Growing Up With Structure and Religion

Chapter 1: Growing Up With Structure and Religion

You know, thinking back to my younger years as a child, I would have to start around the age of 3 or 4 when my mother and father with three children, resided in Hamilton, OH. Mom was a young women who was born and raised in southeast Indiana, while Dad was from Mount Healthy, OH and both of them deeply loved each other and their children. Now to begin this story and provide structure and understanding of this family, you must first understand how my mother and father came together in holy matrimony... My mother was born and raised as the second oldest of 9 children to a very faith driven foundation, one where you were in that Church pew every single time the Church doors were unlocked. This meant Twice on Sunday, Wednesday Night, and Various Revival Times through the Summer when help was needed to serve the people of the church. My mothers father provided for his family and made sure to be firm but loving in his upbringing, and my mothers mom, she was the homemaker and raised those nine children with distinct biblical principals and guidance. 

My father on the other hand was raised in a catholic family where church was an attendance to ask a bishop to forgive you for that weeks sins and to pardon you to go out into the world and try to become a better visual for the Catholic congregation next week. Dad's mom was kind and loving but strong and stern in her leadership to her 5 children. Dad's father though was a Marine, a strong willed leader and a man of the faith who believed to be On Time was to be Late, and to be Early, well then you were On Time! Dad, followed his older brother and father and became a Marine where he carried on the family tradition of course. 

Simply put, by the time the two came together and met, Dad had seen the world and experienced so very much culture while mom had been sheltered and protected from the harsh violence of the world at that time. But never the less, they both met one another at a church gathering and the rest is what makes this story so entertaining. So, where was I, Oh yeah that house in Hamilton, I of course am the oldest of three and we are all are two years in age apart. By the time we were all starting to talk, Mom had dad attending church and as a family, we all were involved in our church family every possible time the doors were open, to include mom and dad offering to serve on a few boards and cleaning crews for the church board. 

Something that has always been a placeholder in my mind, is that of my mother and father always matching clothing, something they while growing up also made sure that we did as well. Something that continued for mom and dad their entire life thus far. Matching was a thing in our household, Church, School, Family Outing, even Family Pictures we would color coordinate. Mom was a home interior decorator and had a unique skill for sewing and seamstress work so if an outfit wasn't available to purchase and wear to match, she would ensure to make us one. My father loved and adored my mother and showed his children exactly how he expected them to treat others and those we came into contact with through our lives. Structure was probably what put each of us on the right path as we started school, life was the event we showed up to each day, and the good Lord above was watching to see how we treated others along the way!