Did You Miss Your Family Today? The Locator To The Rescue

We tv has launched a wonderful contest for that great show, The Locator.  The network is giving away two airlines tickets anywhere in the world (worth up to $5,000), for a lucky winner to be reunited with a loved one they haven't had a chance to see. 

The contest runs through March 10, 2010, when the winner will be announced during the premiere episode of the The Locator, Season 3.

You can enter at We tv's's Twitter feed (@WEtv), retweeting the contest message and following Troy at @The Locator.
Here are the contest rules, http://bit.ly/8ULWO
Please enter and I hope you win.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
Territory Mom

Happy Birthday, Maggie!!!

Susan Margaret "Maggie" Brashear was born on this day, November 17th in 1869 to Walter W. Brashear and Nancy W. Brewer, in Pope County, Arkansas.
She had two half sisters from her father's first marriage to Mary Rackley. They were, Sarah M. Brashear who married Wiley Duvall and Amanda Melvina Brashear who married Henderson Pigg.
She had six other sisters; Mary Elizabeth "Bettie" Brashear, married A.C. Bowden,
Victoria, married Sinclair Perry,
Martha Lou, married R. Hannibal Vaughn,
Ursula Evelyn, married William J. Chronister,
Lillian, who never married, she died at the age of 18, and
Mamie H., married Elton Lewellen(he died tragically, not far from where I live now) then she married Ralph Vassaur.

Maggie also had seven brothers, Mortimer M., died at age 3, Lincoln, died at age 2,
Adam C., married Joanna Burris,
Howell, died at birth,
Burgess Ford Brashear, (a mystery, left home and moved to Canada before 1900),
Rev. David Warren , married 1st Ruth Beesley and 2nd Sarah Johnson,
Rev. Thomas L. "Tommy", married 1st Della Ennis and 2nd, Amanda "Mandy" Barham

Maggie married Charles Henry "Charlie" Dunn on September 26, 1886. They had nine children;
Maudie Velma, married Weldon Wright,
Chester, died at birth,
Nancy Pearl Emily, married John Jackson Barham,
Ruth, married Herman Paddock,
Mamie F., married Charles H. Barnett,
Homer, married Ruth Jackson,
Roscoe Blaine, married 1st, Esther Jackson and 2nd, Theola ________
Burgess, (I can't remember his wife's name, sorry), and
Charles, Jr., died at 5 months of age

Kinder Cemetery

Maggie died from pneumonia on Feb. 27, 1905, two weeks after Charles, Jr. was born. She was only 34 years old. She is buried in Kinder Cemetery, located on Pope Mountain, Pope County, AR.

This is her grave, She is buried with her sons, Chester and Charles, Jr. The grave behind hers is her parents.

Happy Birthday, Maggie

Love,

Territory Mom

I Don't Remember Her Name

This is long, sorry.

I don't remember her name but she was following my kids and I around Homeland (name of our local store) one day. I could feel her eyes on me so I turned around and smiled at her. She needed a smile. She looked so lost.

So we checked out and I got my kids buckled in the car and started unloading my groceries. ( I always prefer to carry my groceries myself, I'm a rebel that way). She followed me out and sat on the bench in front of the car which I happened to be parked in front of the bench that day. (Nothing just happens, hallelujah!!!) Just like Beth Moore says, God is so bossy. He said give her your drink, What, I said give her my 44 oz diet Dr. Pepper, do you know how much house work needs to be done? I need my 44 oz diet Dr. Pepper (from the Sonic by the way). He said, give it to her. Okay, okay.

I got my drink out of my cup holder and took it to her. I told her, "you look like you are thirsty here's my drink from the Sonic, its a diet Dr. Pepper, (hoping she wouldn't take it) She said, that's okay. She said thank you. I said I drank from it already, is that okay? (hoping she wouldn't take it) and she said, Yes. (well, if you have ever had a drink from the Sonic you know that it doesn't matter who drank from it, take it. The ice alone is worth the germs).

I asked what she was doing there. She said she lived in Sapulpa (about an hour away) she and her boyfriend came down a couple of days ago to visit friends. He went to get cigarettes and left her there, he'd been gone a couple of hours. She said she didn't like his friends.

Now, I'm not the smartest person in Oklahoma, but I do know that Homeland sells cigarettes.

I looked back at my kids and they had that look, "what is she doing now" (the same look I used to give my Mom). Then He said it, "give her the $20 in your pocket, (I never have cash in my pocket, except this day, of course). I didn't hesitate because I knew it wouldn't help. So I gave her my money and told her to go get something to eat. She said she would and said, thank you.

Then I told her, "I'm going to take my groceries home and come back if you are still here I'm going to take you home." She said, "okay".

We pulled out of the parking lot and waved to her. I thought, this is weird but she doesn't like her boyfriend's friends so she could be in danger. I remembered I had to pay the water bill. Me and kids went to the water dept. I asked the girl at the water dept. what happens in town if someone needs help. She didn't understand so I explained the story. She called the local mental health facility and they knew who I was dealing with and said not to worry about her. The girl at the water dept told that it was nice what I did for that girl and I told her that if she had seen the look on her face she would have done the same thing. I should have said, my Jesus is so bossy I had no choice.

We went home. I unloaded the kids and the groceries. We took a bathroom break, filled up the sippy cups and headed back to town. (When you live in Oklahoma "town" is the closest place with a grocery store). We went to Homeland and, of course she wasn't sitting on the bench in front, so we stopped and went inside and we couldn't find her.

We went to mental health facility and I told them what happened, the lady said not to worry they knew her and she is probably at home so we went back home.

I knew I was conned, but did it matter? At least she had an extra $20 and if her boyfriend told her to find a way to get some money she was successful and wouldn't be hurt that day. I was successful too that day, because I listened to the voice of God.

Have a great day and listen.

Love,

Territory Mom

Negatives From An Old Kodak Brownie Camera

I received an email from my new found cousin and it stated, "I remembered I had some negatives from an old Kodak Brownie Camera". I was so excited. I'm all about the old photos.

Anyway, he had 99 negatives from the 1940's and 50's in a safety deposit box. He graciously had them developed and email them to me. Below are the first photos he sent me:

Cousins

l, Inez Smith and r, my grandma

When my grandma saw this picture she said, "Inez always had store bought dresses."

More cousins, my mom is in the center

The men folk:
sitting: C.H. Dunn. L to R: John Barham(my great grandpa),
Herman Paddock and Harold Baker (my grandpa)

This photo was taken before my grandpa became a preacher. He always looked the same age to me. Herman Paddock and his wife Ruth Dunn Paddock raised their niece and nephews. I spoke with one of the nephews and he called him "Dad" and said that "he was the greatest man to walk this earth". I don't think you can get a better compliment than that.

Happy Grandma's Day,

Love,

Territory Mom

Oklahoma to Me . . . 6th Verse

Oklahoma to Me . . .

is when you are tending your garden in July

with the hot sun beating down on you,

a cool breeze hits you and you can actually smell football season

Love,

Territory Mom

You Have to Check This Out

From the Faraway, Nearby

http://adventuresoftimtim.blogspot.com/

This is T.R. Ryan's blog, he is a native Oklahoman and an excellent photographer. I heard about him from Jen http://www.jenx67.com/.

Mr. Ryan posts photographs from his world travels which are mesmerizing with compelling commentary. Today, however or actually yesterday he posted photos of Mount Scott and the Wichita Mountains, a beautiful and serene place.

If you are an Okie who lives in another state this will make you homesick.

Have a great day.

Love,

Territory Mom

Oklahoma To Me . . . 5th Verse

Oklahoma to Me . . .

is making peach jam from your own peach trees

Love,

Territory Mom