Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Taylor's First Blanket

I got a phone call from my mom yesterday saying that my Great Uncle CJ had sent a package to her house for me. I was very confused. My Great Uncles are significantly older than my mother. My grandfather was the baby of the family (four boys, one girl).

Ayron and I went to Mom's house last night to open the package. CJ (his name is Clarence Josiah, hence Taylor's middle name) sent us a baby blanket that my late Great Aunt Mae had knitted. It is perfect! It is square and not overly large. It is a pale yellow, almost cream color. Aunt Mae passed away this summer. I am not sure she had me in mind when she was knitting, in fact I'm pretty sure she didn't. I don't think she knew I was pregnant. It touched me that Uncle CJ thought of me. The card was touching and it made me realize that we "stole" Taylor's middle name from a great guy.

CJ has an interesting story that he will never tell. He was a POW for a length of time. It kills me that I don't know a lot about my family history, but one day I will get my hands on his book and read it for myself. I know that his story involves a Tiger's Eye stone that he was able to hide and I'm pretty sure that is the stone that Grandpa had made into a ring that my mom now has. Correct me if I am wrong, I probably am. Anyway, meanwhile back at the family house. CJ's mother never gave up hope, even after the service told her he was lost and probably would never be heard from again. I think I remember a part about her leaving the Christmas tree up until he got home. One day he just came walking up the drive way, and walked in the house like nothing had ever happened. To this day, he still won't talk about it. I am sure he would make an excellent speaker for Veteran's day or a history class. I do know that he wrote his story down at one point and somewhere along the line his daughter got a hold of it and made copies for the family. I am pretty sure my mom has one, so maybe I'll stop by there tonight and see if I can find it.

Just goes to show you, you may think your family is boring and has never done a thing, but who knows what has happened in the past that no one talks about. Yep, we chose a great middle name.

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Ok, so I had some stuff wrong. Apparently the Tiger's Eye part never happend. Opps on my part. Here is some correct information I got my aunt.

"Just a clarification, and your mom knows more -- I had some facts mixed up about the POW story, and was glad to read it again....

Uncle CJ and Aunt Mae never had children. I believe Aunt Mae was past 40 when they met and married. (She had been divorced, and didn't have any kids the first time, either...)

Our distant cousin the bag-pipe player got his to write the story out a few years ago -- and she copied it and passed it to us cousins. He does NOT know she did that, nor is he to ever know. She did it for the family archives. The whole experience caused many, many years of severe flashbacks from time to time -- and may still, for all we know.

Yep, you picked a great middle name!!! He lives on in 1 great nephew, and now a great-great nephew!! :-) Good going, dear!!"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think I've read it. It's pretty powerful stuff. There's also another one that's probably pretty similar to his story. "The Emperor's Angry Guest" or something like that, it's a book mom has.