Kids & Christmas

You know, I was raised where you got things for your birthday and Christmas, and if you wanted anything you just waited til then. I raised my kids the same way. And I look at them and think they are wonderful. Allen is the Supervisor for the North Carolina National Forest and lives in Asheville; Allison is the Director of Recruiting for Metova in Conway, Arkansas; and Ruthanne is the Charge Nurse for the Cardiac Device Clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.

When Allison was about 3, barbie dolls came out, but they were just the dolls and had no clothes with them. I told Mama that’s what I’m getting Allison for Christmas, and she just said, ‘surely you’re not getting that girl a naked doll for Christmas!’ ‘Yep,’ I said, ‘that’s what I’m getting her!’ and I made clothes for the doll. I gave both Allison and Ruthanne a shoebox full of clothes for their barbie dolls. Allison’s longtime boyfriend had a couple of girls, and she pulled out that shoebox for them to play with.

I used to read, “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” to Allison at Christmas time, and she would say ‘don’t read that page.’ I don’t remember what that page was, but she would not let me read it. Both Allison and Ruthanne are like that: if you cross a line you know it. They don’t let anyone ride over them, just like their Daddy. I like that about them.