Have you ever felt that without your journey, you wouldn’t be who you are today?
I’m sure we come from all walks of life, and we all have different stories. My hope is that you’ll see my heart in this lil’ snippet of a story, and we can connect in some way.
Ya know, I have found out over the years how important it is to hang out with others who love, support, and encourage you. I just want to say how very grateful I am for my family. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Many thanks I want to extend to my friends, mentors, and yes, random strangers over the years. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today. And certainly without hesitation…without God, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Maybe you can relate, maybe not, and that’s okay. I appreciate you tuning in… Enjoy!
As a young girl, I grew up in Port Neches, a small town in southeast Texas. Most people have never heard of it, but boy, were we proud to call that little community “home”! I still beam when people ask me where I’m from, because in my eyes there was no place more comforting than livin’ in a town with some of the most caring, lovable, family-oriented people you’ll ever meet in your life. It’s a special place for sure. For all you Port Neches-Groves Indian lovers out there, “Always be faithful to Purple ‘n White…”! And for all you Bulldogs…well, um we just won’t go there I suppose. I’ll be nice 🙂
So, let me tell ya about our first home… Me, Momma ‘n Daddy and my two brothers lived in a 900 sq. ft. house with one bathroom. The boys just pee’d in a cup if need be 🙂 We had a fenced-in backyard with a few random boxwood bushes lining the entrance of the tiny front porch. It was all we could afford, but we never knew that until later in life, because our parents didn’t focus on what we didn’t have, so we didn’t either. We had each other, and that’s all that really mattered.
Our parents set a fine example of a strong work ethic. Whether it was time to do the yard work, wash cars, or clean out the garage, we all helped. There were no excuses. When we were told what to do and certainly no option was given, it was just a “Yes, Sir” and “Yes, Ma’am”. If we didn’t respond in that manner, Daddy would give us “the look” or whip our butts! Nooo, I’m just joking y’all. He would just cut his eyes towards us and give that “look,” becuase it was just expected in the South to respect your parents in that way. I guess you could say there was “order” in our lil’ house and “yes,” there WERE some whoopins, but only when we needed it!
Daddy worked long hours while momma cared for us three munchkins. Ya know, she had three kids before she was 23 yrs. old! Can you imagine? There was always food on the table, clothes on our back, and a bed to sleep on. THAT right there spelled out “security” for me. Just give me the necessities, and I was happy. I never craved fancy clothes, shoes or jewelry. Momma had a teeny tiny closet, so she never placed any emphasis on those things. I was more interested in playing outside barefoot with my brothers and friends. Some of my favorite things to do were just simple, like making mudpies, planting zinnias from a seed in a can, running barefoot on that hot pavement to the neighbor’s house to play, or pickin’ berries! I loved to create handmade cards, doodle, and design decoupage plaques. As we all know every child is an artist…some of us just choose to never forget it.
Momma made many a lunches with a half piece of bologna ‘n mustard in a folded piece of white bread, a few chips in a baggie, and a ding dong or oatmeal pie thrown in. She cooked just enough dinner for everyone to have a plate of food, and most of the time never seconds. We usually had a mound of white bread with a tub full of butter-like substance on the table and always a dessert. (It was a good “filler” I’m guessin’ 🙂 She was famous for her delicious homemade lemon iced cake, apple cake and chocolate chip cookies. Very seldom did we eat meat, and when we did, it was on Sundays right after church. We always looked forward to that yummy ham and baked potatoes or roast and carrots! We were so grateful. I didn’t take anything for granted, nor did we expect much.
Lookin’ back it’s hard to believe I ate things like creamed tuna on toast. Do you have any idea what that is?! Well, let me tell you. Momma would hardboil a couple of eggs, separate the yolk from the white. She would slice up the egg whites, mash the yolk, dump it all in a pot on the stove with a can of tuna. She would add milk, salt and pepper to taste. When it was hot enough, she would then pour it over a piece of toasted white bread. THAT, my friends, is creamed tuna on toast!! If you have a better recipe than that, then please share below in the comment section 🙂
Momma also sewed most of my clothes as many moms did in the town. We couldn’t afford to go out to eat or buy fancy clothes at the boutiques, and we knew never to ask for a candy bar or coke when checkin’ out at the grocery store. Oh, and talk about the grocery store… After the cashier added up the groceries, sometimes Momma would sign her name next to an amount on a piece of notebook paper instead of giving her cash or a check. I never asked, but I suppose that was an IOU, a promise on a piece of paper to hold us accountable. And my Daddy, well he always made good on those promises. He was, and still is, a strong man of character.
Fast forward…for the past 30+ years I’ve lived in Houston, TX, a melting pot of people from all over the world. We witnessed the flooding from Hurricane Harvey that devastated the Texas areas last fall, and we saw first hand the love and the giving back from people from all walks of life. It was so humbling, to say the least. THAT was a turning point for me personally. I started to think…what is my purpose now here on earth? Could I give more? Could I possibly challenge myself to help others be the best that they could be? I’ve walked down many roads in my past, and it’s been quite the journey.
Looking back, I don’t regret anything, because I’ve learned from every decision I’ve ever made. Welcome the struggles and the failures, cuz it will make you stronger. You will learn to Ignore The Noise, and Go For Your Dreams! I want to encourage you to keep moving forward in your journey. Keep it simple, and experience the new and different! Get Out of The Box, and you will eventually fall right into your purpose here on earth. Know that God can use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Believe, My Friend.
Y’all Come Back to My Blog Now, Ya Hear…there’s always more stories!
EMBRACE Your Perfect Self; INSPIRE Others to Live a Bold ‘n Brave Journey; and DARE to Be Different Because Why Fit In When You Were Born to Stand Out!
Hugs,
~Carrie
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