An Appalachian Child

On this day, some 84 years ago, my Mom was born.  This was during that time in American history known as "The Great Depression", and even today she has a hard time throwing anything away.  A childhood picture is shown below:

This item was recently found among a box of family pictures which had been stored away.  Another one of those "thousand words" it is.  Those eyes tell much.  Is it hope?  Is it despair?  Is it a longing to see the future, or a resolve to accept the present?  Growing up in the hills of Eastern Kentucky could produce a lot of things. [Including Blue Racers.]

Mom does not remember having this picture taken.   It must have been during her years at Slade, KY.  She was the middle child of 12 young'uns, and only four remain alive at this birthday.  Out of the depression years, into the hills of Appalachia, and "click" a photo was taken.  What she must have faced growing up an Appalachian child.   Happy Birthday Mom...you have spoken those thousand words throughout your life.  I have learned from them along the way and hold your love in my heart.

Happy Birthday Mom

On the 18th of April, 1930, my Mom was born.  Her family had moved from Kentucky to Indiana trying to find work at the period of our history called "The Great Depression".  Being in the middle of 12 children born to this Ewen family, she would have to make her own way among the four brothers and four sisters. [two sisters had died earlier]

Myrna Jean Ewen was the name given.  Myrna being an unusual family name, most in the family just called her "Jeanie".  Here is her sixteenth year picture just after the family had moved from Slate, KY to my birthplace called Winchester, KY.

School days 1946 - 47 it reads.  She was about to meet my Dad around this time and start that relationship that was to make our family.

Some two years later, she appears as Myrna Jean Jones in this photograph below, which was taken the second day of her married life.

May 9th, 1948 it would be.  That "just married" look is evident.

Happy Birthday Mom!  Thanks for your life, and giving our family such love.
Your heart pumps in my chest, and your gift of love will echo through our family for generations.

Breath of Life

To take that first breath of life is an important step for all of us in the human race. It usually starts with a cry, for having been a family physician for more than a quarter of a century, I have been present at many first breath experiences. [more than 800!] That breath fills the lungs, changes the blood flow through the heart, and moves us from a watery existence to the land side of life. Hearing that cry, the mother gets the first sounds of this new life that has been hidden in her womb for some 9 months, give or take a few weeks. All that morning sickness... long nights twisting and turning, trying to get comfortable from that kicking and movement...that big, big belly, and swelling in hands and feet...that reflux, those hemorrhoids, those stretch marks...all this to get to hear that first breath of life.

The picture to the right shows my wife holding our first daughter. Her arms did most of the holding and hugging. In spite of having delivered more than 800 babies, I can say that there is nothing like having your own! But, after 40 years of marriage, I have come to realize that it is the mothers that give the breath of life.