When my Mom was born, all mothers who went to the hospital, an incredible luxury 94 years ago, stayed in the hospital for a full week. Mom was the 9th of 10 children and there was a large built-in audience for her first homecoming. Since Mom was born on the 18th of December, she arrived home on Christmas Day. Hence her name was Carol. Her serious business skills (120 words a minute typing and 200 words a minute short hand dictation) were a great asset to my Dad's hard working, carpentry, mechanical, and welding skills combined with a mischievous personality. This symbolic gift from God brought many souls into a joyous knowledge of God. She taught me to be fearless when facing bullies and life, to make family life fun, to pursue my passion for music, and to have fun serving God without reservation. She drove the station wagon loaded with 6 kids pulling a camper to Florida and back while Dad worked the high paying firewatch for the strike shuttered US Steel. Tim and I arguing over setting up the camper tent in the dark, then Tim and I almost losing the camper (along with little brother Kelly hiding in Dad's homemade kitchen box attachment) over the steep mountain edge probably have her a gray hair or two. She was a grandmother when she rode the world's tallest, steepest, and fastest wooden roller coaster, the Chicago 6 Flags American Eagle, with me and her granddaughter Becky. The stories of her fearless adventures would fill a book. Thanks, Mom.
