Where have the years gone?

I dearly loved my cousins in Manassa. It was good to share our lives with one another.

If I had run into EJ on the street, nose to nose, I'm afraid that I wouldn't have known him, but when I saw his boys, each of them bears his father's mark.

I used to love it when EJ would come into the Filling station in Manassa. Dad would give him a soda and a sack of peanuts. He would sit in the old desks in the station and swing his feet as he drank his pop.

I went on a mission and away to school. EJ and his family moved to Arizona. I don't think I saw him more than once or twice in the years that followed. Many years later, when I was in Arizona to visit my Mother, EJ and his wife took me in for the night and made me feel welcome.

Last year, I was diagnosed with cancer of the thyroid and was uneasy about the diagnosis. I was grateful when EJ reached out offer his support. It was so good to talk to him, and how I yearned for those simpler times in my life. Alas, we can't turn the clock back.

I was excited today when I saw Doris Faye and some of her family on Facebook. That's where I pulled the picture above. I am hoping that although we can't go back in time, we'll be able to rekindle some of the relationships that we hold dear.

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Danette was the next grandchild. She was born on the 30th of August, 1970. She was always a wonderful granddaughter.

It was so much fun to have two sweet little girls. They lived in Alamosa and we lived in Manassa, so we saw them often. It was fun to watch them grow and to be loved and enjoyed by them.

Arlo loved his little girls. It was fun to watch them together. I think grandchildren are a blessing to grandparents. I think they can enjoy them in a way that raising your children, you don't have time to cherish them in the same way grandparents do.
Cory was next in the line of grandchildren. We were pleased to have a grandson. He was born on 15 of June 1972. Trying to write about them is difficult, because you can't express the feelings you have for each of them in a way it would be good for them to know just how precious they are.

When these sweet children were small, Gloria had migraine headaches about every three months. She would be in bed for two or three days and I would go stay with them until Gloria was able to take care of them. Those headaches were so hard on her. It was a great blessing when she outgrew them.

kent and Phyllis were married in 1973 and Andrea Kay was born on on the 11 of October 1974. That is the anniversary of my mom's death. It was good to have something special happen on that day. Andrea was a beautiful baby and has ever been full of love.

Next came Robert Kent. He was born on 20th of February 1976. Phyllis had toxemia before Robert was born, so I went and stayed with them for 2 weeks because Phyllis was confined to bed. Robert was special to me and still is.

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If I remember more things of the school years, I'll go back. I was thankful that Don chose to go on a mission, but I pushed too hard and he didn't feel ready. It is good to let children be more responsible for their decisions, as they get old enough. I wish at times I could go back and be a wiser mother.

I mentioned before that Arlo and I were sealed in the Mesa Temple. That was the happiest day of my life. I will forever be thankful for that blessing. Now it is up to all of us to make that eternal. When my mom died my dad said that if there was nothing to the power of the sealing, it would be a great blessing, because of the peace it gives when one is gone on before. I know by the Spirit that those sealings are from our Heavenly Father. It is a great blessing to know that families can be together forever. My prayer is that every member of our family will work toward that blessing, that we may all be prepared for that. I also believe that living the principles of the Gospel, makes for a happy life here and now.

Don came home from his mission and right away was ready to find a wife. I'll forever be thankful for the choice he made. Gloria is a special part of our family. He was married to Gloria Culler in the Mesa Arizona Temple, on the 28th of September 1968. They have been together for many years. They have survived many trials and have grown from them, as all of us do.

It was in natural order that Marcy Lynn was born. Warren and Helen came from Farmington to be with them when the baby came. Don had worked for the phone company ever since he returned from his mission. He was working on a crew that worked out of town some of the time. He was In San Luis, with the person he was working with. Gloria was ready to have the baby and they couldn't find Donnie. They called the hotel here they were staying and they said they had checked out the night before. They called Arlo and me and we drove to San Luis and went to the hotel where they were supposed to be and they told us the same thing, that they had checked out the night before. We didn't know what to do. We drove around town to see if we could find their truck. We gave up and started home, when we saw a car from the phone company and stopped him. He said for us to follow him. He came to see what had happened to his crew. He went to the hotel and demanded to see the room where they had been staying and there they were in the bed. Marcy was born, before Donnie got home, but all was well.

Marcy was our first grandchild, she was born on the 24th of July 1969 in the Alamosa Hospital. She is the first grandchild for Warren and Helen, too. She gave us a good start. It is wonderful, the way a family grows. She is small but mighty. I do love that girl.

When Marcy was old enough for them to take her to Farmington to show her off to Gloria's family, they had a car accident. They hit a bridge abutment and it threw all three of them out of the car. Gloria was thrown a long way and had many cuts and bruises. Don didn't seem to have any serious problems. Marcy was in a car bed. The bed went out with her in it. She got a cut on her finger and that seemed to be all. That was one of the miracles of our family that all of them survived. It destroyed the car that Gloria had worked for. Life goes on. I am thankful for that.

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A lot of things happened through the years that my children were in their school days. A lot of things were going on, but because I wasn't involved in many of the things, I didn't know much.

Everyone had their friends I'm sure I don't know all of them. Donnie had Freddie Holman, Eddie Holland, I can't think, Don, you add, if you like. Kent had Eddie Holland and I think he liked his cousins best. Bonnie had Her cousins, Nancy, Delores, Jill, and Ramona McGinnis, Janice Johnson, Larry had Robert Sorensen, Irene, Jeff Horton and Larry Dean White. My memory is gone.

There were school proms, church dances, wrestling matches, football and basketball games. Life was busy and full. We had family reunions, Then came the missions and college and many other things. Donnie played football for a season. Larry wrestled. Bonnie belonged to the cheerleaders. Kent worked in the school library.

I was busy with church callings. I was on the Relief Society Stake Board for 7 years. I was on the Primary Stake Board for seven years also. I went into Salt Lake City for the meetings for each that were held before General Conference. I had the privilege of staying for General Conference each time I went.

After Donnie graduated from high school, he went to college for one quarter. That wasn't his thing. Next came his mission.

Kent graduated and went on his mission. He came back and went to Adams State. Then came the Army for him. I think one of the best times for him was when he was in college. There was a group of them that had a lot of fun. I'll write more later.

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The week that my car, that had been Elma and Boyd's burned, Larry had a terrible mishap. He was working at a service station, a part of a school program, He was trying to take the steering wheel off his car, for some unknown reason and I called to tell him to hurry home or he would be late for Grandpa Dunn's funeral. A short time later Gordon Dean came to the mortuary and said Larry had been in a car accident and was in the hospital, which was by the place where the accident happened. Larry did not put the screws back in the steering wheel and it came off in his hands. The car was hit broadside by Mr and Mrs Zinn and their baby (Troy, Marcy's husband) and Mrs Zinn was in the hospital also. Arlo and I were in a state of shock. We didn't know if we should go to the funeral or the hospital. I called the hospital and talked to Doctor Thomas. He said Larry has cuts and bruises and some broken ribs, but he will be alright, so go to the funeral. Larry had cuts on his throat by his jugular vein, but he as OK.

Kent Had an accident on the way to Colorado Springs, after the funeral, where he was stationed in the Army. He was on the east side of Wolf Creel Pass, almost to walsenburg. Kent called Arlo but he wasn't at the station. Ronnie Nite went to see how he was and take him where he needed to go and I didn't even know anything about it until Ronnie had already gone. I was really upset that they didn't give me a chance to go to see how he was. His car was in a garage in Walsenburg until it was repaired. The insurance that Kent had on the car sent a check to pay the damage, but the man at the garage would not accept the check, so Kent had to go back again with the money to pay for the car. I went with him, the man was not going to accept the money either. I was so aggravated at the man. Kent told him to take the money or the car. He then said take your car. I told the man that he was not an honest man. I embarrassed Kent. He had been afoot for quite a while and needed the car. He made three trips to pick it up. Kent, please, add some of the things about your accident.

That was three cars in three days. Kent got his back. Mine was ruined. Larry's was as bad as a car could be and he got out of it alive. I think there is a picture of it somewhere.


I got a long way ahead of my story. After we went to the temple, the missions, began. Donnie went to a Central American Mission. He served in several countries. I would like for each of you to tell us (in this history), some things about your missions.

Kent went to Mexico on his mission. Bonnie went to Idaho on her mission and Larry went to Argentina. Arlo and I went to Arizona, Holbrook for our mission. After Arlo died I went to Seattle Washington and after I married Ward, we went to Chicago, North. Our missions were a wonderful part of our lives. Please each one of you tell about your missions.

Before these things happened, The Manassa High School was joined with LaJara, in a new school building, South of LaJara. The School was called Centauri. Donnie and Kent and Bonnie all graduated from Centauri High school. Larry was a senior. Donnie had played football and broke his shoulder and wasn't able to play anymore. All of my children were smarter than I was in school. Kent was working in the school library and they were combining an old library in Capulin and had duplicate books. Kent brought several boxes of books home. There were some of the classics.

I was helping Arlo in the garage, because all of his helpers were busy at other things. The books that Kent brought home were such good books and as I helped in the garage, I read most of the books. I enjoyed working at the garage with Arlo. I think that was the best time we had together. We really enjoyed each other. Well, our mission was also a great time.

I'm not sure the order of things. I'm just telling things as they come to my mind. Not necessarily in the time they happened.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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My children and I went on several trips. Arlo had to work and never was able to go with us. We went several times to Los Alamos, where Keith and Erma lived. A few times my sisters, Doris Faye, LaRue and Barbara and their children went at the same time. We went to Bandalier Indian Ruins, the Laboratories where they worked on the atomic bomb. Keith worked in one of the places were they did some kind of scientific research. That was always fun.

My dad, Ted Bingham worked in LosAlamos when they were working on the atomic bomb. Of course he didn't know what was going on there. He would work away from home in the winter, sometimes, when the farm work was done. and the boys could take care of the farm. Mom sometimes took him to work, so she had the car. At other times he rode with someone else. At that time there was not a very well finished road up the mountain and it was a scary ride. There was a gate at the entrance where nobody could pass, without a pass. I never went with them to LosAlamos then, because I stayed home to keep the house and whatever I had to do.

When we went up to visit Keith and Erma, Keith or Erma had to come to the gate and sign a pass, so we could go in. The gate was there for many years. It is no longer there.

We also went to Pueblo and visited with Nona and her children. One time we went in the VW pickup and it stalled and we had to find a ride home. Tom Rogers brought the pickup home in one of his trucks.

Arlo was pretty good about our little mishaps. I guess he was accustomed to our car problems. Sometimes we went through cars like women go through hosiery. I never had a car of for my use after our little Plymouth car was no longer usable, until Arlo bought Elma and Boyd's used car. It was short lived. Doris Faye took it to Alamosa to get some things for Grandpa Dunn's funeral and the car caught fire and that was the end of my car. I only had Arlo's pickup or one of my children's cars. I don't think I can even name all of the cars we wore out or wrecked.

Our Christmas' were special times. We had a hardwood floor, that had to be waxed and polished by hand. It was beautiful when it was polished. When Arlo and I married, he had never really celebrated Christmas the way we always did. He didn't think we needed a Christmas tree. I told him that when the time came that I didn't have a Christmas tree, he would know that I was too old. I have always had a tree. His family were very poor and didn't buy Christmas presents. Arlo learned to love Christmas. One of the traditions that we had was on Christmas Eve. we did the story of the birth of Christ and after had a family testimony meeting. Everyone didn't have to bear testimony, but everyone told of their love for each other and how special our family was. I believe that is one of the things that helped Arlo gain a testimony of the Gospel. He loved Christmas. He would sit in his chair by the fire and watch the lights on our beautiful tree. It shone on the floor where the floor was polished.

Arlo loved beautiful things. He was really interested in Bonnie Lynn's ballet concerts. He would watch an opera on television. He loved good music. Those are things that helped me to know how deep and sweet his feelings were for good thing.

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Time all runs together, There are so many things to remember. Kent has talked may times about Aunt Lori and I, taking Him, Don, Mitch and Mike to Aspen Glade to spend some time in the mountains, To this day I can't figure out why I was so foolish to take you to the mountains when you were so young, without supervision. The stories get better with time. I think that is what Larry meant when he said He didn't remember going to Denver and the things that happened. Memory of the same things are different in different minds. If several people tell a story about the same experience there can be, three different stories. I hope the things that I have told are good memories.

When Arlo and I were married, I was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Arlo was baptized, but knew nothing about the church and didn't care to be involved. For several years, it was difficult for me to get to church, but as you children grew old enough to go to Primary I made up my mind that you would be thaught and raised as I had been, in a very active situation. I began taking you to church and trying to teach you all that I could. Arlo's interest was in hunting and fishing. Sometimes we went to the mountains with him and all of us enjoyed that. Sunday was the only day Arlo had off work so he had his interests and I had mine. After we moved to Manassa, he did go to church with us sometimes. There began to be more interest. When Don was reaching mission age I was very anxious to be able to go to the temple with Arlo and our children. We were going to a cottage meeting each Monday night, where several men and their families were being prepared to go to the temple. I was afraid that if we didn't go before our children were out of the home, we may not be able to go all together. I fasted for 2 days a week for nearly a year to have that great blessing. The ward was planning a temple excursion. Elma was teaching a temple preperation class. Arlo was interested. He had tried to live the word of wisdom, but it was hard for him. When the time came and he didn't mentiuon going, I was anxious. Two days before the time to go he came to me and ask me if we could be ready to go. I believe that was the happiest time of my life. We did go and Don got his endowment at the same time that Arlo and I got ours and we were sealed as a family. I will forever be thankful for that blessing.

For several years I went into General Conference. I was on the Stake Relief Society Board and at that time, there was a Relief Society Conference several days before General Conference. I went for seven years with the Relief Society and was later changed to the Stake Primary Board. I still got to go to Salt Lake. The Relief Society Conferenes were held at Fall conference time and the Primary Conference was held in the Spring. I went to Primary Conference for seven years.
The church discontinued those special conferences. All together I went for fourteen years.

Arlo used to tell me that I didn't cook fish right. one year when I got home from Salt Lake,one of you tokd me that Dad didn't know how to cook fish either.

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It is interesting to look at the faces and see similarities to children of another generation.

Mike Lawson

Looks like his dad, doesn't he?

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I don't remember the year that we moved to our home on 3rd street. A lot of things happened while we lived there. Arlo was still working for Boyd Pagett. We lived across the street from Elma and Boyd. Grandma Dunn had died and Doris and Verden moved into Grandpa's house. Loyd and Cathryn still lived in Manassa. Keith had married Erma Rae and Leon Married Jean, LaRue and Harold were married. Barbara was alone with her children. Doris Faye and Bill were married. Our lives were surrounded by family. Isabel and Alta had died.

Arlo's back was doing good. He worked from daylight until dark at the station. He loved fishing and hunting. Those things took his off time. I took the children and went to LosAlamos and visited with Keith and Erma and their family. I think Barbara and Doris Faye went too. We also went to Pueblo and visited Nona and her family. We went in the VW pickup and it broke down in Pueblo. We had to find another way home.

Larry got Brights disease and when I took him to the Doctor. (Dale Thomas), He said we needed to take him to Denver, the next day, to a specialist. That night I took him to Alamosa to the hospital, because he couldn't go home. Before we I took him, we went by Mrs Brothers, Jerry Dunn was the and gave him a Priesthood blessing. We waited in the waiting room for about 3 hours, because they didn't have a bed for him. The hospital was full. It was getting late and Dr. Thomas hadn't come yet. I decided to go home and get some things ready to go to Denver the next morning. I hadn't been home long when Dr. Thomas called and said that Larry's blood pressure had gone so high that he didn't know if he would be alive until we got there He said that he was going to give him a shot that could be fatal. All of the way to the hospital, I prayed that whatever was best for Larry would be. When we got there the shot had worked and his blood pressure had come down. Arlo took us to Denver the next morning and Larry was admitted, then Arlo went home. That was in January and it was so cold in Denver, I wasn't prepared for that cold. I got a room close to the hospital. I walked to be with him each morning and back to the room each night. The temperature didn't get above zero the ten days that he was there. That is the coldest I have ever been. Larry and I rode a bus home.


I think it was earlier when Bonnie Lynn had surgery to correct her eyes. Later Bonnie got hit in the ear by someone when she was swimming and got an infection in her ear. We took her to the doctor right away, but they couldn't stop the infection and it destroyed her ear drum. I took her to Denver, where she had surgery to replace the ear drum. It was like a miracle. She didn't loose any of the hearing in that ear. She couldn't go home so we stayed in Denver for a week and then we went to Nona's for a week. We couldn't take her over a mountain pass, because it would have too much pressure on her ear. We had to wait two weeks.

We took her back several times for check ups. I think all of the children went with us and we went to shows and ate at a restaurant where they had a toy train that ran around the the top of the restaurant. We also went to the museum while we were there.

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80 CONTINUED--7

When we moved to the Christenson house, I was still working at hot lunch. I don't remember how long I worked there. Arlo was still working for Boyd. Arlo had an old red pickup, that he drove to work. When it was snowy, and the roads were slick, I tried to drive the monster and it would just jack knife. I didn't know how to drive that pickup when the roads were icy.

We bought a Plymouth coupe that was just right for our family. I don't know what happened to that car. It was a good little car. Later Arlo did some work on the model A and we drove that for quite a while.

We were living there when we bought a T V. Everyone else seemed to have one and the children were going to other homes to watch them so we decided to buy one. Arlo watched it as soon as he got home from work until it went off at night. He really loved to watch television. It did keep the children home, too. The first T V, I ever saw was just after World War II. The programs then were so good. I Love Lucy was so popular that everything seemed to stop when it was on. There were good musical shows and fun things. It has really changed in the last 50 years.

The first time I heard of a recorder, I thought that was strange. Why would anyone want to record things. I surely didn't understand all of the things that came because of that instrument.

I remember times when Bonnie Lynn would go to Nancy's after school or would go back to the garage with Arlo after lunch and one day I tied her to the clothesline with a rope that went the full length of the line. She still tells me about tying her to the clothesline. She didn't go again without permission.

Maggie Weston worked at hot lunch with me. I learned a lot from her. I loved that lady.

While we lived there, Donnie and Kent were in scouting and the ward was taking the Mutual boys to Arizona to the Dam. The boys were all ready to go, but our alarm didn't go off and they were left. I have always felt bad about that.

While we lived there, Barbara was left alone in Denver. Doris Faye and I went to Denver to get her and the children. It was quite an adventure. Barbara's car broke down on the way back home and we left it there and all of us rode in Doris Faye's car to Manassa. Barbara and her children lived with us for a time. We bought the house on 3rd street. where we live for the remainder of the time we lived in Manassa. Barbara lived in our old house for a time, until she moved into the house that Doris Faye and Bill owned.

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We were settled in Manassa, in Lucille Jackson's house. Donnie, Kent and Bonnie were in school. Grandma Dunn was taking care of Larry. Arlo was home after surgery and life was going on as usual. Arlo was working at the Conejos County Gas and Oil Company, for Boyd Pagett. I was working at hot lunch at the school where the children were going.

We were there until Larry was in school. LaRue and Doris Faye and Leon were living with Grandma and Grandpa at that time. We were surrounded with aunts and uncles. Elma and Boyd lived on the same street, but on the next block to the north. Loyd and Catherine lived in the northeast side of town. Edgar and Laverl lived on the highway about three blocks into the town on the west . We had Christmas eve parties with the family and always had a big Thanksgiving Dinner at different houses. Belonging to a big family was wonderful to me.

Life was simpler then. We didn't have television and I don't remember if we had a radio. Cousins and friends came often or you each had things to do. We picked asparagas and pepermint off the ditch banks. Grandma had a big garden and had milk and eggs. we took advantage of those thinga. Life was good.

One day Lena Sowards called me and said that Donnie was on the roof and she was afraid he was going to fall. There was always things to keep kids having fun.

We had the chance to buy a house in the northwest side of town. It was across from Maggie Weston. I think I mentioned that in my last chapter.

I worked at hot lunch with Maggie for several years. She taught me a lot and I enjoyed working with her.

Through these years we went camping with Arlo's sisters and their families. One year we went up on Wolf Creek Pass. We went with I sabel and Don and Raedeen and Alta and Tiny and their two girls. Bonnie was quite young. We probably lived in LaJara at that time. I suspect that I will have a memory jog and add things out of time. One time we went up the Conejos Canyon camping with them, when Alta and Tiny came to visit. We made a Brigham Bed. It was quilts on the bottom and the top. It was spread out long. The ends were dads, then their children then the mom, next was a mom and their children and then that dad, then the next dad and the children and then the mom. There were three families of us. That was so fun. The camp fires and the stories told around them. The meals. were all fun.

TO BE CONTINUED

Lawsons

One year, Harold Lawson was deployed to Vietnam and his family was left behind. They parked a trailer home next to our home and during that year, they were our next door neighbors.
David was the newest member of the family, and I remember how proud his parents were of him. Even at this age, I enjoyed listening to David laugh and loved to watch his nose wrinkle up as he did. His handsome dark brown eyes were such a contrast to LaRue and Eddies beautiful clear blue eyes.

Uncle Harold's military career took the family to a number of places. I remember that they lived for a time in Alaska and by the time that David was in high school, they lived in Bloomfield Colorado. David played football there. In this photo, he looks like he really means business.

I was so involved with my own life that I haven't done a good job of keeping up on the doings of the Lawson family. I know that for a while Harold and LaRue lived in Mesa, Arizona

Everyone grew up entirely without my involvement.

For a time, Eddie (John) and his wife lived near us as did David. Eddie and his wife moved to Missouri where his wife is from.

David called after he had back surgery and we went up to visit. David and I rekindled our friendship. Now and then we get together and laugh and remember old times.

David now lives in Commerce City, Colorado. He and his girlfriend, Marti came to visit a couple of weeks ago. I always love David's infectious laugh. Marti is a sweetheart and we enjoyed getting to know her a little better.

Someone talked me into joining Facebook. I've really enjoyed the conversations with friends on Facebook. I especially have enjoyed these photos that David shared on Facebook. I thought it would be nice to share them with you.

I even saw that Michael was on Facebook. He posted some pictures of his life in the Caribean. It has been fun to get reacquainted.

This picture of the Lawson family is more recent than any I have in my collections. It is good to see their faces again. I'm looking forward to seeing them more on the blog and on Facebook. I love them very much and want to know them better.