What Was the Best Present You Ever Got?

[Annie]

Yes he did, that following summer. Then we moved here to Washington State where he retired from the Air Force a few years later.

He had two more careers one as an accountant and then as a professer at Western Washington University. He died about a week after 9/11. He's buried in the military cemetary in Kent and my mothers ashes are buried with him.

My older brother has the flag that draped his coffin.

Sheila, I can't speak for a 'grateful nation' but as one of them, please accept my thanks for the sacrifices of your father and family. I'm grateful.

 

[random3434]

Kudos from I'm assuming one single mom to another. I have lots of those IOU's outstanding. I think they are now of the age to 'cash them in.' roflmao.

Yep, single mother here. My ex hubby hasn't seen her since she was 2, that's another story for another day.....


She also makes me Fathers Day Cards.



I save all the stuff she makes me.

 

[Againsheila]

Sheila, I can't speak for a 'grateful nation' but as one of them, please accept my thanks for the sacrifices of your father and family. I'm grateful.

You're welcome, but I was born into this, it's not like I had a say. I will say that I am grateful for my family and the way I grew up. I've probably seen more of this country than most Americans. When we left Nebraska, my father decided to make sure that we saw as much of the country as possible. We've seen Custer's Last Stand, Mt Rushmore, Yosemite National Park, I remember driving through Redwoods as a kid. Then, after we moved here, my father decided we needed to see more of Canada, so during the summers we would travel all over British Columbia and Alberta. I've even been to Hell's Gate.

I was taught respect for our country as well as respect for other cultures. When I was in college, my father sent me to live in Mexico for a semester. I learned a lot about the Mexican culture and the history of Mexico. I've been to Chapultipec park, the Anthropological Museum, Maximilions Castle, Merida, Chichen Itza, even the Yucatan Penninsula.

Since I've been married with kids, I haven't been able to travel like I want. A couple of years ago, becaue I was working for United, I was able to take a 10 day trip to Japan, thanks to my wonderful husband who stayed home with the kids.

My parents both died in their 70's, but in the time they had here, they did more than most people do in a lifetime. My parents had friends all over the world. They traveled and visited their friend whenever they could. When they couldn't, their friends came here.

Anyway, I'm very grateful for the upbringing I've had.

 

[Annie]

Yep, single mother here. My ex hubby hasn't seen her since she was 2, that's another story for another day.....


She also makes me Fathers Day Cards.



I save all the stuff she makes me.

I got a slew of those, archived. Now that my 'children' are older, I'm glad they've made some peace with their father. They get along with him rather well, the biggest problem, which isn't 'mine', how he treats his 'second family'. My kids are now 26, 24, and 22. They are very upset at how their step brothers are treated, now 7 and 4. It's weird being on the outside, they love him, he's their dad, but they are super concerned about the 'little kids', as the mom is much like their dad. Interestingly enough, it was the two older of my kids that asked me to intervene. My younger one jumped in and said, "Mom can't do that, you need to tell them that they need to read to them, discipline them, she has no input on the situation.

Truth is, my ex was great with the kids as infants and toddlers. Became bored with them as they became more individuals. Became incensed as they could create havoc with his stuff. That was the point of divorce. Now he's replicated the problem. One bad dad, 5 kids.

 

[GigiBowman]

When I was 9, my father was in Vietnam for Christmas. My birthday is Christmas eve. That year, my father read a story into a tape recorder about a Vietnamese princess and sent it to me along with a Vietnamese doll and a matching silk pantsuit. I think I listened to that tape until it was completely wore out. It was like having my father right there with me. I even played it for all my friends.

I love that story* Thank you

 

[GigiBowman]

All of you ladies have great stories, I have tears in my eyes reading them.


My 13 yo daughter made me a homemade card for my birthday this last September, it said:


Mom,

Happy "29th" Birthday! I don't really have any money to buy you a present, but I hope this card is enough. You are the best mom/dad ever. I know we might not get along sometimes, but I'll try not to smart back to you anymore.
I love you!

-C



Then she made me a "coupon book" of chores and such she would do around the house....



She's my girl!

Don't you love your kids!

 

[GigiBowman]

I like you girls Thanks for making my sunday with your stories xo

 

[Againsheila]

I love that story* Thank you

You're welcome

 

[random3434]

Don't you love your kids!

Yep!

I love the one I gave birth to, and the ones in my classroom, I consider them "my kids" too!


Oh, the cards and things they make me! So sweet!


I have one little girl (second grade) who writes on the back of her papers:

"I love Ms. O________" and then makes little hearts, then gives them to me.



They are my little angels too!

 

[GigiBowman]

Kati on the left, Julianne on the right (Katie died 4 months after this picture --it's hard to believe she was ever depressed..most of her life she had this gorgeous smile on her face. She was 15)

Thank you girls for giving me an outlet for talking about my daughter. Thank you for listing and thank you for your notes.

Sometimes in life we have to put the horrors inside of us and keep moving forward because we have to. I had two other daughters that needed me to be there for them and there was no time for giving up. It's not easy, that's a given. Music hurts. I avoid Silence and sitting still because that lets the ghost in.... So I made myself very busy. I got very involved in politics and I got very involved in my career (RE Agent). I also spend my free time as a Substitute Teacher which I love because it keeps me alive being around all those lovely teenagers Honestly, I tried teaching the younger grades but I could not do it. They made me cry. I think, as parents we have a hard enough time thinking back to our kids when they were younger --sentimentality gets us every time.....but when you lose a child....it's almost impossible to go back. I have not yet been able to look at any video's. I don't honestly think I will ever be able to do that! Recently I've been able to finally look at pictures of her younger but only for seconds at a time. It's easier for me to look at the pictures of how she was when she left. The baby pictures are killers. You walk around with a permanent hand in front of you pushing it away all the time --the tears.

But I never want to stop talking about her, including her and having her be a part of my life. It's always so strange when people ask you how many children you have. I have two now...but I am a mother of 3. One is in heaven...... In my life, people don't want to talk about her except for my immediately family. l

So thank you all for listening to me when I bring her up. It helps me.

kisses to all of you for listening xo

 

[PoliticalChic]

Hugs to you Gigi. They're all beautiful girls. I'm glad we can be here for you.

 

[random3434]

Kati on the left, Julianne on the right (Katie died 4 months after this picture --it's hard to believe she was ever depressed..most of her life she had this gorgeous smile on her face. She was 15)

Thank you girls for giving me an outlet for talking about my daughter. Thank you for listing and thank you for your notes.

Sometimes in life we have to put the horrors inside of us and keep moving forward because we have to. I had two other daughters that needed me to be there for them and there was no time for giving up. It's not easy, that's a given. Music hurts. I avoid Silence and sitting still because that lets the ghost in.... So I made myself very busy. I got very involved in politics and I got very involved in my career (RE Agent). I also spend my free time as a Substitute Teacher which I love because it keeps me alive being around all those lovely teenagers Honestly, I tried teaching the younger grades but I could not do it. They made me cry. I think, as parents we have a hard enough time thinking back to our kids when they were younger --sentimentality gets us every time.....but when you lose a child....it's almost impossible to go back. I have not yet been able to look at any video's. I don't honestly think I will ever be able to do that! Recently I've been able to finally look at pictures of her younger but only for seconds at a time. It's easier for me to look at the pictures of how she was when she left. The baby pictures are killers. You walk around with a permanent hand in front of you pushing it away all the time --the tears.

But I never want to stop talking about her, including her and having her be a part of my life. It's always so strange when people ask you how many children you have. I have two now...but I am a mother of 3. One is in heaven...... In my life, people don't want to talk about her except for my immediately family. l

So thank you all for listening to me when I bring her up. It helps me.

kisses to all of you for listening xo

You talk about her all you want Gigi dear. Sometimes, the internet can be a saving grace, can't it?

God Bless you and your family! You have 3 daughters, one just left early on a trip and is waiting for you to meet her there someday!

I remember when I was 8 and my brother died ( he was 18)-it was too hard for my parents to talk about him for long time. But then, it became easier, and now we all love to laugh and share our memories.

 

[Annie]

Kati on the left, Julianne on the right (Katie died 4 months after this picture --it's hard to believe she was ever depressed..most of her life she had this gorgeous smile on her face. She was 15)

Thank you girls for giving me an outlet for talking about my daughter. Thank you for listing and thank you for your notes.

Sometimes in life we have to put the horrors inside of us and keep moving forward because we have to. I had two other daughters that needed me to be there for them and there was no time for giving up. It's not easy, that's a given. Music hurts. I avoid Silence and sitting still because that lets the ghost in.... So I made myself very busy. I got very involved in politics and I got very involved in my career (RE Agent). I also spend my free time as a Substitute Teacher which I love because it keeps me alive being around all those lovely teenagers Honestly, I tried teaching the younger grades but I could not do it. They made me cry. I think, as parents we have a hard enough time thinking back to our kids when they were younger --sentimentality gets us every time.....but when you lose a child....it's almost impossible to go back. I have not yet been able to look at any video's. I don't honestly think I will ever be able to do that! Recently I've been able to finally look at pictures of her younger but only for seconds at a time. It's easier for me to look at the pictures of how she was when she left. The baby pictures are killers. You walk around with a permanent hand in front of you pushing it away all the time --the tears.

But I never want to stop talking about her, including her and having her be a part of my life. It's always so strange when people ask you how many children you have. I have two now...but I am a mother of 3. One is in heaven...... In my life, people don't want to talk about her except for my immediately family. l

So thank you all for listening to me when I bring her up. It helps me.

kisses to all of you for listening xo

(((hugs))) I can't imagine as I said before. It's hard for me to go back, even though all of mine are doing well. Why? Because of what I might have done, if I'd known. Their hurts, their reactions to their parents weaknesses. Gigi, you are not alone.

 

[Againsheila]

Words can't express my feelings Gigi. Talk about it all you want, we'll listen. My younger brother died at 36. He was the youngest of 5 and a big blow to all of our family when we lost him. The feeling never goes away, you just kind of stop thinking about it all the time and it gets a little easier. I can't compare the loss of my younger brother to the loss of your daughter, I can't imagine losing a child and hope I never have to know that pain.

My prayers are with you.

Sheila