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Betty O

This post is about a lady Stephen and I call Betty O.

Betty O. is quite a woman. The first thing I remember about her is when we were moving in to our first house in Leachville, Stephen came in with two huge frozen pizzas and said "Betty O brought these." We promptly put them in the oven and ate them. This was the first of more- meals-than-I-can-count that she provided us.
She was the church secretary. She is a retired school teacher. She wrote the church newsletter, did all the gardening around the church and kept Stephen and the preacher in line. She taught 1-3 grade Sunday School and then went on to teach an adult ladies class. She has a craft closet at her house like you wouldn't believe! At Christmas she decorates her house with angels and the smell of homebaked goodies.
Because I had never lived away from home until I got married at the ripe old age of 23, I was scared to stay by myself. And that suited Betty O just fine. When Stephen would go off for church camps in the summer, I would move in to Betty O's house. She would fix me breakfast, lunch and supper. And she always had Coke for me.
She cooked lunch for us every Sunday. EVERY SUNDAY. She cooked enough that I got a to-go plate and so did the preacher and his wife. The food was incredible. I think our parents came to visit us on the weekends just so they could eat at Betty O's house. It was worth a 5 hour drive!! When I was pregnant with the twins she would even cook for us on Wednesday night and give us leftovers that would last until Friday night. I didn't hardly have to cook while pregnant with the twins. She is a God send.
She treated Stephen and I like we were her own children. She loved us fiercely and would chastise us when needed. She loved our children. Even though babies were foreign to her. She had never had any of her own. I talk about her so much still (even though I haven't seen her in 3 years) my kids think she is a family member.
I am thinking of her today. 11 years ago she brought me a present back from a trip she had been on. She brought the cutest little gift sack full of stickers, and notecards to me just as Stephen and I were leaving to go to the hospital to have Samuel. Betty O had just gotten back to town and hadn't yet heard that I had just found out that I was to go to the hospital. She had the sweetest look on her face, full of love, apprehension and prayer.
Betty O was at the hospital when Samuel was born. She was the first one to visit at our house when we brought the twins home and I'm pretty sure if we had lived there when Anna was born, she would have taken Anna home with her. If we lived closer, Anna and Betty O would be fast friends (as my mom would say.)
I love you Betty O and miss you so much!! I plan on making a visit in December, so if you read this- get ready! Make some rolls and put a coke on ice for me. I can't wait!!!

Julie

Comments

Sisters said…
you wrote me a thank you note after I spent my fall break with you and Samuel in 1997, with the cards & stickers she gave you. I still have it!
I am still amazed at the sugar coated pansies she served that time. Amazing!
AJL
Unknown said…
i just saw betty o a few weeks ago when we went home to visit!! Hope we can plan to be in AR the same weekend in December!! I really want to see ya'll!

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