Strange how life goes and how the things that happen to us in the past can have a profound effect on events in the future. The more years I have lived, the more I see how very true that is.
My mom got her first job as a waitress back in Halstead, Kansas when I was only 8 years old and my little sister Cindy was only 6. In a way, I think that made her almost a trailblazer of sorts because I cannot remember any of the other kids in my second grade class at school who had a mother that didn't stay at home. According to an online site, back in 1960 only 22% of women could be found in the workforce and by midsummer of 1963, Lois Scott was one of them.
My folks had made the decision that they were going to build a restaurant and filling station (think gas station friends who are scratching their heads saying "what's a filling station?") in our hometown of Haven, Kansas. In order to realize their dream of being business owners they both knew they needed some on the job training, their "apprenticeship" of sorts. So my father went to work pumping gas at Lohmeyer's in downtown Halstead and my mother tied on her apron and went to work at Millie's Buffet just down the street.
By 1963 my five older siblings had either gotten married or were old enough to take care of themselves but my little sister and I were too small to be left alone. On the weekends and in the summer we would be loaded into the car when our folks went to work and dropped off at our Grandmother Brown's over on Locust Street just a few blocks away from our parents' places of work.
At Catherine Brown's house there was nothing but FUN, FUN, and more FUN. It didn't seem so bad to have to get up really early on the weekend to leave for Halstead when our parents did when you knew where you were going to get to spend the day.
Grandma's house.
We did fun things there, so many that right now I cannot even recall them all. We watched her make her infamous "garbage garden" and although I didn't realize it at the time, she was teaching me the value of composting and a science lesson all at the same time. I learned math and problem solving skills by sitting on the floor with her and playing Monopoly on Saturday afternoon. My little sister and I grew to be very wise. We always made sure that Grandma somehow got the "get out of jail free" card every time. Our hungry little bellies didn't want to miss out on getting something to eat and if she wasn't able to make lunch because she was "in jail", then what would we little kids do? Grandmother taught us social skills and cooperative learning as well. We learned to play fair and get along with one another because if we didn't then nap time would come much sooner than scheduled. I don't know about you but as an adult I sure wish now that nap time would come way more often.
One of the nicest and most special of recollections were the times in the summer that she would treat my little sister and I to a picnic in the basement of her old bungalow style home. All morning long we would plan it together as we decided what we would have to eat and drink. Usually it would be a simple fare of sandwiches, a piece of fruit, homemade cookies for dessert, and a mason jar filled with grape Kool-aid. Grandmother would spread out an old quilt on that cool basement floor and she would sit down with Cindy and I, cross legged on the floor. I never forgot those days of picnicking with her. When she passed away in the winter of her 106th year the days of making memories were over. I was so glad to have stored up the many that I had been blessed to receive. If you could look into my heart, it would be there you could find that wonderful woman who meant so much to me both as a little girl growing up and the woman and mother that I would later become. She was that special.
I told "the 20" about her a couple of weeks back and shared with them some of the fun things that I remembered. After talking about the picnics that we went on, I decided that my own students should have the chance to make that kind of memory too. Beginning tomorrow and continuing on for 4 different days, small groups of them will join me for a picnic lunch during the noontime hour as we celebrate a wonderful year together in the first grade. 4 students plus one adult guest will sit around on a quilt covered table and enjoy a brown bag lunch. They got to mark off their own special "menu" last week and they know that Mr. and Mrs. Renfro will make each one a special lunch to eat. I look forward to it being a fun 20 minutes time where we can enjoy being together in a much smaller group setting and just get the chance to talk with one another about anything and everything.
I have only 12.5 days left with those little ones, such a very short time remaining to make a memory with them. As each day passes by that acknowledgment becomes a more sobering and somber thought. How shall I decide to spend the time with them? And although I know they are necessary, I do not wish for their final days in first grade to be filled only with end of the year assessments. I want to bring them things they will recall in the years down the road.
Later this year I will turn 60 and even though I hope that I am able to, I accept fully the fact that I might not live long enough to see these little people grow up with children of their own. That is why I have felt all year long that it was important to build strong relationships with them and to teach them to do the same with one another. My best guess is that they will never recall it was in first grade where they learned a hexagon has six sides or that the author of a story has 3 purposes in mind when it is written. When someone should ask them in the years that lie ahead just what it is that they remember about being in the first grade, my sincere hope is that their answer is this.
"I remember that my teacher loved me very much and she always said that even if someone offered her all the money in the world for each of us kids, that she would never trade us for anything! Her name was Mrs. Renfro."
Three weeks from today it will be time to leave our home in southwestern Colorado. In everything I give thanks for all of the people who have befriended us and helped us along the way.
.JPG)
