Young Dreamers Chapter Ten

Last Chapter of the Young Dreamers:

Good Morning,

Last week I left you our family had went through a rough period in our lives and came out stronger.
I am trying to think how to explain it to you.
I remember when I was a child and our family had went to the Great Smokey Mountains. We came to a tunnel that went through the mountains. The first tunnel was short. You could see the daylight through the end. Then we came to one that you could tell was long. We entered it and it was dark. It had a sign that said turn on lights. Daddy turned the car lights on and it lite up the tunnel. Then something happened to the car lights and they went out and everything was completely pitch dark. I was frightened. Even though the whole family was going through the tunnel with me, it was dark and I didn't know how long before we would reach light. I know it wasn't long but in my young mind it was forever. Then in the dark, some one's hand reaches and squeezes mine and I knew I wasn't alone and the end was there. Brilliant light from the sun is shining and the a beautiful view of the landscape below is what was at the end of a long dark journey.
I guess that is gushy, but it describes what those years felt like.

Anyway, the house we built here had wooden siding that was not looking so good. Billy had a plan. He is going to redo the outside of the house and use the wood siding on the barn he is building.
Here is Billy and our sons in front of the before house.


Me, Billy and the oldest son in front of before house.


Billy believes in working perfect and fast. He goes to work on a design he has in his mind.


I was working full time off the farm at the time. It was almost as if I went to work one day and came home to something completely different.


Here is Billy and oldest son on the front porch relaxing a little during the overhaul time.


Me and Billy in front of the house right after the overhaul.


When I was looking through the pictures I came up on this. This is an example of one of Billy's finds. He can take something that looks like junk (you can tell by the youngest son's expression, he is wondering about this too!) and make something beautiful out of it. In a short period of time.


Here is the same piece 2 weeks later.


I have to say that I am very proud of our sons. Both went through some rough times, different experiences, but rough. But haven't we all in one time or another gone through some difficult times? It is just different when it is your children going through it. The most important lesson I think we all learned from that period is you have to let your children take responsibilities for their choices and actions.

The oldest son is doing great now. Matter of fact, this weekend we are going to his girlfriend's graduation from Auburn University. They have been together over 8 years and she is a wonderful, determined, hard working young lady. We are so proud to have her as part of our family. He has a good job and inherited his Dad's building ability. We know he will continued to do well in life and his choices.


The youngest son has always been a daredevil. He has a job he loves, and one I find dangerous. He builds, sets up, repairs, cell phone towers. He travels all over the southeast.


I guess this brings us up to now. Me and Billy are not so young anymore but we both still feel young. We still do as much as we did 30+ years ago. We are so blessed to have great health and to have a safe, healthy, happy family.
Just yesterday I was climbing up into the barn loft. I thought of 25 years earlier of climbing in another barn loft on our first property. I was 26 years old then and thought as I climbed the ladder, I still feel young, like I am 18 years old. I sure can climb this ladder for a old lady of 26.
Yesterday, I still felt like that old lady of 26 years.
Life is wonderful. I always wake up with the anticipation of what exciting thing is going to happen today!
I also feel blessed to have a husband who thinks I am wonderful ,who is so talented, hard working, a good provider, a non-drinker, and who put his family first no matter what.
To have 2 wonderful sons who overcame difficult times in their lives to become hard working,caring, young men.

I am sorry again this is a long post. I don't ever know what is going to come out until I set down and start typing.
You all have been great therapy for me and I appreciate each and every one of your comments along the way.
This is not the end by no means. Me, Billy and the boys are still working up a storm.

Have a great day!