What I Neglected to Tell You...

...a week ago...

It was one of those nights that I went to sleep around 3 am, while Cowboy was having fun gathering cattle in the North country. I had been answering the phone for a few days with cancellations of our winter's income. I knew the economy was failing~heading for places never experienced by most of the population, and getting there fast!!
My very last thought that night, before falling into Z-Z-Z-z-z land,
was "Thankfully, our kids have safe and secure jobs".

The next morning the phone began ringing much too early for my brain and I did not want to talk to anyone. If it is that important, I decided they would leave a message.
Around 10 am, the phone rang again and I decide this time,
having my wits (not mattering that they were my "dim wits" ) about me I should answer it.
It was Our Son......as it had been all morning.

If you remember, the first weekend of September, he moved to Fargo for a great opportunity with a Wind Farm Company. He left ol' Mom.. brimming with pride... and many tears!
His call that morning was to inform us that Lehman Bros. was this wind
company's main investor, and we all know what happened to them!
31 days on the job, 1400 miles later, it was over.
The trickle down effect of "Their" blunders fell upon the shoulders of this young wind company, drowning them, and hence on to Our Son, sinking him!

These past two weeks have been a roller coaster ride in our lives, full of thoughts and emotions, and I hope Our Son doesn't mind that I share with you an email I just received from him addressed to his thousands of friends and family.
(Heck, he sent it to his thousands of friends, I don't think a few more reading it here
is going to matter~ do you? )

With Our Son's perpetual humor and positive personality, he too, will survive.....

* * * * *
State of the "**Our Son**" Address:

" I thought I would give you an update on what my plans are
for the rest of this year and the future.
Taking the advise of my friend Jason, I am going to sell everything but
my truck and skis, pack up and move to Jackson Hole, WY.
I am going to buy a canopy for my truck and live in the back of it for the winter working on the slopes and being a ski bum.
Once Spring rolls around, I am going to sell my truck and go to Jamaica
and live on the beach as a bum and pan handle silly tourists
while selling Chick-Let gum!"

"All kidding aside, ......... If nothing looks promising,
I will move back to the PacNW the week before Christmas.

I figure I will either have something on the line by then
or it will be time to change bait and pick a new lake!. .....".

"It is a beautiful sunny day here in Fargo with the temp
hovering around 36 degrees!

I hope this finds everyone doing well.
Cheers everyone, "**Our Son**"

PS - Fargo really isn't that bad!! I actually like it here...it's part of the reason I am going to stick it out another month."
* * * * *

As I read this email, I had to force my worries for him to the back burner, and laugh.
For this clearly is Our Son, touting sunshine in his every word!
( I am a Mother, it is my job to worry about our kids! I hurt for them, I want more for them then they do,.... but I can laugh with them too!)

I talked to my Mom a few days ago and she was telling me about a discussion that was had by several members of her generation. In their 'youth', no one knew they were poor or felt deprived~because everyone they knew had the same things
and lived in the same lifestyle as the other.

Our kids, were raised in a 'different world', a different time. They knew they were poor. Most everyone they knew had more 'things', fancier clothes, bigger houses, more opportunities. None of them had ever lived the same circumstances as our kids had. Surviving life, at times, without electricity or running water. Bathing outdoors in the winter, using an outhouse and never having Christmases like their friends. These other kids did not have to work the same, within their families, just to survive, to exist.

We always 'knew' our kids could survive if and when times got tough.
We always hoped it would never come to the point of them having to test their skills,
and our teachings.
We truly hoped their lives would be better than we were able to provide them during their growing up years.
They have lived "better", without comprimising their values, or their morals.
They set forth and built on their personal goals...and achieved them.
They would never succumb to the challenges they endured, and they had many!
They have both worked hard physically and mentally to get to where they are today.
They too, are survivors...capable of making the best ~of the worst, if need be.
They continue to maintain a sense of dignity and humor in their lives

We taught them to: Listen, learn, respect themselves & others,
laugh and love........always!
We are extremely proud of both of them.


It is a bitter-sweet emotion for me, to know that the manner, in which we raised our two kids, has not impaired them at all. We raised them to believe in their selves, build on their strengths and maintain their resilience; never to give up or become defeated.
Now is a time we wish we could help…and yet, all these years later, we are not capable of giving any financial help….....again.
It’s a sickening feeling, being the parent~ without a means!
Our Son has not asked, nor would he, but that does not ease my pain,
we should be able to lend him our hands.
A month ago, we could have and would have.
I know that he is perfectly content knowing he has our utmost pride and respect; and our eternal love.
But......

*
(Hopefully, for our daughter and her family, Education does become the next victim in our failing economy & troubled times!)
*
(Times are tough for so many people around the world today, and we pray for everyone faced with trials in their lives...just remember to keep your faith, love and laugh!)


This is just another time of Trials.. & Tears...the Triumphs will come!
"From the heart......"


(Sorry, but I had to enable that word scrabble thingy...spammers are getting me
and I cannot find the "garbage can" thing to delete their nonsense!)