Part 3

Things were going along so well. Rick and John were like twins as they were so close in age. Jeff was always trailing after them no matter where they went or what they got into. Living in a little development there where a lot of children around. Most of the home owners were veterans so we were like a little service post, and when the children were around, it didn't matter whose children were there we all kept an eye on them to be sure no one got hurt.

I loved my first home that really belonged to Fred and I. It was like a dream come true. I made my own curtains and was very proud of them. We joined the local church and had the three boys baptized. And to my surprise when Fred was not on the road he went to church with us. I was so proud to walk into church with my family. We settled right into the community.

In 1954 we were expecting another baby. I guess I should tell you now that every time I saw a new baby I wanted another one. I always felt wonderful when I was pregnant. Never had morning sickness, or aches like a lot of women. I guess I was a natural for childbirth. I never even had hard labor pains.

Back then they didn't know how to tell the sex of the baby. You had to wait until they get here. So on April 17, 1954 we had our first daughter. Of course I thought she was beautiful. Her skin was so fair you could almost see through it, kind of like porcelain dolls. She had very dark hair. We named her Mary Paula after my Aunt Mary and Uncle Paul who was a perfect couple but never had any children. She had the longest eyelashes I ever saw. When they were open they touched her eyebrows. I was so elated now I had a daughter. And of course she was the apple of her daddy's eye. The boys couldn't understand why she couldn't get down on the floor and play with them. But they would play with her through the bars of the playpen, and if I wasn't looking they crawled over the bars and got in with her.

On September 17 of 1955 our second daughter was born. She was so tiny, smallest one I had yet. She had black hair that stuck up in a point. I don't know if any of you remember the cupie dolls from the carnivals, but their hair stuck up in a point. This is exactly what Cynthia Louise's hair looked like.

Towards the end of November 1955, Mary Paula started to seem very listless, ran a slight fever and wouldn't eat. This went on for about a week. One day she was listless and the next day no fever and she seemed fine. The first week of December we took her to doctor and he said it was a cold and gave her a shot and some Medicine. Now she became listless most of the time. I was praying so hard and rocking her almost 24 hours a day. My grandmother came to help with the boys and the baby. On the night of the 15 of December she turned blue for us and the Doctor said he would meet us at the hospital. She was just barely breathing when we arrived at the hospital. They told me to take her down to room 114 and undress her. As I was walking down the hallway I had a funny feeling that I had done this before and something terrible had happened. This kept going through my mind and I was so scared. They did a trachea on her and then decided she had pneumonia. But usually it starts in the top of the lung but Mary's started in the bottom of the lung and they were not very assuring. She had nurses around the clock and they had to suction her little lungs to keep them clear. At 3AM on the morning of December 22, Mary went back to be with Jesus. I cannot put into words my feelings. Only someone who has lost a child can understand.

When we got home and told Grandma, I went in to see Cindy and she was very raspy. My heart sank I couldn't believe that God would take both my daughters away. We took Cindy and went right back to the hospital. They admitted her. Later I found out it was because we had just lost Mary with some of the same symptoms that they decided to keep her for observation.

Fred was devastated. He said he must have done something terrible for God to take his daughter who was an innocent baby who hurt no one. Then he decided God took her to punish him because he loved her and after that for a long time he was afraid to show any love for any of us, for fear God would take us all.

Here we are two days before Christmas 1955 and four children that were looking forward to Santa, and we had a child to bury. We had the viewing on the 23 and buried her on December 24. I really don't remember too much of the service or anything else. All I can remember is this tiny girl in a white casket with a light shinning around her head.

If it wouldn't have been for the support of the neighbors, they put up our tree and wrapped the children's presents and had every thing prepared that needed done for us, there would not have been a Christmas. I really don't remember Christmas that year either but they say some times our minds block out happenings that we can not handle.

For weeks after I would go into Mary's room and look at the crib while sitting in the rocker I had rocked her in and I was sure I could see her sleeping there. It got real bad, and my dad decided we should sell the home and move back close to them in Harrisburg. So this is what we did and found a house right across the street from my parents.

By this time Rick and John were ready to start school. So things started to settle down and back to normal. Mom and Dad were a big help with the children. And in 1957, the Lord decided to give us another baby. It was a little girl and she was born September 6, 1957. We named her Paulette Maurie, I guess in memory of Mary Paula. She was a blonde and so tiny, but she was a good baby. Slept all night almost from the beginning.

But even after this time had passed, Fred was still afraid to show his love for his children and had not returned to church since Mary died. It was not until Easter of 1958 that Fred went back to Church and accepted God back into his life. It was a great day.

Nothing much happened for the next few years, just normal living. Our Kevin Michael was born in 1959, and December 1960 our Thomas Edgar was born. In April of 1962, our Russell Shearwood was born.

By 1963, Rick is 13 and John is 12 and the city isn't the best place to raise boys so we looked for some farm land which we found in Grantville, which is about 18 miles east of Harrisburg right next to Indian Town Gap. So we made to move to give the children more room to grow. It wasn't a big farm just 5 acres but enough for us. Next time I will tell you about life on the farm.

Part 4

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