(excerpt from "my dearest everett" by bettie mae turley)
after everett n me had a been married for four years, i started thinkin serious like a bout that parenthood thang. but i didnt say much rite off about all that to everett. all them past years everett had kept after me a teasin n such bout havin a baby but jest teasin. he knew that one day we would. n now i was beginnin to think that day was a comin up.
for sooo many long years i had been a calculatin the timing of the "when NOT to" of the doing of the deed that i had turned it into pure scientific insight. now it was gonna be sooo excitin to keep track of the "WHEN TO" that i could hardly contain myselfs. n in no time at all, i begun to feel that stirrin in my spirit that i couldnt quite explain. all my women friends n even some of my yunger sisters had all ready had some babys n they all would say the same thang: its jest somethang that a gal knows in her very being. n now i was a knowin that i knowed that knowin.
but still i kept it a secret from everett. it was the first time ever in our hole life together that i kept a secret from him. partly cuz i wanted to give it some time n make sure this one "took" n partly cuz christmas time was a comin up soon n i couldnt imagine a more special gift to give to my dear sweet everett after all the wonderful thangs he had gived to me in OUR life together.
so that christmas mornin when i got up to put the coffee on like i does every mornin, i tied a big bow made of green n red ribbons around the waistline of my robe. when everett camed in from checkin on the stock it was still dark outside so he didnt notice much different rite off. he built up a nice cozy blaze in the fireplace n when i handed him his cup of coffee he noticed that bow.
n he started in to teasin me bout is i his lil christmas present
n i teased back that i has been his christmas present for many a year now n that he has all ways been my special christmas present. but the present that i was a given to him this year was a new kinda present n it was gonna take a bit longer to finish makin so he would have to wait a spell to receive it, probably some time in august.
n he jest kinda looked at me all dumfounded like n then ever sooo slowly i could see the light bulb turnin on in his imagination. he turned all white like i thought he was jest a gonna pass out rite then n there. so i hollered out loud: breathe!!! i is a gonna need ya a round for a while longer!!!
n that shook him outta his shock n he swooped me up in his arms n he started cryin like a blubberin lil baby . . .
"ooohhhhh bettie mae!!! really??? i can hardly believes it!!! thats the bestest gift ever!!! oh darlin i loves ya sooo much!!! has ya been to see ole doc sampson? is ya feelin all rite? did ya tell yer momma yet? oh no!!! what am i doing??? here, get on over here n sit down!!! git off yer feet!!!"
"everett!!! i aint a gonna break or nothin!!! relax!!! i knows its a big bit to take all in rite now but its okay . . . really . . . we is gonna have us our own lil baby . . . i loves you sooo much too . . . daddy."
n everett took to bawlin all over again n i jest held him tight n cryed some tears of joy rite along with him . . .
then i explained to him that i would be makin a appointment with ole doc sampson in a week or two but that i was actually feelin better than fine. n no, i wasnt ready to tell momma jest yet. i figgered that when my birthday rolled round at the end of january would be a fittin time to tell her, sorta like a birthday present back to her.
it took everett many a day n a week to kinda settle into the idea that i wasnt some kinda fragile china doll now that i was a makin his baby but he did eventually calm down a lil bit . . . but of course he did all ways worry some bout me n a sayin that i was a workin too hard n that i should a take it some easier on myselfs.
i would explain thangs to him such as after a spell when i gits to showin that i would tell all them gals at the diner n i would quit with doing all the cookin n such n that i would jest play the hostest part n that "flo jo" was sooo real good at managin everthang ifn i wasnt there everday n that it would all work out jest fine.
n then he'd a feel some better bout the hole situation.
after i did see ole doc sampson n he telled me that everthang seemed to be comin along jest fine that helped everett relax a bit more but he still kept a cautious eye on me most of the time. i tried to stay understandin of him being this was his first experience with all this baby kinda stuff n all.
n of course i telled my best friend alvernie lou rite off cuz i knowed she'd a understand bout keepin a confidence n allowin me to be the one to tell folks that me n everett was expectin our first. she had birthed her fourth baby by that time so she was real helpful in explainin some thangs to me bout what to expect n some thangs to help everett to deal with all the changes n all. she all ways has been my most special of friends.
n everett did real good too a bout not sayin anythang to anybuddy til the time was rite. even tho he was sooo filled with joy to overflowin n about to bust with excitement. he telled me that he liked havin a secret kept jest between the two of us, that it made it seem even more special, ifn thats at all possible. n he took to sayin this lil sing songy sayin: you n me n baby makes three.
everett was all full of excitement.
so the weeks passed quick like n when everett n me went to visit momma n daddy on my birthday, n after we had shared a real nice supper together with everbuddy, i started in to breakin the news: momma, i wants to thank ya for birthin me into this grand world. this lifes that i is a livin is better than i could uv ever imagined possible. sooo . . . this here year on my birthday i wants to give you a present back. (n mommas eyes got all big n excited like she jest knew what i was a gonna tells her). this year i is a gonna gives ya another granbaby."
momma jest sighed such a big ole sigh she was sooo relieved n she sayed, "shoot gal, here ya are turnin 28 years old n finally havin you n everett a yung-un uv yer own. bout time . . ." n everbuddy jest a started in to snickerin cuz that was jest mommas way.
as the next weeks n months passed it seemed that time jest a kept tickin away faster n faster. i had such a real easy time of it all. well, exceptin some of those hot summer days would some times git a bit much (i'd have to plan ahead some better for the next yung-un). but everett n me jest couldnt imagine being any happyer with OUR lifes. especially cuz we had each other.
when i got towards the end of the expectin time, everett started in a talkin a bout makin arrangements ahead of time at the hospital in bigg city. that had becomed the popular trend for gals to go on off to the hospital for to have their babys. everett n me talked all that out in a lotta detail n i could tell rite off that he had kinda set his mind to doing this hospital thang so i jest agreed with him.
n on august 26th
our first baby daughter was borned.
she was jest the tiniest lil thang
weighin only 6 pounds n 4 ounces
with dark hair n dark eyes jest like everetts gramma.
n ooohhhhh the look of love that
everett transferred onto that lil baby gal
was the most priceless experience
of my hole entire lifetime.
everett n me was jest plain in awe of this lil person that we n god had created - she was a livin n breathin miracle, simple as that. we would say all the time that we jest never knowed that anyone could feel that big of a feelin of love the ways that we loved that lil baby girl - its an experience only knowed by experiencin it for yourselfs.
after everett n me had a been married for four years, i started thinkin serious like a bout that parenthood thang. but i didnt say much rite off about all that to everett. all them past years everett had kept after me a teasin n such bout havin a baby but jest teasin. he knew that one day we would. n now i was beginnin to think that day was a comin up.
for sooo many long years i had been a calculatin the timing of the "when NOT to" of the doing of the deed that i had turned it into pure scientific insight. now it was gonna be sooo excitin to keep track of the "WHEN TO" that i could hardly contain myselfs. n in no time at all, i begun to feel that stirrin in my spirit that i couldnt quite explain. all my women friends n even some of my yunger sisters had all ready had some babys n they all would say the same thang: its jest somethang that a gal knows in her very being. n now i was a knowin that i knowed that knowin.
but still i kept it a secret from everett. it was the first time ever in our hole life together that i kept a secret from him. partly cuz i wanted to give it some time n make sure this one "took" n partly cuz christmas time was a comin up soon n i couldnt imagine a more special gift to give to my dear sweet everett after all the wonderful thangs he had gived to me in OUR life together.
so that christmas mornin when i got up to put the coffee on like i does every mornin, i tied a big bow made of green n red ribbons around the waistline of my robe. when everett camed in from checkin on the stock it was still dark outside so he didnt notice much different rite off. he built up a nice cozy blaze in the fireplace n when i handed him his cup of coffee he noticed that bow.
n he started in to teasin me bout is i his lil christmas present
n i teased back that i has been his christmas present for many a year now n that he has all ways been my special christmas present. but the present that i was a given to him this year was a new kinda present n it was gonna take a bit longer to finish makin so he would have to wait a spell to receive it, probably some time in august.
n he jest kinda looked at me all dumfounded like n then ever sooo slowly i could see the light bulb turnin on in his imagination. he turned all white like i thought he was jest a gonna pass out rite then n there. so i hollered out loud: breathe!!! i is a gonna need ya a round for a while longer!!!
n that shook him outta his shock n he swooped me up in his arms n he started cryin like a blubberin lil baby . . .
"ooohhhhh bettie mae!!! really??? i can hardly believes it!!! thats the bestest gift ever!!! oh darlin i loves ya sooo much!!! has ya been to see ole doc sampson? is ya feelin all rite? did ya tell yer momma yet? oh no!!! what am i doing??? here, get on over here n sit down!!! git off yer feet!!!"
"everett!!! i aint a gonna break or nothin!!! relax!!! i knows its a big bit to take all in rite now but its okay . . . really . . . we is gonna have us our own lil baby . . . i loves you sooo much too . . . daddy."
n everett took to bawlin all over again n i jest held him tight n cryed some tears of joy rite along with him . . .
then i explained to him that i would be makin a appointment with ole doc sampson in a week or two but that i was actually feelin better than fine. n no, i wasnt ready to tell momma jest yet. i figgered that when my birthday rolled round at the end of january would be a fittin time to tell her, sorta like a birthday present back to her.
it took everett many a day n a week to kinda settle into the idea that i wasnt some kinda fragile china doll now that i was a makin his baby but he did eventually calm down a lil bit . . . but of course he did all ways worry some bout me n a sayin that i was a workin too hard n that i should a take it some easier on myselfs.
i would explain thangs to him such as after a spell when i gits to showin that i would tell all them gals at the diner n i would quit with doing all the cookin n such n that i would jest play the hostest part n that "flo jo" was sooo real good at managin everthang ifn i wasnt there everday n that it would all work out jest fine.
n then he'd a feel some better bout the hole situation.
after i did see ole doc sampson n he telled me that everthang seemed to be comin along jest fine that helped everett relax a bit more but he still kept a cautious eye on me most of the time. i tried to stay understandin of him being this was his first experience with all this baby kinda stuff n all.
n of course i telled my best friend alvernie lou rite off cuz i knowed she'd a understand bout keepin a confidence n allowin me to be the one to tell folks that me n everett was expectin our first. she had birthed her fourth baby by that time so she was real helpful in explainin some thangs to me bout what to expect n some thangs to help everett to deal with all the changes n all. she all ways has been my most special of friends.
n everett did real good too a bout not sayin anythang to anybuddy til the time was rite. even tho he was sooo filled with joy to overflowin n about to bust with excitement. he telled me that he liked havin a secret kept jest between the two of us, that it made it seem even more special, ifn thats at all possible. n he took to sayin this lil sing songy sayin: you n me n baby makes three.
everett was all full of excitement.
so the weeks passed quick like n when everett n me went to visit momma n daddy on my birthday, n after we had shared a real nice supper together with everbuddy, i started in to breakin the news: momma, i wants to thank ya for birthin me into this grand world. this lifes that i is a livin is better than i could uv ever imagined possible. sooo . . . this here year on my birthday i wants to give you a present back. (n mommas eyes got all big n excited like she jest knew what i was a gonna tells her). this year i is a gonna gives ya another granbaby."
momma jest sighed such a big ole sigh she was sooo relieved n she sayed, "shoot gal, here ya are turnin 28 years old n finally havin you n everett a yung-un uv yer own. bout time . . ." n everbuddy jest a started in to snickerin cuz that was jest mommas way.
as the next weeks n months passed it seemed that time jest a kept tickin away faster n faster. i had such a real easy time of it all. well, exceptin some of those hot summer days would some times git a bit much (i'd have to plan ahead some better for the next yung-un). but everett n me jest couldnt imagine being any happyer with OUR lifes. especially cuz we had each other.
when i got towards the end of the expectin time, everett started in a talkin a bout makin arrangements ahead of time at the hospital in bigg city. that had becomed the popular trend for gals to go on off to the hospital for to have their babys. everett n me talked all that out in a lotta detail n i could tell rite off that he had kinda set his mind to doing this hospital thang so i jest agreed with him.
n on august 26th
our first baby daughter was borned.
she was jest the tiniest lil thang
weighin only 6 pounds n 4 ounces
with dark hair n dark eyes jest like everetts gramma.
n ooohhhhh the look of love that
everett transferred onto that lil baby gal
was the most priceless experience
of my hole entire lifetime.
everett n me was jest plain in awe of this lil person that we n god had created - she was a livin n breathin miracle, simple as that. we would say all the time that we jest never knowed that anyone could feel that big of a feelin of love the ways that we loved that lil baby girl - its an experience only knowed by experiencin it for yourselfs.
so that very first day, daddy drived momma up to the hospital in bigg city cuz she jest couldnt stand havin a granbaby that she aint met yet. n rite off momma starts in a givin advice that weren't asked for n givin orders to the nursin staff that weren't needed n we all jest kinda snickered to ourselfs cuz thats jest mommas way about her. so i tried to distract her some by sayin: here momma, hold your new lil grandaughter.
"bettie mae, does this lil gal not yet have a name???"
"course momma. her name is eliza mae."
"eliza mae??? what kinda name is that???"
"its the name that me n everett agreed upon. one of his grate grammas was named elizabeth n i really likes that name. n my middle name was named after daddys gramma margaret."
"oh, so her name is elizabeth margaret. thank goodness!!! thats more proper."
"no momma. her proper name is eliza mae. i wasnt gonna have no daughter of mine growin up with some ole lady name like i had to being named beatrice margaret. so everett n me decided to jest start rite off with her shortened up name n call her eliza mae. n that is her legal name all signed up n documented on her birth certificate. eliza mae turley."
sometimes ya jest had to handle momma with the same sterness that she all ways tried to throw a round at everbuddy else!!!
everetts momma n daddy showed up shortly after that n they was jest as proud n overjoyed as we was n rejoicin with us bout now knowin what that love feelin was all about from being a momma n a daddy for ourselfs. thats where my everett got all his kindness n tenderness n gentleness. his folks was the best in-laws i coulda ever asked for. everett n me all ways did joke a round a bout that i got the in-laws n he got the out-laws.
after the second nite of sleepin in that there hospital bed i telled everett that i jest wanted to go on home.
"but bettie mae!!! you need to get your rest up!!! n what a bout lil eliza mae??? she aint yet ready to be carried off in to that hole world going on out there!!!"
turns out that he was jest a lil feared a bout all the caring of such a lil baby so i reassured him that babys had survived harsher conditions then all this hospital commotion n that i jest wanted to git on back to out in the kountree n be on the farm n to sleep in our own bed again n that lil eliza mae was all healthy n such n that she would actually do better gettin out of all this city air . . . so he rather reluctantly agreed.
i took the next few weeks off from workin at the diner. "flo jo" would call me ever once n a while n she was a managin everthang jest fine n dandy.
so everett n me n our lil "makes three" spent all them days jest relishin the joys of being a family together. everett was sooo funny during them first few days, he could barely git any work done for frettin bout me n lil eliza mae n runnin back up to the house again n again jest to check on us. but we all three fell into a real comfortable routine everday n lil eliza mae was jest the best baby that we coulda ever hoped for.
when eliza mae was four weeks old, we went on in to town for to see ole doc sampson ("we" as in all the three of us. everett jest couldnt imagine how i would a be able to drive with a baby in the car. hahaha). doc telled us that lil eliza mae was a gainin good weight, still a lil small for her age but she was probably jest gonna be a lil gal. so everett beganned to relax a bit more n git comfortable with all this baby kinda stuff.
the next mornin after breakfast i announced to everett that lil eliza mae n me was gonna make a lil trip on over to see alvernie lou. i hadnt seen her since a fore eliza mae was borned n i was jest a missin her so. alvernie lou n me had talked on the phone some during that time but that jest aint the same as spendin time together talkin n laughin n carryin on likes she n me all ways does. everett jest didnt know what to think a bout my plan n offered to drive us on over to alvernie lou's place but once i got to the point of explainin that alvernie lou n me needed some time together for gal talk that kinda convinced him that he didnt really want to have to sit thru all that. i assured everett that baby n me would only be gone for a few hours n that everthang would be jest fine.
when we drived up into her driveway, alvernie lou camed a runnin outta her house n jest leaped for joy she was sooo happy to see me n for to meet lil eliza mae. we had sooo much fun visitin again n the hole time alvernie lou jest a held onto my lil baby n hugged her n kissed her jest as if she was her very own n was jest sooo happy for me n everett. it was sooo wonderful to see my best friend again n we had a truly grate visit.
as eliza mae approached her six week birthday, i talked with everett a hole lot a bout startin back to schedulin some time for me at the diner. not much. n not cookin. jest to play hostest some n for to visit with everbuddy n to show off eliza mae some. it took a bit of convincin but eventually he realized that the day was gonna git here sooner or later.
so that first trip, everett drove me n eliza mae on out to the diner n we hauled a crib out there for to put in my office where eliza mae could take her nap time. we arrived at mid mornin so as to be there betwixt breakfast rush n lunch rush n ooohhhhh what a joy it sure nuff was for to see all them gals again. n ooohhhhh what a fuss they all made over our lil eliza mae n i jest watched everett beam with pride. he was sooo happy being a daddy n that made me happyest of all, that i could of done such a thang for this man who has all ways done so much for to make my life happy n full of joy.
at first me n eliza mae would drive on over to the diner for a few hours a couple of times a week n as time went by we spent more n more time out there n everbuddy got to share in my n everetts joy of watchin this sweet lil baby grow more n more. so everett n me n our lil "makes three" settled into our new routines n life was sooo good cuz we all had each other . . .
ifn ya missed the previous segment bout how the diner done got started a way back in the day then click this here link:
http://
and the next is about when our first son was borned:
http://
ifn ya wants to read the whole "everett" story then click this link:
http://kountreekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-dearest-everett.html
oxoxo
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