September 3, 2013

A Mother's Memory

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All day long, the young teacher anxiously went about her duties collecting milk money, setting out paper and crayons as she introduced a new group of kindergarten students to all that was before them in the coming school year. However, the teacher’s mind was elsewhere, a short drive away with her 7-month-old baby boy at a babysitter’s house for his first day. That morning the young teacher/mom had reluctantly left her son with a seasoned babysitter with whom she trusted. However, the teacher’s mind returned to her son all day long with questions: Would he be okay, would he take his nap, will he cry, would the babysitter pay enough attention to him while also watching four pre-k children? The young mother resisted the urge to phone the babysitter to see how their day was going.  As an occasional lump came to her chest and she thought about her son, she fought back tears throughout her day. The teacher realized 22 five-year-old students had been left by their parents and also required her full attention. “I will just have to trust that Jason is okay and make it through this day”, she thought. 

In 1977, I was a 24-year old mother and kindergarten teacher. My husband, Kim, was a high school theater arts teacher. Our plan had been for me to stay home with Jason and not teach that year. The strain of paying bills led me to return to work. Leaving Jason that first anxious day of school so I could return to work made for a stressful day. At the end of the day, I rushed back to Baytown from Highland as fast as I could.  As I approached a traffic light and yellow turned red, I proceeded down the road and a policeman pulled me over to discuss running red lights. I began to cry and attempted to explain that I had left my 7-month old baby boy with a new baby sitter for the first time and was anxious to get back to him.  I guess the policemen had pity on this new mom because he let me off with a warning to drive safely.

Soon after I left the police encounter, all my fears were squelched as I saw Jason in the capable hands of Aunt BeBe, as her “kids” affectionately knew her. She gave me a glowing report of his day while he happily smiled at me. We really loved Aunt BeBe and could see her apparent love for all the kids in her care. Our second son, Kyle, would also stay with Aunt BeBe up until the year Jason was 5 years old. After which we found another lady to watch our brood of little boys who grew in number with the birth of son number three, Ryan, and Jason entered kindergarten.

Now, thirty-six years later, Dr. Jason Kelly Martin began this school year as the Clinical Director of the Community Life Center, and Assistant Professor of Counseling at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor in Belton. My interest about whether he is having a good day or what he is doing still pops into my thoughts, but of course I trust he is doing fine. Accomplished in his field of study alongside being a wonderful husband and dad, Jason makes my heart swell with love and pride to be his parent.

All of my sons make me proud. It has and continues to be a fun ride with the boys, so my motto remains as always, There is never a dull moment. Wherever their lives take them, I am more than willing to be part of the journey.
Jason, Ryan, Kyle about 1984

Ryan, Kyle, Jason, summer 2013
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