Thursday, October 18, 2007

Day's Turned into Weeks






Sorry, I guess life did get me busy, at least researching my family history did! I am now 7,000 more names closer to my goal. Working with my family and searching online databases I found a lost great-uncle and how some of my relations passed away. Ever wonder how life was 100 years ago? How about 200? Our history books are filled with "Stories" told by learned men about how are ancestors lived, worked and helped defend our countries.
Did you ever hear of a war called the "War of the Wilderness" during studies of the Civil War Era? Over 40,000 men died in a two day battle! Killed by their own friends, brothers, neighbors and fellow country men. A more recent relation died when the Navy Sub he was on during WW1 sank of the coast of Florida and all men aboard lost their lives. What happened you may ask? The battery got damp with water and failed to work is what the Navy's final ruling was. Sad way to drowned below the sea on a training mission.
I'm not a defender of wars by any means. Let the ones who start it finish it. Go out in some field like our Welch ancestors did and fight it out the two best men and then the rest go home safely to their families. One relation had 18 kids, 12 he lost to the war. Yes, I found a fair share of illness that took lives in my family and that is one reason why I search them out. So I know what may be lurking out there that my children may have inherited.
I wish you all a Happy Eid, as usual mine was just like last year. Get hopes up of doing something and then change the plan to stay at home and order dinner out. So if you want to know what my Eid was like look up last years.
Things have been tight this year as car sales have slipped with rising gas prices so if an accident doesn't bring you in its slim pickings for the salesmen.
The kids are all doing well in school. Fatimah is finally reading up a storm and her skills are improving more each day. Aieysha has lost 12 pounds playing in marching band! Which means we keep having to buy her new pants every few weeks. But hey she is looking great. Khadijah did her first band concert this week too. Try finding a black floor lenght skirt for a 5'7 girl who is a size ZERO and not be slit all the way up to her panties! We did some looking and Khols was our savior. Suhayl has moved from Color Guard to Male Choir and he is now a Tenor 2. He was a Baritone but his voice, common for 15 yr old males is changing and he is just getting deeper. Suhayb is playing Ice Hockey this year and with that is new challenges. The first real practice he fell and his head hit the ice, next he vomited and then when the friend brought him home it was another rush to the local emergency room to make sure his head was still whole. Here he term "hard headed" is literal for him! Yesterday, was his 18th birthday. Wow we just celebrated 20 yrs of marriage to this month. Where did the time go? Things overall are better with hubby, my mom and life in general so I guess not much to be un-thankful for. I'm throwing in a few picks so you can feel the life as I live it. Finally, you will notice another set of my car. My son was taking it as he is farther away now for classes and no bus and some kids ask to go for lunch. Well he was fasting and a bit dizzy to drive but said no problem when another student offered to drive for him. He did and not more than a few seconds later it could have been a disaster for four young lives.
A CD case had been put on the dash and it slid, the kid reached for the case and lost control of the car and was soon sliding down an embankment next to the school. Had the car not hit the tree, it was likely the car would have rolled and four young men would have been upside down in the ditch. So long story short all are fine but a bit wiser. Seems the young man who offer to drive was also without a license! But, what mattered most is no one was injured, my car is a total loss this time. Cars can be fixed or replaced but how do you fix the loss of a child?
Oh, one special photo I have added is my Great-grandmother Margaret Etter Bush. She is my idol and the woman I loved most as a child. 104 when she died and was the smallest of ladies but her love was big enough for all her children. If I live to be half the woman she was I will be good. Every grey hair I get reminds me of the lovely gray hair she had and so now I will no longer wish to color it. Going on 50 who should really care? The other man is my greatgrandfather Stephen J Bowen . I think I took after the Bush side don't you?
So to everyone I wish health, happiness and love for the comming year and I'll try to stay in touch more often. And to my older girls and my brother Kerry I love and miss you all. Love Old Momma