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Friday, April 14, 2006
Easter
Today is Good Friday and I know a lot of you are looking forward to spending the holiday weekend with your family. Not so at my household. Our oldest daughter lives in Dallas and she's gearing up oral surgery next week, so is staying at home. Our second daughter works in the emergency room at Scott & White Hospital and she is pulling two 12-hour shifts this weekend, so when she's off, she'll be sleeping...understandable. Our son, the youngest, lives in Denver and his visits home are limited. Since he's already been home twice this year, he'll be spending Easter in Denver. Thus, my husband and I will be spending the weekend alone.
Due to my husband's job, we have always lived far away from our families, so we are accustomed to spending many of our holidays with only our immediate family---our children. I'm from a very close-knit family and it was an adjustment for me to be separated from them. To make up for the loss, I created 'family' wherever we've lived. Neighbors soon became as close as family, as did many of the friends we've made in the different cities we've lived in. Living on the ranch hasn't changed things much. Our across-the-road neighbors and our next door neighbors are coming over Sunday to share a family-style meal with us. Not quite the same as having our children with us, but close enough. Our next door neighbors have two small children, so I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to hide some Easter eggs and watch them hunt for them.
We had three more kids born yesterday and all are doing well. Hooray! Another day without adding another "bottle-baby" to my list to feed. I expect more to be born over the next week, so keep your fingers crossed that their mamas all accept them and don't leave them to me to feed.
Last night my husband and I visited Parrie Haynes Youth Ranch in Killeen, Texas. There is a really neat story behind this ranch. Upon her death in 1957, the owner hand wrote her will on a sheet of paper, leaving her very large and beautiful ranch to the "orphans of Texas." What a wonderful gesture!! Now children, who would never have the opportunity to experience nature and ranch life at it's best, can do so, due to Mrs. Haynes kindness and generosity. The ranch itself is beautiful. We had dinner at the dining hall, which sits up on a high hill. The view of the pastures below is unbelievable. There was a full moon last night and that made the sight even more dramatic.
This morning I received my very first fan letter (email) for my new 'Piece of Texas' series and it really touched my heart. The series is based on six Vietnam soldiers who shipped out to Vietnam together. The writer of the letter shared with me her own experiences of the Vietnam war, telling me about her husband, her brother and her brother-in-law who served tours of duty there. She also pointed out many similarities to her own life that she found within the story, and I had to laugh, because that happens so often, though it is totally accidental. One woman I met at a booksigning pointed out a particular line of dialogue in a book and asked me how I knew her husband had said that to her. I didn't know her or her husband, and the line of dialogue came straight out of my head, so it just goes to prove that there are truly no new ideas...just new ways to tell/show them.
Peggy
posted by Peggy Moreland at 10:44 AM
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3 Comments:
christa said...
My step-mother usually has the Easter dinner at her place but we are never sure of who will show up. I have a sister who lives about 2 hours away and is a nurse. So she ends up working most holidays. My one step-brother is divorced with two kids and has to cordinate schedules with his ex. My one other step-brother is kind of a loner and doesn't really do the family thing. They know whether I will be there because I am disabled and they have to pick me up. My aunt is in a wheelchair and it is really difficult to transfer her. My one bil suffers from Parkinsons and has had a stroke so stairs are a real problem for him.
The Parrie Haynes Youth Range sounds like a great place.
I may not be writing this in a fan letter but I really enjoyed The Texan's Forbidden Affair and am looking forward to the rest of the stories in A Piece of Texas.
3:04 PM
Peggy Moreland said...
Christa,
You have a HUGE family!! I'm so jealous that you are getting together with them to celebrate Easter.
My "Dallas" daughter called yesterday and she's going to my sister's for Easter lunch. sniff..sniff Really makes me feel left out.
I'm glad you liked the Texan's Forbidden Affair!
Happy EAster!!
Peggy
5:14 AM
christa said...
My family wasn't always so big. My dad and step-mother have been married for 21 years and she brought 4 kids(3 boys and 1 girl) plus her mother and an aunt. So I figure after all this time it is easier to say brother and sister and bil and aunt.
6:36 AM
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