My Mommy!

 Rebecca Ruth Edwards was born an Aries. She was born in the afternoon I was told, on April 5, 1935, and that makes her 85 years old at the time of this writing.  Becky, as she was always known, is my mom. We don't usually call her "Mom", "Mommy", or even "Mama". For years she's been "G'ma" (pronounced G-ma) to my kids and myself, and Gramma to the rest of the grandchildren. My siblings do actually call her Mom, so she has a few names. Daddy used to call her "Sweetheart" most of the time.  I like that.

G'ma has lived almost three solid years without Dad now, and you can see it in her eyes just how sad it makes her feel to know she's still on this side of Glory waiting to see him again. Although we've both discussed that when they do meet again, they'll not be husband and wife, they'll both be in their new perfected bodies and possibly looking about the same as they did the day they met in September (this weekend actually, the first weekend in September) 1955. Let me tell you about my mom, then maybe you'll learn a wee bit about me in the telling.

E4 Navy man Reuben "Wayne" Stringfellow was just freshly out of his Naval duties. So fresh was he that he didn't even have additional clothes to change into really. He attended church in his sailor's outfit and if you're anything like me, which apparently she is, and that's where I get it, you'll understand what took place next.  There he was sitting in the church minding his own business. My dad was forever the unwitting one, the one who was continually taken off guard by Mom.  

Mom walked into the back of the sanctuary (it was her family church that he happened to pop into that day) as the back of the church had the entrance doors to the congregation. If you went around the front you'd head into the classrooms and offices. To enter the auditorium you came through the back door. There on that glorious September morning, Becky (red headed, sassy and green eyed) and her pretty younger sister Naomi walked through the back door just slightly late as to be sure and draw a little attention to themselves. After all, they were adorable girls, both single, and why not let the handsome men in the room see who was coming into the room. "You're late again Miss and Miss Edwards", called the pastor.  My mom and my aunt smiled and waved. One head didn't turn around to look at the two giggling girls - - only one head.  Guess who that was! Dad.

Seeing that the potentially handsome and possibly single sailor had not turned to see her, mom made a proclamation to her younger sister at that time. She said "That man, that sailor, I'm going to marry him! He'll look at me then!"  Naomi, who was busy looking at the handsome airman next to my dad, his brother Bill, merely waved her little wave, probably batting her eyes a bit, and agreed with her older sister that marrying the silent one was probably a great idea. She may have added that it would be best to introduce herself first, however.

Before the end of the service Becky looked up from her bowed head and noticed the sailor was gone. He hadn't stayed for Benediction. Who does that? She asked herself. That's not going to happen again she promised her heart. If I'm going to marry him I have to at least meet him!  A week passed and Naomi had managed to speak to the airman Bill and had asked him to bring his brother back to church the following Sunday, which he did, and there they were again - - intentionally late by just a few minutes. Again, my dad did not turn around to see the girls coming in. Not having a place to sit with the boys, the girls sat behind them. Again, as before, just before last Benediction, my dad decided he needed to leave. He's not a public man, and not needing to go down front to pray or wait on others he simply left the pew and turned into the aisle. (Not so fast SAILOR BOY!) 

With an extended foot to the aisle just in front of him, my father literally tripped and fell on his face in the middle of Benediction, in the middle of the far right aisle. The culprit? You know it, Becky. "OH, dear, I'm so sorry" she said to the man, "I hope you're alright!"  He stood up and a bit embarrassed because others were looking, she helped him scoot in out of the aisle and of course, next to her. "I'm Becky Edwards" she said. "Wayne" he answered.  "Does Wayne have a last name?" she asked. "Yes" he answered. "Stringfellow".  Mom tells me that upon hearing the name Stringfellow she began wondering what her name would sound like spoken out loud...Becky Stringfellow. Becky Stringfellow. She liked it.

It may have taken 3 entire months but the woman was in fact successful at both convincing the man to marry her and to live the rest of his natural life with her. On December 3, 1955, they married and they remained married until October 5, 2017, when my dad decided he simply had to go see Jesus. It was a Wednesday. I was born on a Wednesday; it has always been a bitter sweet day, and now it is even more so. Mom (Becky) is an Aries; flirtation comes natural, ramming things with her strong head ways is just what she does. Can you guess what Dad's zodiac sign may be? Let me help you out. He's stubborn, seems cold, but in reality just isn't all that into things others are into. He's not easily moved, but once tripped and trapped feels that he has no real choice but to fall in love and stay in love because there is really no reason to not love this adorable woman.  He's a Taurus. 

Being married nearly 62 years taught dad a few things about women. Having three daughters all completely different from each other kept him guessing about what he probably thought he knew. Giving into Mom wasn't hard; she had his back. He knew it. What Becky wanted Wayne delivered. This was the plan, and it worked for 62 years.  We children said it out loud at the funeral in one way or another, each of us mentioned it; it was best that Dad go first. He could never have survived without his Sweetheart. I love that green eyed lady.