Sometimes it is hard to talk about history when we are so wrapped up in the current-surviving day to day.
The teacher asked us if we had any interesting stories about our families.
Silence.
I first thought of Jane Patten and her sewing machine, making "jeans" for the workers. And beating a bear on the nose with her broom.
John whispered to me, "What about Samuel H no period Smith?"
Some people can point to a specific ancestor and trace their name. Our Samuel was named partly after this great great grandfather of his, Samuel H (no period) Smith, with a mysterious father. She never told.
They sailed to America, and he had to get out of the wagon and walk when he turned 7. They made it to Utah, and Pleasant Grove where there is a park named after him. That is where we go for Memorial Day to put flowers on the headstones and sit on the grass and talk to cousins...
I was reading today about Samuel the Lamanite, how many times he talks about hearts in his first talk recorded. We named our Samuel partly after this Samuel the prophet, and the Samuel in the Old Testament. And Sam in the first chapters of The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.
Our Sam is in middle school now. Lockers. Big kids in the hallways. Moving to different classes all day long. Uniforms for gym. School counselors.
He is getting taller, more independent. So far, with only two days of school, I have missed him in the mornings! It is just Roxie and I walking the 1/2 mile to the school.
I have to ask all my questions after school. I try really hard to not be busy in the middle of a project when the older kids walk in the door. So I can greet them. Feed them. Find out how their day went, and what work needs to be done, projects, friends they have met. And to keep track of who they are and what they are becoming, how they think, what they feel, what they need.
Day-to-day family history in the making!
5 comments:
Did you share Samuel H Smith's story?
It is good to know names and where they came from. They are apart of us and our history.
I ended up going to church with Gma Jane and Gpa Ken. Fun to run in to people who knew you. looked at the wall of missionary pictures. Found you first, then John, David, Michael, and Steven. Met a few people who knew of me through you. Margret Baker, and Pres Hinkley's daughter (? I think. They stand out in my mind). Neat to be a part of that family history in the making.
Good good to see blog updates. I love to hear about your family and in my mind see them coming in and out your door and eating in your kitchen.
The bear was a Babcock story, Matilda or something, maybe a Peck, Grandma Lucy family anyway. And I think Samuel was 5. But the 5 year olds walked too.
Oooopss! Showing the importance of DOCUMENTING those family stories, or the get all mangled together and oner person gets all the credit! Thanks for the corrections, Mom! And, no, to Emmalyn, I didn't raise my hand. Sister Beck came in and asked for my help finding pictures to a song--so I left and moonlighted in Primary! They really, really miss you.
You are incredible and inspiring all at the same time. So glad you are friends with Jessica. She is lucky to be able to learn from you! Betty O. (Jessica Loff's mom)
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