I decided this year to do something to honor my parents for all they've done for my brothers and I growing up. So, I made a list - a big list - of all the gifts they made for us for the Christmas's while we were kids. And when I say "made" for us, I mean it! Mom & Dad would build us these toys out of wood, metal, and fabric - then paint them and have them ready for Christmas morning (they're in red below). What makes this significant is that most, if not all, of those things don't physically exist anymore because Mom & Dad's house burned down in August of 2003. BUT they do exist in our hearts and memories. I also included a lot of funny things we did and great memories we had. So, I must say I'm very blessed to have the parents that I do. Here's the text from it:
- Growing Up at the Wallace’s
- Goats, Chickens, Rabbits, Ponies, Cats, Doves, Tarantulas, Turtles, Llamas, and Kids!
- Height marker on the kitchen doorframe molding
- Tractor rides in the cart up to the woods to gather pockets full of acorns
- Dairy Goat Shows
- The Raffle Ticket Salesman of the Millennium!
- Reindeer tracks all over the house Christmas morning that helped us believe
- Tractor Trailer with twin steering wheels, shifters, and pedals
- The Big Trip to California and Mexico
- Puppet and Marionette Stage
- The Big Oven prop for the Gingerbread kids
- All of the artwork props at Centerville Elementary
- All kinds of Signs
- Encouragement to draw and be artistic
- Lots of paper from Monumental Life
- Making lots of things from Play-Doh – Muppets, animals, people, and cars
- Star Wars AT-AT (that fell on us Christmas morning)
- Dukes of Hazard, Knight Rider, and many custom Birthday Cakes
- Tipis to camp in under the stars
- Indian bow and arrows
- Indian headgear and horses on poles from Biederlack scraps
- Trips to Hershey Park
- Haircuts in the Kitchen
- Threats with the Wooden Spoon
- Flushing the toilet with a bucket of bath water
- Timed multiplication tests before school – made with carbon paper
- The Clubhouse – that became an animal carrier during the county fair
- Throwing rocks at the telephone pole – then barn windows and the old blue Opal
- Our very own cussing locations – far away from the house and each other!
- Baseball Dugout
- Basketball by the barn
- Running Track in the pasture
- The three Blue Beds – with side guards to keep us from rolling off – and Mattresses
- The Wooden Swimming Pool
- Trash bag costumes
- Rob’s Gizmo costume
- Lots of goat costumes – for the Prettiest Goat Contest
- Dollar Movie Wednesdays during the summer
- Swimming at the YMCA pool
- Sunday school at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
- Shoveling coal in the winter
- E.T. with glowing Heart and Finger & the little E.T.’s
- Helping us save money for toys – and even putting them on Lay-away
- Star Wars, G.I. Joe, He-Man, and Transformer Action Figures
- Castle Grayskull with Jaw Bridge, Trap Doors, and different levels
- Those gory – and slightly dangerous – Medieval Torture Chambers
- Guitar lessons at the Rainsburg Home for the Elderly
- Jugs and Jugs of Iced Tea
- Skateboard Mini Ramp
- Countless Trips to Bedford to pick us up from skateboarding after school
- Loving encouragement for us all to stay away from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes
- Living by example – showing us that there is so much more to life
- ♥ A strong marriage and friendship that will last Forever, Ever, and Always ♥
