Papa

Its amazing to hear stories of how lives used to be 50+ years ago.

Today I went and spent some time with my grandparents today for my Papa's 90th Birthday. For the first time, my Papa opened up about his life growing up to me, my mom, and my sister. Hearing his story just amazes me in how different society is and how people were forced to grow up instead of the teens of today, where we have to 'hold their hands' to make sure they dont mess up.

My Papa, a.k.a Tex (he's from Texas) grew up on a farm of 245 cows and 18 tractors. His dad, Elbert Braz Jones was a very wealth man - at least most of his years he was. Depending on the economy, the government had to take property, animals, or tractors. And as the economy got better, Elbert would begin to re-buy everything again. Tex (at the age of 16) told his dad to sell the farm to make a lot of money rather than losing it again. His dad was not up for it, so Tex asked if he could go find himself and make another means of living. So, at 16 he literally hit the road with a brand new pair of shoes over his shoulder (as to not wear them out). A car drove by and asked if he was looking for work, because the man needed help on his farm. The man asked if he could drive a tractor - he said 'no, but I can drive a mule', in which the man said he would work with him. He gracisouly accepted $1.00/hour and board for his hard work. For one straight year he helped on this new farm in Texas - after a year, he decided to move on. He began his journey to Mexico, (people could go back and forth with ease back then). He then found another farm to help on. This man was very wealthy in which he was the only one who worked on his farm, and needed a guy on night shift. So, during the day - the man would bail hay and work the farm. At night, the man would go inside and spend time with his four daughters while they played the piano - and my papa continued the work through the night for again $1.00/hour and board. After 6 months of this, my papa went back home to Newport Texas. At this point he was 17. And then he got a call from Uncle Sam. Through the draft, my papa served the U.S for 4 years. He fought in World War 1 and Vietnam. While stationed in New Jersey - he met my now grandmother Jean. She was a 16 year old red head and he was 21. While on his few weeks here, he found her in a movie theater with her girlfriends. He told his buddy, that girl across the room is going to be my wife. So, he walked across the theater and asked for her number. She wrote a number down and handed it to him, in which her best friend called her out and told Tex 'that is not her number, but this one is' and handed it to him. He walked away and let her be. The next day he called her, in which she did not answer. So he called the next day, in which she did not answer, and he called the next day, in which she did not answer, (military men had quite a reputation). Finally Jean's aunt said to answer the phone and either stop it or go out with him. Jean decided to try it. Her only stipulation was that he had to have dinner with her and her aunt. So, he agreed. He spent everyday with her for the next week, in which his time was in closing to go back to war. So, he shouted, 'Marry Me'. In her surprise, she told him he had to think about it. On a train one night, she spoke to an older woman. She told the lady her story of her and asked what she thought. The lady asked 'do you love him? Is he a good man? Does your familiy accept him?' With every answer 'yes', the older lady said 'well, if you feel you love him, pray about this and if you feel its right, do it'. So Jean decided to love and marry Tex after just weeks of knowing him. They walked to the court house and she stopped in front of it, scared to go any further. He didn't know how to get her to take another step, so he picked her up over his shoulder and proceeded ahead. They got married February 17th, 1944 (68 years ago) and he left 3 days later for 8 months overseas.

Today we celebrated my Papas 90th birthday and 68th wedding anniversary. Could you imagine just knowing someone for a few weeks and being married for over 68 years? When today we know each other for years and only stay married for 7 years. Even the response he gave us today in dicussing putting only my nanny in a nursing home-he replied, 'No! Till death do us part'. And thats how a Godly, loving Marriage should be.

Till Death Do Us Part