Hurray for Parents!

Photo - Hope's parents and her brother

July, 1970 – don’t remember the exact date; think it was the first week, my parents made their first visit to Duluth to see us. Mom told me they would be staying overnight one night and taking their time, and when to expect them. I was ecstatic, Bob could barely keep me from jumping over the moon, and I couldn’t wait to see them. They would be bringing the three younger children. Jerry and Steve, both teenagers, would stay home and take care of the milking, chores, etc. around the farm. I would not see them, but I would see the other 3 and my Mom and Dad! Tim was 11, Mark 10 and Julie, 8 years old. We were not expecting them to arrive until that Sunday evening. We were coming home from church, driving up First Street toward our apartment building. As we rounded the bend, I saw Mom and Dad’s station wagon in our parking lot! They were sitting there waiting for us to come home! It was so great to see them. They told me that they drove all night instead of stopping to sleep over. Dad told me that they started looking for a place to stay too late and didn’t see a place, so he kept driving. Aahh—Mom whispered to me, “don’t believe him, he wanted to drive straight through because he was so anxious to see you!” My Dad gave me a big bear hug and I didn’t want to let go of either of them when they hugged me. The little ones told the story of how they couldn’t believe how long the trip was and how far they had come. I helped raise these three until I left home; I can’t begin to explain to you how much I missed them.

That reminds me of the trip Bob and I made driving to PA when our daughter Dawn was about 4 years old. We were just leaving Superior, going through a stretch of a rural area. She saw and barn and immediately thought that it was Grandma and Grandpa’s barn and that we were almost there! We laughed. We also would laugh at the kids when we would leave the Ohio turnpike, going onto the PA turnpike. They would see the sign entering Pennsylvania and think we were almost there. Actually, we had about 6 more hours of driving to almost the other end of the state!

Anyhow, their visit was wonderful. I took them to the spots I had taken my aunts and uncles. We went on the Vista Queen boat cruise. The kids really loved that! My Dad especially enjoyed it.

I had been telling them all summer that it was cold here, not very warm for summer. Of course, while they were here, we got one of those “heat waves” and it was so very hot. All the windows in the apartment were painted shut; the only one that would open was the small bathroom window and the screen door. My Mother told me we had to get “air” into the place. It was the first that it was actually hot, and wouldn’t you know it would happen then. The next day she insisted we go to a store and buy a FAN. We went to Shoppers City; the fans were all SOLD OUT. They told us they were sold out at Target too. They would put our name on a list for the shipment coming in the next day. The next day we got our fan. Mom paid for it. It was one of those big “box” fans. It did the trick, made us all more comfortable. We still have the fan, it comes out every summer during our “hot spell”, except, this past summer we didn’t need it. We put a ceiling fan in the living room and that seemed to be all we needed. I can’t give the fan up though; every time I see it I remember that first visit.

As I said, this was the first visit of many. I should count sometime, exactly how many times they came…but it was on the average of once every 2 years, until the late 1980’s. That last trip they told me would probably be their last, as Dad’s health was getting increasingly worse. Mom always said that they would come as long as they “were able” but often stated to me that the day would come that they would not be able to make the drive. She kept trying to prepare me…but I never wanted to face that day, but the day did come. I wanted them to fly, but they were not “flyers” as they would say, I just could never convince them to try it. In 1990, Julie and Ron drove out in a van, and brought Mom along. That was the summer when we had our first grandchild, so she was able to see and hold Skylar. I have great photos of them together. Dad didn’t come, because by then he was on oxygen. When they returned home, Mom had a blood clot in her leg from the long ride. So, needless to say, that was her last trip here.

In 1992 I took a part time job. I told Bob that from then on, I would be going home at least once a year, since my parents couldn’t come out.

My Mother told me the same thing my sister said after visiting Hope and Matt. She felt better after seeing where we lived, and knew that we were fine. I know that feeling too, now as a Mother. Our daughter lives 2 ½ hours away, nothing compared to 24. I always feel better after returning from a visit with her and her family! I’m so thankful that they are only a few hours from us.

I had some extra perks here that Hope and Matt don’t have. I had my Mother in Law, Bob’s four wonderful Italian Aunties, a neat Finnish Uncle, and lots of great cousin in laws! (Some day I will tell you about them). My Mom and Dad knew that I was in good hands!