evenings) usually on Friday and Saturday nights.. He was allowed to sit in the kitchen with me while I was doing the dishes, and we sat in the living room with the family the rest of the time. He had to be on his way at 10:00 PM. We talked of marriage many times, and I told him at one time, "I don't have anything saved to begin our lives with,not even a hope chest, nothing!" But, that is another story...
         One morning I got up for school, dressed and was ready to go.. Mom ask, "where are you going?" "School" was my answer.. "Well," she said, "Dad and I was talking, If you and Jr are serious about getting married, there is no reason for you to keep going to school." She looked me right in my face "are you honestly serious about getting married, and Why?"  My answer was with me looking right into her dark brown eyes, "Yes, because we love each other" So then she said, "then there in no reason to go back" and I didn't. But 14 years later, I did go back and get my G.E.D.
         We sat a date for our marriage as April 17, 1970. The reason we even waited that long was that Norman was laid off and Dad said he had to have a job and work for 6 weeks before we could get married, and he had to sign for me to get married. So Norman, quickly as he could got on with the U.S. Forestry Service.. and his 6 weeks was up around the 17th.
           A week or so before our wedding, we went and looked at a very small apartment. It was in the Harvey house beside where Gray's Jewelry is now.. the house no longer stands.. We had a kitchen and a bedroom with just enough room for 2 chairs and a small tv.. we shared the bathroom with another couple. But, it was all we needed. Mom went with me to help me get it all set up..   
          Mom and I went to Leggetts Dept store and got some pretty material.. She made my knee length wedding dress/Easter dress and I even got new white shoes and a new purse. She also bought a white ribbon for my hair. Norman wore brown slacks and a brown tie with a white shirt.. We were even allowed to go out the

night before for an hour and thirty minutes to go find a topper for our wedding cake Mom made..  Norman's Mom came to our wedding and all of my family was there, sitting around watching. We got married at Mom and Dad's house , right in front of the picture window in the living room. (I had turned 16 in March and he would be 24 in June... but age was and still is only a number.) My brother Tim was Norman Jr's best man, and a friend of mine, Karen was my Maid of Honor.. Capt Harry Tatterson preformed the wedding.. After the wedding, we all went to church (us, Mom and Dad and Mrs Kimberlin, and the preacher and his wife) for an "Annual Home League Dinner" .... then back to Mom and Dad's for cake and ice cream. My grandparents came in from Florida for a surprise the next day. They were awesome, and my grandma was wonderful!
            It seemed so weird to leave Mom and Dad's house that night without having to have their permission, and it was already dark and late.. And our marriage began!
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            We had been warned it would not last 6 months, but we felt like anyone that said such wasn't our friends anyway, so we didn't take it to heart.. Its been 45 years.. and this year on our anniversary, but: 
             a sad thought touched me to my soul.. Every year we always said... well, this is the first 10 .. or the first 30 or what ever.. and add.. looking forward to the next 10 , 30 or whatever.. It dawned on me.. This was the first 45... and it's extremely unlikely that we will make it to the second 45 on this side of the the dirt!... But then he reminded me, "we'll still be together" and that made things a little easier..
          but then, I realized that during that time, one of us would loose the other.. but I know that's part of life, and there is nothing I can do about it.. It still leaves an uneasy feeling... My sister lost her husband, my brother lost his wife, Frances (my sister of our hearts) lost her husband, my friends Anna and Bonnie lost their husbands... ugggg... I dread either of us having to go through that.. but I am sure that our family will be right beside ever who will remain, and know God will be too!
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warning: tomorrow will be another of these stories, only much shorter and again it's at Lily's request... anyway, I hope each of you can find something in them that you enjoy!

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        Praying for you and yours today that God will wrap His loving arms around each of you and touch with his loving, healing, hands. And that He will bless each of you spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and with His forgiveness, guidance, patience, inner peace and a special answer to you deepest "unspoken prayer". Praying for the sick, the hurting, the grieving, That He will bless each of them in only ways He knows they need it the very most. Praying for our soldiers, that He will keep them safe from harm, and bring them quickly and safely back home to their loving families, and that each of them will be comforted and have inner peace. Praying for our country and it's leaders (like them or not) they need our prayers, our country needs our prayers, so that He will once again be put first. And above all.. Giving our love, thanks, honor, praise and glory to Him for all things, in Jesus Holy name, amen.
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