Kay Graduates

Magna Cum Laude, Master of Education

Once I might look up from a chore to see my daughter walking on her treadmill where a book was propped at eye level. Her baby would be sound asleep in his carrier on her back. Later I saw her out of the corner of my eye, walking backward, book in one hand and the handle of the wagon wherein her child was riding. Another time a book was tucked under her arm as she carried the baby to his car seat. Her 14 year old and the 17, year old, ready and waiting for a ride to one or another event from cheer leading, a school-play, or some soccer game. A lot of the time the baby played with a toy under her feet, beside her computer while she worked to finish some project.

Often she was so deep in thought I was almost frightened to see the hardness of her skin and brow as she concentrated so completely. Then was when I went to my Creator to pray and ask for his helper to get her through.

Of course, the old issues involved with family and living camped on her doorstep and she was necessarily cooking, cleaning, doing laundry on top of dealing with the up and down moods of her girls. We had already been through the phasing out of her job, when she made a decision to build a place with saved money because rent would now become impossible to meet. Those were the times I saw her holding a screw gun, putting windows in her home to be. The cold had come early that year and as she worked the snow and sleet whipped around her face and hands. With her electrician Dad’s help she was able get her wiring in and inspected. Her husband’s brothers came to lift the heavy sheet rock in place for her ceiling and walls. The love and caring of his family made me feel that we must have been given this blessing from some higher plane.

All the while, I worked as diligently as these old hands could, to write the two books so that there would be a bit of income from their sales, and there was never a great income, but what was in the mail seemed to come just at the time, when we needed it most. Early on Mother had sold my crafts, mostly potholders and that bought Kay’s gasoline to drive back and forth. That was the first leg, when she was still at Tonkawa. My education is not up to a place where I can write without editing and a professional proofreader and for that I had to manage, one way or another. On the second book an old friend let me pay her in two installments.

My husband, her father, was there with steady, loving encouragement. He never seemed to be ruffled or dissatisfied with all our attempts, even though his money making abilities, have been limited because of his age. Rhonda, too, even pitched in to help with the children. Her disability never turned her away from doing what was necessary to care for them.

So it is, with this short text I offer you these two pictures of my daughter at her graduation. You can take part of the credit my dear, dear readers because it was you who hung in there with reading and encouraging me as I went along. God bless you, too.

Alastair, my kind friend, guided me so gently and wisely without once complaining about anything I submitted. I pray for his willingness to stay beside me be rewarded, as well.