tradition...

Anyone ever been to Oklahoma? Raise your hand...

There is just something about Oklahoma that makes me smile. It really is just an odd little interesting state. Did you know that the dirt in Oklahoma is RED clay? If you dig up your yard, or drive along the highway, all the dirt is red. I tell ya, an odd little interesting state. Of course it is where I was born and pretty much most of my immediate family was born, so I have spent many a days there and have TONS of memories.

My parents both grew up there, blocks away from eachother. They met in High School, in fact the story goes...

It was my mom's first week of her Sophmore year when she spotted my dad (a Senior) in the halls of Classen HS. She didn't know who he was, but went home and claimed outloud to her sister (who was also a Senior)
"I've seen the man I'm going to marry!"
Sister says... "Who is it?"
Mom says... "I don't know, but he's cute and I am going to marry him."
A week later, after some investigation on her part she goes home and claims (again, outloud) "His name is Tom and he's a Senior."
Sister says... "Tom... I can't think of who that is."
Another week goes by and my mom goes home and says... "His name is Tom Blank..."
Sister says... "TOM Blank, huh, him???"

And the rest is history... They dated off and on all through High School and during college at OU (Boomer Sooners!!)

They married after my dad's graduation and induction to the USAF. They stayed married for 14 years. They lived in 13 places during those 14 years, had 2 kids (Scott & Jill) but then divorced in 1973. They remained friends and their families did as well. It worked out great for us kids to have everyone get along...

Each time I visit the state as I did this past weekend, memories like this run rampant in my brain. It's just sort of old fashioned like that. I always make a point of driving by the house on NW27th street, where my mom and her 2 sisters grew up. I spent many a days and nights in that house during my Summer and Christmas breaks. There were many summer nights spent making crafts with my grandma Bert. She was the most creative woman alive. (MS has nothing on that woman) We would create clothes out of old towels (I still loved the idea of my terrycoth capri pants with the drawstring waist. Who knew they would be called Juicy Courture today?) We would spend many days in the kitchen cooking up anything to go with REAL Vermont Maple Syrup sent to her from her sister (Aunt Bet) who lived in Londonderry, VT with her Doctor husband, Uncle Big. Everything tastes better with a little Maple Syrup... ESPECIALLY Vanilla Ice Cream!

It was Bert's idea to begin the tradition of "Decorating the Packages" at Christmas time, instead of just "wrapping the packages." It became a tradition among the family and all got involved, even my Grandaddy, Sparky. One Christmas my Aunt V wrapped all the little boxes and organized them to form the shape of this elaborate Castle. There were Doors, Windows, Pointy Rooftops, even a Moat, it was awesome! Well, Sparky not to be outdone, or outsmarted took himself upstairs not to be seen for hours while concocting his own design. His return to civilization with his one package in hand proved to be much amusement for the whole family. He had taken a toilet paper roll (sans tp) and wrapped and shaped it into what he called, "The Cannon." There it was all wrapped up, and yes indeed in the shape of a cannon. Without saying much other than the name of his creation, he proceeded to walk over, kneel down to the ground, and place "The Cannon" in direct proportion to "The Castle" that was so wonderfully displayed on the window seat in prime viewing position for all guest's to the Williams household to admire. He aimed it right up at that Castle and then walked away with what I am sure was a smug smirk. The War had begun!!

For many years after that, it became tradition to "decorate the packages" and not just wrap them. It was a friendly little competition between the Williams' sisters and my grandma. Over the years my mom would come up with all kinds of different design ideas. After I was old enough to help, she would have me glueing, sewing, sprinkling right along side of her. It just became the way... Eventually the tradition began to fall by the wayside for everyone involved except for my mom. She was really the only one who kept it going, year after year. Even if she felt like she couldn't come up with "another" design, somehow someway she would come up with something so clever and darling! Everyone would anticipate their packages and be wrecked with guilt for not participating themselves. And year after year she would deliver!

This just makes me so proud of my mom. Tradition. What a great memory for me to have, to carry on. This will be my 4th Christmas without her, without her designs, her creativity, her spirit. She is ALL things Christmas to me... She is what made the rest of the year bearable. She had such a determination about her life. If she wanted it, she got it. If she couldn't get it, she made it or created it. If she didn't like something she figured out a way to make it better. She saw humor in most everything. She saw how important it was to have laughter in life. She was a good cook and loved to have cocktails at 5:00PM. ("It's 5'O'clock somewhere, she would say) She loved to dance, she loved to make people laugh and she loved to have parties. She was the ultimate hostess... She fought for justice, she would argue to the death for the "right thing" to occur. She sacraficed for her kids. She knew how to make fun of herself, and others. (hee) She loved young adults, she was always friends with my friends. She could read people so well. She knew when people were bullshitting... She didn't like liars. She loved The Gap Band, Neil Diamond and Carol King. She loved the movie The Breakfast Club and Sterile Cuckoo. She was the kind of mom who made all of our Halloween costumes, she even made little tiny clothes for my Barbie. She was tan 365 days a year, and had a beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes. Her favorite color was purple and she loved Oprah. She was pretty glam and looked good in all her clothes.

She started her own business 3 times. She was an Interior Decorator, Graphic Artist and a Fabric Artist. She didn't want to move away from California, EVER! But when forced to move to Tulsa as not to live in California all alone, she didn't complain once. She made friends easily and became the social coordinator for her (hip-jiven') sunday school class. She kept that Christmas tradition of designing the packages going until she died. She died on May 7th, 1999. She had a beautiful memorial service in a chapel so filled with people, there weren't enough seats for all who attended. She is greatly missed and not just by me. She was a force in this world. The world just seems flat without her. BUT, I know she is dancing in heaven right now as I write this.
And she is inspring ME to create this year's Christmas Design.

Tradition, thanks mom!!

Comments

[si]

That was a beautiful story Jill. You mom seemed to be a wonderful person. Thanks for sharing her story with us.

[Bianca]

Ohh Jill, your words and memories of you mom are so beutiful! Can't help but cry a little while reading this!
Best wishes - and all the best for your and yours - always,
BBB