January 4, 1947

It's my parents' anniversary today. Although both of them have been gone for quite awhile, I still think of them , this time of year.

When we were growing up we really didn't understand the lives both our parents had before children. I guess all kids have a hard time thinking of their parents as teenagers, college students, even young adults. For us our parents' lives began when ours did. Sure, I knew both my parents were in the service during WWII. We had memorabilia around the house. I think each one of us wore Daddy's Air Force uniform for Halloween at one time or another. My Mom had photos , her mother burned her Marines uniform. I understand the action, but I sure would have liked to have seen my mother's actual uniform and hat. I am sure Grandma McCarthy wanted to destroy any reminder of the war, having lost a son who served as a pilot, just like my Dad. My brothers heard more stories than we girls did. The story that came through loud and clear was that my Mom and Dad loved each other very much. So much that my Dad's plane was named for her. My Mom was not very kissy face huggy bear kind of person, but I gotta say that if some young man named his plane after me, I'd be smitten.

After my Mom passed away, my father had already been gone for ten years. We found old letters, pictures and my Aunt Eileen's scrapbook of my Dad throughout the war,pictures,news articles and such. We found Daddy's silk scarf that he wore when he was flying. Mom had given it to him. JoEllen found a picture of my Dad in the cockpit, and the note on the back said, "I will bring your scarf safely back home to you." Who were these people? These were not the parents that I knew for 46 years. As it turned out , it absolutely was.

I do not know if any of us can ever truly understand the trials that all the people that lived through those times endured. The young people, their parents, the veterans that were wounded and the ones that never came home. Mom and Dad had lived a lifetime before they had all eight of their children. In that time two young people fell in love, fought in the war, got married tried to move on in their lives with work and making a home. Who'd ever thought that they would then have eight kids.

Mom and Dad were married January 4th., 1947

A marriage I am sure , that was made in heaven.

Both college students really, that served in the war,

Neither knowing the future,or what was in store.

For not much later you see, there soon would be three,

Baby JoEllen came along to bounce on Daddy's knee.

And that was so much fun, " Oh," said Mother, "Let's try for a son."

And they had another.

So along came Janet, Judy and finally came Griff.

Who wanted his "G" changed to "J" , so that would make him Jiff.

The family was not done

In came the second platoon.

Jill, John, Jean, and Jerry came right along too.