Sally Rader

Life began for Sally Colleen Miller on May 18, 1949.  I am the only daughter of Warren and Mary Ellen Miller of Carlock.  I can only remember my three brothers, Mike, Dan and Chris as being caring and protective.  Even now I know that they would have my back if needed.  Mike is the oldest.  Then I followed and then Dan and Chris.  I’m sure Dan and Chris felt my mothering but I remember playing boy stuff because I was outnumbered.  That’s probably where my love of the outdoors developed.  We played outside a lot.  We were a happy family.  My parents were not rich monetarily but we, kids, didn’t know.  My Dad passed away August 11, 2011 and my Mom passed away January 1, 2023.

I attended Carlock Elementary School.  I knew even then that I wanted to be a teacher.  Don’t tell but I was allowed to help out in the kindergarten class every now and then.  I loved it!  I graduated from Normal Community High School in 1967 and Illinois State University in 1971 earning a degree in elementary education.  I was developing my dream but love happened!  After teaching a few years I graduated from Illinois State University with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.

I married my high school sweetheart, Stan Rader, April 6, 1968.  Our three children followed:  Jennifer, born July 2, 1971; Julie, born July 16, 1974; Andrew, born December 3, 1978.  We were a busy family as most are today.  The kids were involved in a variety of activities.  By 1975 Stan had begun to develop a purebred sheep flock.  We traveled as a family showing and selling sheep nationwide.  The kids were involved in 4-H and earned many awards showing Rader’s Dorsets.

As our children grew up I began thinking about my dream more.  Using what I had learned at ISU I could never justify leaving my children in childcare while I taught.  I still believe there is nothing more important than a mother’s love and care.  I absolutely loved those years with my children.  It goes by so fast!  For me getting into the education field was somewhat difficult, but I persisted knowing God had a plan.  I substitute taught for several years and I loved it.  I was finally in the classroom.  I was a teacher’s aide for a couple of years.  I had substituted at Congerville Elementary several times when Mr. Pat Grishman talked to me about a new position as a Learning Center teacher at Congerville Elementary.  I obtained that position and then the third grade position opened and I obtained that.  My dream was coming true!  I continued teaching third grade until my retirement except for the one year I taught fourth grade.  I loved Congerville Elementary.  I loved the kids, the families, my colleagues and the building itself.  It was a perfect fit for me.

The fall after my retirement I became assistant to the children’s programming director at Hudson Area Public Library.  I wasn’t searching for something.  It just happened.  God had something else for me to do.  I loved that job, too.  I was in charge of Story Time for preschoolers.  But after two cancer surgeries and a summer of radiation I decided to really retire.

Stan and I, both, have health issues but you can still find me digging in the dirt out in the garden or flower bed (not as fast as I used to); working on a jigsaw puzzle; or reading a good book.  We cherish the time we can spend with our kids and nine grandchildren.  God definitely has a plan.  For me, I think it is loving, guiding and teaching children, our most important resource.

 

 

and gladly would be learn and gladly teach

–Illinois State University motto

After I had announced my retirement from teaching, the school psychologist came to my classroom to wish me well.  We had had some pretty deep conversations during my career and we were friends.  He asked what I would do in retirement.  I said I would probably work part-time or write.  Unknowingly, I did begin working part-time soon after retirement, but the thought of writing stayed in my head.  I did develop a title which is the title of this chapter, but never developed it any further.  So now you get my random thoughts.

As far back as I can remember I wanted to become a teacher.  Dad thought nursing would be a good career, but I was not interested.  My parents encouraged my pursuit.  Others did, too.  When I was in 7th or 8th grade at Carlock Grade School I was allowed to help in kindergarten.  That would never happen now!  Mrs. Ragsdale was the teacher.  I know she was my second grade teacher.  So they must have done some switching around.  I’m not sure how often I helped her, but I loved it!  Another person who encouraged me was Gail Hauptman (Dad worked with her husband).  She taught special needs in Peoria and asked me if I would like to visit her classroom.  Would I?  Of course.  Interesting that my student teaching experience was in special education.  How I got that assignment I’m not sure.  

In the beginning I thought I wanted to be a special education teacher.  Stan was convinced that I should not do that as he thought I would for sure bring those challenges home with me.  Little did he know, that in teaching mainstream classrooms, challenges are brought home.  It’s a never ending problem-solving career.  I began focusing on teaching kindergarten, but soon discovered that required quick transitions and energy.  As I look back now, God’s plan for my life, including my career, was active.  He placed me right where he wanted me.

So much of what I’ve learned can be applied to education and life.

Relationship.  Relationship.  Relationship.  So important in life and so important in teaching.  A teacher must develop a relationship with each student before the student can be taught.    It’s tricky.  Teacher/student relationships can be developed through humor, love, a caring spirit or my most favorite means through a quick wit.  I only had a few third graders who were mature enough to understand wit, but for those few who did our eyes met and a connection began.  We understood each other.  Developing these relationships are so important and must be started quickly as the curriculum is full (too full, I believe) and teaching must begin.  I tried to notice something about each student and say something to each one every day, especially in the beginning.  It takes time.  The teacher must study the child to know how to begin that connection.  Unfortunately,  although I may have tried different avenues, I’m sure I did not reach all students which makes me sad.  I still believe the best teaching and learning happens when there is a strong relationship between teacher and student.

Communication.  Communication.  Communication.  So important in life and so important in teaching.  I found communication on different levels to be important.  Of course clear communication with students aids in optimal learning.  Classroom expectations must be understood by the students including the consequences if they are not met.  Those expectations should be voiced early and not on the fly.  Assignments should be clear and especially at the elementary level both written and verbal.  Finally, students should feel free to question how something is graded, how something was taught or the subject matter itself.  I found that if an open relationship has been established, open communication happens more easily.  I loved it when students questioned matters in the classroom.  One, I knew they were listening!  Two, I saw beginnings of future lawyers!  Another level of communication to be an effective teacher is that communication with colleagues, principal, secretary, aides, janitor, cook and other school personnel.  That communication creates community.  All are important positions and should be respected for their opinions.  We don’t have to like all people, but we can show love, kindness and compassion.  Taking a minute here and there to say a kind word can make a world of difference.

I believe teaching really does come from the heart.  It is not a get-rich career.  You must love it and I did.  I believe that that love was planted in my heart before I was even born by my loving God.  After years of teaching it does become part of the teacher’s soul.

One more thing–hopefully my best teaching began at home with Jennifer, Julie and Andrew before I even entered the classroom.  I know I did not do everything right, but neither did I in the classroom.

 

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.

–Abraham Lincoln

I’m headed 72 years back to share memories in my life.  I was born May 18, 1949 in Mennonite Hospital, the only daughter of Warren and Mary Ellen (King) Miller.  I’m not sure where we lived as an infant but the first house I remember living in was the house on Rt 150 (we called it the hard road) outside of Carlock headed west toward Congerville.  I would guess we moved there when I was about 3.  There is a picture of Mom holding me, and Mike standing in the doorway of a jacked up house.  I call this picture the Appalachian Mountain people picture.  That’s how we looked!  It was jacked up because Dad and others were putting a basement underneath.  It was not a large house–enclosed back porch, kitchen with table in the middle(seemed large to me, Dad had added cabinets), living room with a front door and a bedroom downstairs.  The upstairs (steep staircase) had 2 bedrooms, one large, one small.  Mine was the smaller.  Dad and Grandad eventually built a closet and vanity in one end of my bedroom.  I still have the vanity bench that Grandad built.  I loved that little room!  Mike and Dan were in the larger room.  I don’t think Chris ever moved upstairs.  I know he was in a crib in Mom and Dad’s room.  I can remember him crying at bedtime so I would sneak downstairs, take him out of the crib and walk him around the kitchen table until he went to sleep.  I was 10 and I think we would soon move leaving behind my vanity.

The memories from the “hard road house”  are many.  One thing, for sure, we played outside a lot no matter the season.  There was flag football in the front yard, playing under the redbud tree, running or sledding down the root cellar, playing horse and wagon (I was the horse pulling Chris around the house; that’s how I broke my arm), finding peace in the lily of the valleys, building farms in the sandbox and playing fox and geese in the snow.  We had dogs, but I really just remember Adolf, a dachshund.  I didn’t like him that much.  Dogs were too rambunctious!  I’m pretty sure we had dogs hit by cars on the “hard road”.  We had other animals, too.  We had a fairly large pasture and a couple of sheds for sheep and chickens (which Mom and Dad butchered).  For awhile we had a goose which I didn’t like.  He would come honking when I opened the gate to gather the eggs.  Of course you’ve probably heard the duck story.  It was my idea to teach the young ducklings to swim.  Dan was my helper.  We were not successful!  We had a small funeral for one or two and buried them by the pussy willows.  Later we had sheep in Carlock (about where the fire station is now).  Mike road his bike on “the hard road” to do chores.  Sometimes I would ride mine, too.  Once I wrecked on the edge and a car was coming.  I jerked my bike out of the way.  Had a few scrapes, but all was good.

Between our house and our neighbors to the north there was a large pasture.  We played with the neighbor boys (Brinings).  They had a girl later, but she was always much younger than me.  So you see I usually played with boys.  We played baseball in the pasture.  One summer we built a tree house until Mike fell out of the tree house bruising a kidney.  Our property and that pasture sometimes were connected to a cornfield.  We played hide and seek in the cornfield.  Not a good idea!  I did have girl cousins, Pam or Nancy, who came to play or I went to their house once in awhile.

Mom and Dad had a large garden.  We all helped.  I don’t remember it being a chore.  We just worked together.

There were dangers in those carefree days.  The one I remember was to beware of tramps.  We had strict instructions if you see a hobo, come to the house.  Sometimes they would come to the house asking for food.  Also, there was danger of tornados.  We were pretty sure a tornado took down a huge tree by the garage.  It smashed our car and landed on the house.  We had just made it safely to the basement.  Mom and the boys were there.  Dad had scooped me out of my bed and carried me to safety.

One memory remains with me still.  Since we did not have air conditioning, we would take a blanket out to the lawn and look at the stars.  So peaceful!  We even saw the Northern Lights one night.

Chris could not stay in the crib forever so Mom and Dad bought Grammie and Grandad’s house in Carlock.  They bought the Stauffer house where they lived until they died.  My pre-teen and teen years were spent in this house.  My class was the last class that went to Carlock Grade School through eighth grade.  Then I went to Chiddix Jr. High School just for ninth grade.  After that I attended Normal Community High School (class of ’67) until I graduated.  It’s here that I met Stan.  I remember I had stayed after school for something my sophomore year.  I was involved with FTA and Pep Club.  In those days activities were after school.  I later served as president of both groups.   Anyway, Stan was running stairs for wrestling practice.  Christie Metzger and I were together and Stan was running with John Dameron.  I think Christie and John had dated so we stopped to talk.  Stan later asked me out.  Our first date was to the movie to see Mary Poppins.  Stan played football so I would go to games and watch.  I even went to wrestling meets.  We went to movies, but I mostly enjoyed being on his family’s farm.  On Sunday evenings we would go to East White Oak Church.  They mostly sang gospel hymns and I enjoyed that.  Our favorite restaurant was the Steak and Shake.  In those days teens drove from one Steak and Shake to another just to see who was out.  We called it “toolin’ the gag”.  Not sure what it meant, but we all did it.  Stan and I loved steakburgers with triple pickle and orange freezes. After Stan graduated he joined the National Guard and went to basic training in Seattle, WA.  I graduated and went to ISU.  We became engaged and married during spring break my freshman year (I know, too young.)  So I lived in the Carlock house until we got married.  

My family were members of the Carlock Mennonite Church.  We went together as a family most Sundays.  I learned about the saving grace of Christ.  I had good teachers.  I enjoyed the Sunday School program and when I was in 7th or 8th grade I joined a class to take before baptism.  It was called catechism.  Mrs. Woodrum was my teacher.  She was a soft-spoken woman and a great teacher for teaching us how to imitate Christ in our lives.  I was then baptized by a sprinkle baptism.  In that moment I gave my life to Christ.  Later when I became a member at Eastview Christian Church, I followed their belief of baptism by immersion.  As I shared with leaders at Eastview, I’ve always felt my “true” baptism was the sprinkle baptism because that’s when I became a Christian.

I had lots of different jobs when I lived in the Carlock house.  I walked beans, detasseled corn, babysat, worked in the Carlock restaurant (not there any more) for a very short time, worked at Mennonite Hospital in the kitchen (made salads), worked at GTE  until I got on at State Farm working part time while I went to school.  I worked there until I needed to quit to student teach.  My most valuable lesson came, though, when I was detasseling.  I hated it!  Dad said, “If you quit this job, you will quit everything you do”.  I stuck with it and learned to persevere.

All in all, we lived a simple life.  I’ve learned to appreciate the simple things and not to be extravagant.  I think often of those who have so much less.  Not to say, we never had fun.  We did.  We vacationed every year for a week or two in Watersmeet, MI.  We stayed in primitive cabins on Lake Marion.  It was such a fun place to be–fishing, swimming, playing in the sand, relaxing (as Sam would say being stress-free) and enjoying nature.  We had great visits to the city dump to look for bears.  Once Dad and Mike got out of the car (not sure why) and they had to rush back to the car when we spied a bear way too close.  Scared me!

Childhood is such a precious time in life and yet I don’t think I appreciated it enough.  Growing up seemed like it would be more fun.  Why does the grass always seem greener on the other side?  Be content in each stage of life.  Look for the blessings there.

NOT a man of few words

Stan loves to talk!  He’s known to use idioms, interesting language, that make us smile and sometimes provoke a laugh.  I’m not sure what all of them mean but after being around him for a few years you can get the gist.  Here’s a list of the more common ones.  Hope they make you smile.

Goin’ crazy, wanna go along.

In response to I’m coming…So’s Christmas.

Grandma was slow, but she was old.

No hill for a climber.

Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and slow dancing.

It’s hotter than a two-peckered billy goat.

I’m busier than a one armed paper hanger.

He’s knee high to a grasshopper.

That’s good enough for the girls I used to know.

You’d never notice on a fast movin’ horse.

A day late and a dollar short.

You’ve got ducks on the pond. (a baseball idiom for bases loaded)

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. (used often for football opponents)

Queer as a three dollar bill.

Don’t start a fight.  Just finish it.

It’s colder than a well diggers butt.

You’re acting like two squirrels in a gunny sack.

He doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going.

He doesn’t know whether he is afoot or horseback.

I wouldn’t do that for all the tea in China.

Let’s hit er a lick.

Root hog or die.  (Even had a banner made to hang for a U-High playoff football game.   Think it means to work hard!)

Keep your powder dry.

Good gravy.

Smooth move exlax.

Horse feathers.

 

 

 

Did you find yourself smiling?

 

 

 

Stan Rader and Brett Beyer, partners and buddies

 

COVID was cruel.  In November 2020 Brett Beyer died of COVID.  He and Stan had played high school football together.  They later were hired as sheriff’s deputies at the same time.  They attended the police academy together.  They were squad car partners for ten years.  Oh, the adventure stories they were a part of!

There was a bank robbery in downtown Bloomington.  Stan and Brett were on it.  They chased the robber on foot.  Stan was ready and had the pistol strap off.  As he ran the pistol fell out of the holster and slid down the sidewalk.  Starsky and Hutch on duty!

Stan and Brett guarded convicted killer, Jesse Sumner.   There are a lot of stories there that I don’t know the details of and that’s probably a good thing.  I know there were times that they were handcuffed to him when they transported him to court.

Then there were Stufflebeam and Swafford who were repeated burglars.  Stan and Brett had several run-ins with them.  For sure!

In those days deputies patrolled and directed traffic at the McLean Co. Fair.  That was a hot and dusty job!

There was a lot of danger in being a deputy.  This adventure began with a call from Downs that someone was shooting.  Again, Stan and Brett were on it.  Shots seemed to be coming from a corn field.  They walked in shoulder high sweet corn.  The shots kept coming.  They hit the deck.  Brett radioed back that they were taking rounds.  Squad cars from all over arrived to help.  It turned out that it was a timed explosive of some kind to keep raccoons out of the sweet corn.  It took awhile for Stan and Brett to live that one down.

After the squad car partnership Stan was promoted to lieutenant in the detective division and Brett worked the desk.   They still did some work together investigating cases.

Stan retired early because of health issues.  Brett continued working as head of the detective division.

Stan and Brett stayed connected by talking on the phone, visiting or having coffee or lunch.

These relationships that take a lifetime to build do not end easily.

 

 

Information is not knowledge.  The only source of knowledge is experience.  You need experience to gain wisdom.

–Albert Einstein

We began the Dorset sheep flock in 1975 buying a ewe from Dave Harmon’s daughter (Holly) at the Midwest Stud Ram Sale in Sedalia, MO.  That first dollar spent is displayed on the desk downstairs.  After a couple of years we bought Barb Gillis’s flock (10 ewes).  Our intention was to build a flock as a 4-H project for our children.  Jenny was born in 1971; Julie in 1976; Andy in 1978.  So we were getting an early start!  Stan and I were both involved in 4-H; Stan showing dairy cows and me showing sheep.  Stan enjoyed the cows, but we didn’t have a place for that so he chose sheep and rented a barn at Joe Stutzman’s farm and May Hoffman’s barn and pasture.   During this time, we lived in the 201 W Franklin house in Carlock.  Raising sheep was a stress release for Stan working as a policeman.  In fact, as he found out he loved it and was good at it.  When he left the sheriff’s department because of health issues, he built a larger flock (over two hundred head of ewes) and we moved to Blakeney’s so the sheep could be where we lived.  We traveled to many sales and shows all over the country.  Stan had a good eye for buying sheep that would work well with our flock.  We always traveled together.  In the beginning the girls were little; probably five and two when we first started.  The girls and I could take up quite a bit of space on the bleacher seats with crayons, coloring books, books, toys, etc trying to keep them entertained.  I would keep track of the sale prices.  Andy was born in December of 1978.  He went to his first sale in March to the Ohio Dorset Sale.  So now we had baby things added to our stuff.  Crazy?  Maybe.  Certainly not lying on the beach somewhere, but we were together as a family.

After having a basic flock, we began showing at the county fairs during the summer.  We wanted to get our name out there as a breeder.  Stan was still working so that meant we went evenings to the fair so Stan could trim sheep.  Those were some late nights.  Stan took off work for show days.  Yes, our kids were part-time “fair rats”.  We were winners from the beginning!  Like I said Stan had a good eye for buying sheep that worked well in our flock.  From county fairs we added state fairs.  We rapidly became nationally known as Rader’s Dorsets.  Our kids were 4-H winners, too.  I think Jenny enjoyed the showing the most.  Julie and Andy participated in showing and did well, but I think their strengths were in other areas.  All of us worked together out of our love for each other and, especially, our love and respect for Stan and his hard work.  We dealt with much jealousy, most noticeably, from fellow sheep breeders in our county.  When you are at the top of your game, people want to tear you down.  Our endeavors grew into selling sheep at sales, off the farm and even our own production sales.  I suppose I have two favorite memories of these sales.  The first was at the 1982 National Dorset Sale (Ohio Dorset Sale).  We had raised twins, Big Mac and McRib, on a goat or bottle.  McRib was sold privately to Penn State.  Big Mac was sold at the 1982 National Sale.  Jenny was holding Big Mac in the sale ring.  As the price continued to rise, Stan took the head excusing Jenny from her duty.  Big Mac topped the sale at $5100!  The buyer was Warren Schroeder of Grant Park, IL.  We were surprised, thrilled and grateful.  My other favorite memory was in Missouri.  We had a production sale during the time of Midwest Stud Ram Sale in Sedalia.  We had moved the sale sheep and all our needed equipment to MO.  It was a big production with several workers to help.  My memory is of three little kids, Ben, Chad and Grace, with their backs to the camera.  On their show shirts we had printed “Papa’s Kid”.  So cute!

Stan was a talker and promoter at shows and sales.  Other breeders respected his success and wanted to “pick his brain”.  People called frequently and Stan developed many sheep relationships.  It was not unusual to get a sheep phone call in the middle of Sunday lunch.  The experience of raising sheep developed into knowledge.  I often told Stan he should have become a vet as he knew about sheep medicines and techniques to use.  He even knew how to do some surgeries.  Amazing!  All from experience and a love for the job.  Book learning was never his thing.  Now he is passing on some of that knowledge to Chad who seems to have a natural talent, too.

I asked Stan to write down some of that knowledge.  Even people who call say, “You should write these things down.  What will I do when you aren’t here”.  Here are just a few tidbits:

Use iodine on the navel of a lamb at birth (7% iodine).

If needed, stick a piece of straw up the nostrils of a newborn lamb to get it breathing.

Vaccinate lambs for overeating at the time of docking and three more times before weaning.

Never mix new sheep with native ewes during breeding or lambing season.

Sometimes a ewe will step on a baby lamb and cause a broken leg.  If the break happens when the lamb is under two weeks old it is a fairly easy fix.  A below the knee break is easier than a back leg above the knee.  That can be tricky.  First, wrap the leg with gauze.  Using an old yardstick, place two splints and wrap all with vet wrap.  The leg needs to be fixed before it becomes a compound break  Healing usually takes 2-4 weeks and the bandage can be taken off.  This procedure does not usually work for older sheep.

If a sheep appears to be blind especially during the months of August, September or October it could be a reaction to a weed.  Stan’s cure is spit from tobacco or throw salt in the eye.  Also, give the sheep 2 cc selenium.

For white muscle disease (the sheep have no control of its back legs) give 2 cc selenium.

A vaginal prolapsed ewe can be a common problem.  Take two strings off a bale of hay or straw and tie them together in a knot so they are one length.  Lay the long string over the ewe’s neck so the parts are equal.  Pull the strings between the front legs to the rear.  Criss-cross over the loin.  Pull one underneath the left rear leg and the other underneath the right.  Keep the string taught and tie two knots underneath the tip of the vulva.  Take the leftover string to the criss-cross and pull to the rear and tie.

Stan can also fix a uterus prolapsed ewe, but it’s too detailed for here.  My suggestion is to call the vet.

As a precaution when treating sheep give a tetanus shot and antibiotics.

Common medications Stan used are:  oxitocin to help ewes dilate cervix; selenium for white muscle disease, tissue repair, ovulate more eggs; dexamethasone as a steroid; duraxin for infection; penicillin for infection’ thiamine for white muscle disease, blindness, anything that passes from the blood/brain barrier; BUSE (MUSE for horses) for white muscle disease, polio; spectinomycin for E-coli; Vitamin A for several things; Vitamin B12 for appetite; Vitamin C for digestion; Vitamin D to replace sun.

 

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

–from the hymn, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

Stan and I have had our first vaccine and will get our second one in another week (February 25th).  We’re definitely looking forward to being with our family and hugging each one; even if we still have to wear a mask.  Maybe, Easter 2021!  If so, that will be a blessing! 

When we stop by to see the grandkids, I notice how much they are growing and changing.  Yes, it makes me sad, but I try to look on the bright side.  I am grateful they have loving, caring and responsible parents.  I have hope that they each have a bright future.  Life is about the future generations.  I see Ben, Chad and Grace paving their way for a future of being a responsible citizen who shows love, kindness and compassion toward others.  I know Ella, Rachel, Drew, Sam, Jamison and Camille will soon follow as they are receiving a firm foundation now.  I am so proud of them.

Beyond my hope for 2021 and the next generations, my hope lies in living eternally in heaven with Jesus.  After my cancer diagnosis and surgery, I became more focused on that promise.  Although I am cancer free and it’s been four years since my surgery, pain from surgery, painful knees from back issues and exhaustion are still a battle.  The battle is difficult and some days I ask, “Why me?” but I can get up the next day ready to face it all again.  Only through the love of Jesus can I do that.  He gives me strength and courage to run the race.  Yes, I have hope!  And I hope that Stan, our children and grandchildren and generations to follow realize that same hope even when difficulties arise in their lives.

Onward Christian soldiers!

 

 

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye

—The Sound of Music

No one in our family has been sad to see 2020 end.  The COVID pandemic has caused us to change everything.  We don’t gather for Sunday lunch, one of my cherished times.  We do not go in the kids’ homes and they do not come in ours.  In the summer we had yard visits either sitting in the yard or on the deck.  In fact, we didn’t gather for the holidays–heartbreaking.  On Thanksgiving, the kids and grandkids surprised us with a yard visit; Ben by phone (Matt was manning the turkey).  They were holding letter signs that spelled “thankful”.  Chad and Grace were home from school and had been for awhile.  Because of COVID they were attending classes online.  Grace had been home for sometime as she had a mild case of COVID–no taste or smell.  We visited from the porch.  It was definitely the highlight of our day.  Christmas was unusual, too.  It was a Zoom Christmas on Christmas Eve.  We opened gifts and played Family Feud.  It was fun.  We laughed, but it was not the same.  Stan’s 73rd birthday is this week.  We will celebrate with a Zoom Birthday Party.  Virtual hugs just don’t cut it.  We feel disconnected; not part of our kids or grandkids’ lives.

Not only have our family times changed, but how we live our lives.  At first we used groceries that we had in the freezer and pantry.  Toilet paper, hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes were difficult to get.  We order groceries online.  Stan monitors Aldi.  When it is not busy, he goes in.  I’ve been in Walmart, Aldi or Schnucks only a few times.  Honestly, it feels weird and I can’t wait to get home.  I’ve not been shopping at the mall or anywhere.  If we do go anywhere–the store or working at the library, we must wear a mask and try to keep a six feet distance from others.  This pandemic began almost one year ago.  It is more difficult, I believe, for those who are older, empty nesters.  Younger families who have children at home have each other every day.  We, on the other hand, just have each other since we can’t participate in family gatherings or visits.  We feel disconnected.  I suppose if we lived a distance from our kids we would get used to not being with each other.  I will never get used to this disconnect.  There is hope, though.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no greater gift than the love shared by a family.

–a plaque that hangs in our home

I’ve written in a journal since 2002.  I realized on that day, May 8, 2002, that I needed to write things down to eventually share with our children and grandchildren.  Our third grandchild, Grace Ellen McCully, was born on that day and life seemed to be passing like a fast-moving train.  For what it’s worth my journal is a gift to our children, Jenny, Julie and Andy, and also to our nine grandchildren, Ben, Chad, Grace, Ella, Rachel, Drew, Sam, Jamison and Camille.  I have not made daily entries, only occasional ones.  With this gift of Porch Swing I’ll go back before 2002 and add some things that I’ve always thought I might want to write about.

Our family began April 6, 1968, our wedding date.  Martin Luther King, Jr. had been assassinated and there were riots in Chicago.  The Illinois National Guard was activated.  Stan was a guardsman so he reported for duty being one of the first ones to report.  Sgt. Satchwell said, “Aren’t you getting married today?  Leave.”  He did and we got married at the Carlock Mennonite Church.  It was somewhat of a stressful morning!  Cake or no cake?  Photographer or no photographer?  Who would be the best man?  We went to Colorado Springs, Colorado on our honeymoon.  Beautiful country!  Loved being outdoors!

The years that followed were busy, busy years.  We started out living in Dean Yoder’s farm house near Danvers.  From there we lived in Jacob’s little house on 150 near Normal.  (The house is no longer there.)  We moved to a little house, 707 Samantha, in Normal close to the ISU campus.  Jennifer Sue was born July 2, 1971.  I think we moved about every year until we bought the apartment house in Carlock,  We lived upstairs and remodeled the downstairs into another two bedroom apartment.  We moved downstairs, of course!  Julie Kay was born July 16, 1974.  We heard about a beautiful, older house in Carlock for sale, 202 W Franklin.  We quickly bought it.  Andrew Glenn was born December 3, 1978.  We loved this home, but our hearts were yearning for the country.  Stan’s health issues were heightening.  He bought some sheep in 1975, but they were in the country so he was gone a lot.  Stan heard of a house to rent in the country (Blakeneys) so we sold our beautiful home and moved to the country.  We loved the peacefulness in the country and our sheep were there.  Having health issues can rob you of calm and peace.  We enjoyed just being a family–keeping up with the kids’ activities, traveling to sheep shows and sales all over the country.  As fate would have it (or, I believe, God’s hand at work), Blakeney’s son wanted to live on the farm.  Therefore the five of us and 150 head of sheep needed a new home.  Stan had helped a neighbor, Marvin Smith, with sheep problems in the past.  Marvin came to see Stan and offered his place as a place for our sheep since it was a sheep farm.  He also offered an apartment in the basement of his home until we could find some place to move.  We met with Marvin and his wife, Grady, and moved to the Smith farm.  Our intention and, I’m sure, the Smith’s was to be there the summer, but we stayed for seven years!  Most of our things were stored in Marvin’s childhood home which stood unlivable on the farm.  The four of us became great friends, having coffee every Friday or Saturday night discussing work to be done on the farm, sheep and life.  In fact, our relationship grew into more than friendship.  Marvin and Stan became more like father and son.  In 1996 we purchased an acre from Marvin and Grady and built our present home.  After Grady passed away Marvin lived on the farm, he and Stan sharing great adventures.  In 2006 Marvin left the farm to live with his daughter, Emily, in Florida.  Jenny, Mark, Ben, Chad and Rachel moved into Marvin and Grady’s home as caretakers.   We were saddened to hear of Marvin’s death in 2011.  His memory lives on here on the farm; in the barn, in the garden, in the orchard, in the lane, in the walnut grove, by the pond, everywhere.  Jenny and Mark now are buying Marvin and Grady’s house and a few acres.  We cherish them being close by.

God provided for us in many ways; ability to earn a living not being the least.  We were married during spring break my freshman year at Illinois State University.  Since childhood I wanted to become a teacher so I stuck with it.  I finished school earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1971, the spring before Jenny was born.  In the beginning of our marriage Stan worked at Kaiser Fertilizer. When we lived on Samantha Street, Stan worked at Firestone for awhile but he was offered a deputy sheriff’s job serving under my Uncle John King.  He retired from the department even though he had advanced to detective.  He loved it and was good at it, but maybe it was too much stress.  Raising sheep was something Stan loved and was skilled at doing.  People still call him today asking for advice.  For him, this was the best job!  I was doing the best job, too, being Mom to Jenny, Julie and Andy.  Having health insurance was a problem so I began searching for a teaching job.  I had babysat and substitute taught at different times.  My teaching job just kind of fell in my lap.  As I look back I can see God working in many different areas of our lives.  I began working part-time for School District #140 at Congerville Elementary as a learning center teacher.  I advanced with a few more hours being learning center teacher, lunchroom lady, first grade aide.  In 1988 I began teaching third grade, a lifelong dream come true.  I went back to Illinois State University and earned a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 1993.  Teaching during the day, going to school at night and living in the small apartment was challenging.  When I saw Grady she used to crack me up by asking, “What are you reading?”  Health issues continued to follow us making our lives stressful.  I realized that I did not LOVE teaching any more so I retired after twenty-eight years (counting my substituting and aide work) in 2012.  Again, a job fell in my lap!  I now work part-time (12 hours per week) at the Hudson Area Public Library.  My main responsibility is Story Time for three and four year old children.  The sheep have been sold to a former student of mine.  We miss seeing the sheep in the pasture, but we are calmed just by living in the peaceful country.