Willie was sleeping soundly when all of a sudden, something woke him up with a thump on his shin.  It was Larry jumping in the bed with mommy and daddy!  What was it that hit his leg?  The thump on his shin was from a brand new white cast with Peter Puckett's name on it. 
The kids and Helen had been sound asleep when he came home from work, so Willie didn't have a clue what had happened the day before while he was away.  Larry was kind of proud of his cast because it represented how brave he had been the day before at Dr Smith's office.  He told his daddy about going to get his mommy something from the garden and about climbing over the gate of the fence.  He got more and more excited as he shared how he fell, ran home and how cousin Peter drove really fast to the doctor.  He was out of breath by the time he finished his story...he didn't even leave out the part about the sucker he got for being a brave little boy.  Willie wished he could have been there to help Helen yesterday, but knew she had learned to do whatever she needed to do on her own for quite a while.

Helen told Willie that while he was gone for those 3 years in the service, there were a lot of stories that transpired.  She wanted to try to remember some of them so she could tell them to him.  She had written to him in the letters about a lot of the everyday things that happened.  But when someone is gone for as long as he had been gone, she was sure she had missed some things. 

Where does she start?  She told him about how difficult it had been when Polly had to bury his little nephew, Terry Wayne.  She shared about the $10 she had been saving that went missing after the viewing that day.  There were stories after stories about her trips to town with her mom and dad and how she was so mad at her dad for saying things about Willie.  Willie shared with her that he did drink beer while he was in the service, because he couldn't drink the water.  But that was the only reason he drank it and not to get drunk like her dad.

While Willie was gone, Cleare Beeson and her two boys, lived in the apartment next to Helen.  Cleare was married to Willie's cousin, W.T. who was also in the service.  One thing she remembered was that Cleare was very cold natured and had a fire going most of the time in her apartment.  Larry and Sondra would be outside running around barefoot and Cleare would have her kids come in to warm up.  Cleare and Helen were friends and the kids played together a lot. 

One funny story that she had almost forgotten to tell Willie was the time she had mistaken someone to be him.  It was late one night and she was in the living room reading when she looked up at the door and saw a sailor hat and thought Willie was home.  She jumped up from her chair, went running to the door and swung it open and hugged what she thought was her sailor.  As it turned out it was W.T. Beeson who was locked out of his apartment next door.  He was coming home to surprise Cleare and couldn't get in.  Helen had to let him in through her apartment.  W. T. never let her live that down and every chance he got he would tease her about hugging the wrong sailor. 

There were other stories to share...but the kids were hungry and it was time to fix biscuits and gravy.  They had to help Larry figure out how to eat with a cast on his arm.

 


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    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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