Willie and Helen are having a great time in Nashville, Tennessee.  Yesterday they nearly walked their legs off...but they didn't know when they would get to come back to the music city again.  So they walked and walked and walked until they were exhausted.  Today would be another day of walking, but they would need to get back to their room in time to get cleaned up for the show they were going to tonight at the Ryman!
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Down the road from Grandpa and Grandma Rhodes, lived Aunt Louise and Uncle Ed.  They had graciously agreed to let Paula, Linda and Sondra spend a couple of nights with them, while Helen and Willie were in Nashville.  What an adventure this was going to be...playing with their cousins at their house!  If there was fun to be found...they would find it.
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Mom and Dad are enjoying all the sights and sounds of Nashville, TN making every moment count.  Larry and Jimmy are trying their best to get to sleep on the feather bed in the back room of Grandma and Grandpa Rhodes house.  It's always hard to get used to your surroundings when you are away from your own home.  Jimmy was happy he was with his big brother and Larry did what he always does...took care of his little brother.  He told him to close his eyes and before ya know it...it will be morning.
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Willie had the bus tickets, the tickets to the show at the Ryman and the receipt for the hotel room in hand and was ready to take that trip to Nashville he'd won from National Life Insurance Company.  First he and Helen needed to get their children settled in with those that would be taking care of them while they were gone.  As it turns out, Grandma and Grandpa Rhodes were going to keep the boys, and Helen's sister, Louise would keep all three girls.
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_ A Wonderful Christmas 12/08/2011 0 Comments   The beds are warm and cozy, the sugar plums are dancing in the heads and the reindeer are a stirring outside.  Well that really could be what's happening, right?  Let's back up a ways...Linda and Sondra, along with Jimmy and Larry, were put to bed on Christmas Eve knowing that the morning could be bringing them wonderful surprises.  Not sure if they were dreaming about those things, but do know that they went to bed thinking about that.  As for the reindeer...I'm sure there were some of those stirring somewhere...maybe not outside their house, but the patch of woods up the road could very well have a couple of 'em playing reindeer games or something.
Back to the kids...they were all sleeping soundly in their beds...or...were they?  Willie and Helen had been so worn out from all the goings on the night before, they were sleeping extra sound tonight.  At first they didn't hear what was going on in the living room, but something definitely was going on!  I think Paula heard the noise, and it may have been what woke her up...she began to fuss a little bit, which in turn woke up Helen.  She shook Willie and told him she heard something in the other room.  It was 3 in the morning...what in the world?  They both got very quiet and listened intently at the clanging and thumping, and began to smile as they realized the noise wasn't something scarey at all.

Out in the living room there arose such a clatter...Helen picked up Paula, then followed Willie in to see what was the matter.  When what to their wondering eyes should appear?  Sweet little Jim Bo in his red wagon left under the tree.  He was all cuddled up in it, and falling back to sleep.  Willie gently picked Jimmy up and carried him back to his bedroom, and put him in the bed with Larry.  The other kids were still sleeping soundly and didn't know about the commotion ...they would be waking up in a few hours to find their presents under the tree.  But for now, they continued to sleep like little angels.

Paula fell back to sleep with no problem, and so did her mommy and daddy.  It felt as if they had just gone to sleep, when they again heard the pitter patter of little feet heading to the living room.  Linda came running in to their bedroom saying, "Santa came!  Santa came!  Come See!"  So, they got out of bed and headed to the couch to watch their precious kids with their treasures.

The stockings that were once in a row by the tree, were now strewn on the floor with the oranges and apples rolling out.  Linda was sitting at her new little table and chairs serving pretend tea in her toy cups.  She was so excited that Santa had been there last night.  Jimmy was back in his little red wagon and was asking daddy to pull him around the house.  Larry was putting on his coat and opening the front door so he could go outside to ride his new bike...he couldn't believe he actually had his very own bike to ride around.  Sondra had wanted this bride doll for so long ...she was beautiful. She was so happy to be holding the doll she had dreamed of having as her own.  What a wonderful Christmas!

Helen and Willie sighed ... it felt good to see your kids so happy!  Helen would start Christmas dinner and Willie would pull Jim Bo in his Wagon and watch Larry ride his new bike back and forth in the living room because the weather outside was frightful.  Sondra and her new bride doll would sit at Linda's new table and chairs and have a cup of tea.

Yes, it was a wonderful Christmas!
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_ Ho! Ho! Ho! 12/07/2011 0 Comments   It was the week after Thanksgiving and time to pick out the Tollison Christmas tree!  They would go to downtown East Prairie, MO and find the perfect tree (if you call a "Charlie Brown" type tree perfect).  There would more than likely be a tree lot set up beside the dime store with the smell of pine filling the air.  The temperatures had dropped and the kids were excited singing "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way..."  They had no idea that their family didn't have a lot of money...they just knew they were happy and ready to put some tinsel on their very own tree.
They found the tree that would fit perfectly in their little living room, took it home and put it in a make shift tree stand.  They gathered around the tree, hung the lights and put their homemade ornaments on it along with some silver tinsel mom purchased at the dime store while they were downtown.  The big colorful bulbs on the string of lights lit up the whole living room!  They bundled up and went outside to see their tree from the street....and ya know what?  It looked wonderful....to them the prettiest on the block.  Was it what Norman Rockwell paintings were made of?  I personally think quite possibly yes!  Imagine a painting with wonder in the eyes of the kids as they look at the tree they just decorated...I think I can see it now!

Helen was probably even more excited about Christmas than the kids, if that was possible.  She and Willie had worked hard pulling cotton bolls a few months back and saved their money to get the kids some things that would bring smiles to their faces.  Even if she and Willie would have to do without...their kids wouldn't...not at Christmas!

It was Wednesday, December 24, 1952 and there was lots of excitement at the Tollison house.  The two bedroom house was cozy and warm with the smell of a fresh baked cake and the sounds of kids getting ready for bed.  Mom and dad told them "If they didn't get to bed soon and get to sleep, Santa wouldn't be able to visit and leave presents."    The two double beds in the kids bedroom were turned back where Sondra shared a bed with Linda and Larry shared with Jimmy.   They hurried to get their hugs and kisses so they could jump into their beds cause they could hardly wait until morning was here.  Mom turned out the light and pulled the door shut as she said..."Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" (just something they said)

After feeding Paula and rocking her to sleep, Helen put her down for the night in her little bassinet.  She had actually outgrown the little bed, but would still rest there better than in the bed with mommy and daddy!

Tomorrow is Christmas...Willie and Helen did their part for Santa and hit the sack.  They slept soundly for several hours and then in the wee hours of the morning...they heard something stirring in the living room...what was that?  Come back tomorrow and find out what was making that noise in the living room.
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Remember me telling you early on that Willie would make a good insurance guy because of his personality and his determination to be the best at that profession?  He was just the type of guy that you would trust with this kind of decision.  National Life Insurance felt lucky to have Willie on their team and because of all his hard work, he was rewarded by winning a trip to Nashville. 
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_Jim Bo is sharp as a tack...never seems to forget anything!  For instance, during the season for cantaloupes, apples and watermelons, a peddler would walk down the road barking out his wares.  Referred to as a hawker, the peddler would have his wagon full of  vegetables and fruit and push it up and down the street in town trying to sell them.  Jimmy thought it was the funniest thing hearing him holler, "Cantaloupes!  Apples!  Watermelons!  He would go around the house yelling those words in his sweet little 2 year old voice, trying to imitate the hawker!  We will find out later in the story how knowing those hawker phrases would get him in trouble.
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The move went really well, but finding the time to get the air conditioner hooked up didn't go quite so well.  It was the first part of August and buddy it was hot!  The house was going to have to be wired for a 220 and that didn't just happen, it took some work.  Willie and his helper, Larry, would have to figure this out, so they could all be cool.
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Larry, Sissy, Linda, Jim Bo and Paula Pete were waiting patiently at home for mom and dad to come home from seeing the house on Murray Lane.  They have some wonderful memories at Matthews Street, but when mom and dad came in the door and told them that they would be moving again, they were neither unhappy nor surprised.  Larry and Sondra have already moved at least ten times since they entered this world, so today's move is old hat for them.
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    _Author
    Paula Tollison Andrews Maupin
    I am married to Bobby and live in the Nashville, TN area, working as Executive Assistant to both the Director of Sales and General Manager of FOX17, MyTV30 & CW58 television
    _I have 3 wonderful sons and daughters in love (Brad & Holly Andrews, Bryan & Stacy Andrews and Brandon & Ashley Andrews) from Tulsa, St. Louis & Springfield respectively. They have given me 9 precious grandbabies.  (Joseph, Cooper, Margo, Sloan, Jonas, Nora, Everett, Lawson and Blythe & Gma loves them so much) I also have 2 great stepsons and daughter in love (Jonathan & Kathryn Maupin and William Maupin) from Lexington, Kentucky.

    As a lady who's lived through both good & bad circumstances in my life, I've learned and continue to learn a lot of "life lessons".  Along the way I have been inspired to be a better me.  God is faithful in ALL circumstances and His love covers all.   My hope is that you will be inspired to be who you were meant to be. 

    I have been writing this blog about my mom and dad since September of 2011.

    You can find their story from the beginning by going to the Stories link.  Happy Reading!!!
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