I am Thankful

Betty, Harriet, Arlene, Dale, Harlen, Dennis, Kenneth and Larry---I love you. These are my sisters and brothers. The children of Wilford and Harriet Clayton. My dear Harriet and Kenneth, we do not yet know one another, but I look forward to that eternal time when we meet and hold each other in an embrace of love.

I have had the great blessing of being part of a close family. One that is caring and supportive. Yes, we had our Times when misunderstandings would happen, but forgiveness and love was always there. We accept each others differences and look for the good.

One great show of love given to me by my brothers was-------Every fall before the potato harvest my mom and I would go shopping for my winter school cloths. When I had made my selections the cloths would be put on lay away. I would earn enough money picking potatoes to pay for the clothes. If I worked real hard I could earn about $400.00 for my clothes. It was a month of hard work. Even the schools would be closed for the harvest. Ann Byram was my picking partner. We each had our own wire basket to pick in. When full, one partner would hold open the gunny sack while the other dumped the baskets, making a fifty pound sack. We worked from sun up to sun down, taking an hour to eat our sack lunches and rest. The harvest had just began and I had earned just a few dollars when I became ill with Bells Palsey again and would not be able to continue because of the stress and medicine and therapy I would need. No new cloths that year. I would have to take them of lay a way to go back to the store shelves. No new Jantzen sweaters, Pendleton skirts or Saddle Oxfords. I was very sad. My brothers also worked hard in the potato harvest, earning money for their special desires, but that year they suprised me with my new cloths that I had put on lay away. I have always remembered this great act of love they gave to me. My sisters were older than me but they always were a great example to me.

I AM THANKFUL for my brothers and sisters.