feet shuffle
down multiple aisles
approach the altar
sacraments of life
and death remembered
the sound of shoes
resonates against concrete
moves us to receive
hope for life and death
a crumb and a drop
spiritual food for body and soul
It’s 1980-something. Read the rest of this entry »
FRAGILE
Handle with Care
I’ve never been an extrovert. I have, though, witnessed insensitivity toward the feelings and unpredictable responses of extroverted children who don’t have skin made of iron.
Surprisingly, our extroverted USA culture Read the rest of this entry »
I got lost today looking at old family photos from late 1970. So I decided to take you with me! Our headliner is Son’s first professional style hair cut. Read the rest of this entry »
Floating to the surface
Gasping for air
Seeking the sun
Tethered to my roots
By a single umbilical cord
Drifting but not far from home
Dancing in the sunlight
Unfurling my heart to the sky
Far above I rest floating
For what feels like a heartbeat
Of undiluted peace and contentment
* * *
For the last two days, D and I were Read the rest of this entry »
Fall 1969-spring 1970. I loved having Diane around during my first year as a Faculty Wife. She was a senior at the Bible College. Diane quickly became part of our social life, along with some of her zany, like-minded friends. D took this photo at the rental house just after we arrived in fall 1969.
Diane had been in Japan during the summer with a team of students doing short-term missionary service. Her bum knee (injured months earlier while playing basketball with one arm) flared up, and she returned on crutches. Now we’re trying to find a spot on the ground that’s flat enough to keep her steady while we eat lunch outdoors.
Perhaps you noticed how much things have changed at the Bible College. Both of us have real knees that actually show. No more covered knobby knees! Or skirts below the knees.
Over the Christmas break in 1969, we moved into our new house and enjoyed a rare snowstorm! See below. That’s our son in his winter gear, intended for Boston winters. Which, of course, this is not. The snow was probably gone within a few days.
Early in spring 1970, Diane asked if we would host her 21st birthday party in mid-April. Of course we would! Given her creative streak, she wanted something memorable. No silly games. Just challenging and fun activities. Most of these women had either participated with Diane in one of her crazy dormitory practical jokes, or had been a target. They didn’t like dull.
So for the main activity we came up with a giant finger-painting session. It would have to be on the floor. On butcher paper that D and I taped together and cut into a large circle. Something to treasure forever! We mixed up ample fingerpaints, and I baked goodies galore plus a birthday cake (no pictures, sadly).
Here are two photos of the main art event.
I think Diane is in the lower right-hand corner of the first photo. About 12 women came.
In the background of the second photo you’ll see our son, now about 1 ½ years old, looking on with longing and apprehension. Yes, he’s been told this is for the women, not for him! How cruel can it get? See his thumb in his mouth? He’s definitely fighting the urge to jump in.
I can’t remember how it happened. One minute he was holding back. Then the women took pity on him. Someone took his shirt off, and the next minute he was all over that work of art and the women were just loving it! As was he.
So was I, and then I wasn’t. It was fine as long as he stayed on the edge and dabbled. But crawling onto the great work of art was the last straw! D saved the day. He grabbed Son before he got to the middle, and took him straight to the bathtub. I grabbed the camera and followed. Don’t ask me how it got on his back. I don’t want to remember.
Then there were super happy visits to Diane’s dorm room. Diane took this photo during one of his babysitting visits to her dorm room. He’s sitting at the foot of her bed.
Our son doesn’t really get it that there’s an intruder coming soon. But first I need to backtrack a tiny bit.
To be continued….
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 10 August 2015
Photo credit: Elouise (son in bathtub), and DAFraser (all others), 1969 and 1970
Renich Reunion 7/20/1958 – picture taken at Athletic Park, Newton, Kansas
All my cousins? Nope! There were 30 first cousins at this first-ever Renich family reunion in July 1958. If I’m counting right, we’re all there in the picture. That includes one babe in arms–back row, third from the left. Our newest edition was born only 12 days before the reunion. The grand total, Read the rest of this entry »
1949-51 Nash Ambassador – similar to ours
It’s nearly midnight in July 1958. I’m 14 1/2 years old. We’ve been on the road from Savannah, Georgia, driving to the first-ever family reunion on my father’s side. Read the rest of this entry »
Through the Looking-Glass, Cambridge 1969
I’ve been dreading this post. That’s partly because I’m looking back at old photos from 1965 to 1969. Not wanting to leave them or their memories behind. So I’ve decided this won’t be the last Early Marriage post. It will be the next-to-the last, with a few more photos!
Early marriage and motherhood were magical. Yes, there were unexpected, often distressing ups and downs. Yet I was surrounded by people I trusted, and felt reasonably capable of being a mother without becoming overwhelmed.
Not that everyone and everything was perfect. It wasn’t. Still, I was glad to be married, redirecting my energy toward at least part of my new family of choice. I was also relieved that, on the whole, I’d managed to get through all those first-time-I-ever-did-that experiences. It was like hitting the jackpot several times–once and done.
Not that the rest of my life has been a downer. It hasn’t been. In fact, sometimes it had more drama and excitement than I wished for. But for me, getting through all those first things was an accomplishment in itself. It gave me confidence that we would be able to do this marriage and parenthood thing together–D and I.
I wish I could report that everything we worked on in our relationship was successful. I cannot. Between us, we carried a lot of unfinished business when we moved on to the next chapter of our life together. But that’s for another post and the next series.
For this post, I’ve chosen several old photos I especially enjoy. They convey hope for the future, beginning with the photo of our son at the top of this post. They aren’t picture perfect. They do, however, capture the beauty, tenderness and craziness of life during early marriage.
First, a couple of shots taken in and around Boston. No other city has offered us views of autumn wealth such as these.
Upscale Bird Castle in Cambridge, price unlisted
Pick a pumpkin–any pumpkin! Cambridge 1966
Fall in November, Cambridge 1966
Fall leaves along a road near Cambridge, Nov 1966
Finally, several photos that show our ability to have fun and fly by the seat of our pants!
D in the Stocks! Somewhere near Cambridge, 1967
Out for a day at the park, Cambridge 1968
A little incentive goes a long way, or Spider Walk 1968. Note the vaccination!
Taking off for a first walk! Fall/Winter 1968-69
Trip to the beach with our favorite son and beach towels – 1969
Bidding you all a fond farewell for now!
Elouise
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 22 July 2015
Photo credit: Elouise (two pictures of D, and trip to the beach); DAFraser (all others)
California Grandpa & His Beautiful Women 1959
Dear Mom,
This photo always makes me smile! I don’t think I have another photo of all of us together with Grandpa. With the exception of our double wedding in 1965, I don’t think he visited us in Savannah except this once. He looks super dapper in his Sunday suit, starched white shirt with tie, and Palm Beach hat! Read the rest of this entry »
Telling the Truth 