Growing up, my dad always worked multiple jobs to provide for his family. From being a Pastor, Chaplain, Architectural designer, reservist deputy, wrecker driver, manager at a storage facility, veteran, trained in CSI and a daddy. That is a whole lot of jobs. But, if you ask my mother along with my siblings, we would all say how proud we are of all of the accomplishments he has established over the years. 
Being the youngest of 5 children and having almost 10 years between myself and a sibling before me, all of them were grown, married, having my nieces and nephews, being the only one left in the house was pretty lonely. My parents both had to work, and poor momma would tote me with her where ever she went. Also being home schooled. Dad working as much as he could so he, my mother and I didn’t have to go without.
Being a preachers kid is probably one of the hardest things someone will have to go through growing up. Being taught to be the example, to be the peacemaker whether you started it or not. Wearing the best you had (no, nothing flashy or shiny. But the cleanest) and cleaning yourself up the best you could to be presentable. Sitting as still as you can during sermons no matter who was preaching. Wearing dresses every Sunday and Wednesday (sometimes shorts underneath. Some people may not understand the whole “having too much thigh and wearing dresses!” in Summertime, or the dead Winter…..yeah).
The kids never wanted to really have anything to do with the preachers kid at churches, because they were taught that you being the example and looking the best you could, you were somehow automatically the taddle tale, without taddling. You couldn’t know what they were laughing about, you couldn’t follow them into the woods where they would “play”, you couldn’t roll down the hill because you were in a dress (and mom would kill me). Can’t run right in a dress, can’t lay on the benches, etc etc etc. Or if they would go to their parents or my parents saying you said something out of line, or said something bad about them without even knowing you had done anything! Eventually after the shock of hearing that I said some words that I hadn’t even known existed, I actually finally was able to laugh about it later on, and I learned a few extra words in the meantime.
That sounds negative, but actually it is a lesson learned. I learned to actually be the example. To be polite and turn your shoulder to the “he said, she said” and blaming games. I learned to not follow the crowd and to go my own direction, and preferably a good direction without negativity or not associating with anything evil in this world. This may also sound “holier than thou”, but seriously, it isn’t. And I am far from holier. Character building! Sounds awful, and it really depends on how you take it. Either let it hinder you and prevent you from ever being a happy person inside and out, or you can take it with a grain of salt and make peace with yourself and them for a better life.
I would like to think that I didn’t let it hinder me. One of the girls I partially grew up with who hated me, we are the best of friends now. She has a family of her own, and chose to make the best of her hard life instead of drowning in sorrows. I remember when her and her siblings were in foster care, she would call my parents just to talk and for advice and she couldn’t sleep. I used to love to hear my dad talk to those kids like they were his own, because I never could imagine what they went through. They are all stronger adults now. Never been to jail. Growing their families, great jobs and a career, etc.
The other part was my dad being a Chaplain for the county we lived in. There were a lot of kids in foster care with people at our church and also with their grandparents at the church, my parents always welcomed our home to them. I don’t believe they could have felt more at home. Seeing them cry over family issues and how their parents wouldn’t do anything to get them back, promise after promise. And being a kid, that hits home. Those kids are also in collage now, and I do believe my parents had a hand in keeping their hearts together and helping their foster parents and grandparents until they were well on their own. And still to this day, I see them seeking for my dads approval, even though he loves them in any shape or form they come in unconditionally.
He still draws plans in his Architectural designs (please see https://internetarticles.net/a-career-as-a-draftsman-drafter/ and https://internetarticles.net/creating-house-plans/.
https://internetarticles.net/online-drafting-courses-and-tutorials/ and enjoys it very much. He can draw house 3x faster than anyone I have ever seen (yes, I am bragging. Why not?). And I always think its sweet when he asks my mom to sit right beside him while they work on some plans, just her sitting there keeps him calm and he is able to focus better (I have never seen a stronger and more adorable couple, but please don’t tell them I said that). It takes a lot of his time to be able to finish his work because of Clients need, but he gets it done. And now, being an adult and out on my own, he still just a drawing away to this day, but he makes sure he lets me have a moment or two of his time to say hi to me and lets me rant and rave about the latest to my mother without a thought.
He also married my husband and I! We just went to dinner one day (already being engaged), and decided why don’t we go ahead and get married now and have the ceremony when we get around to it? Best decision ever made. Point blank. It helped us grow, taught us lessons and we learned so much more about each other when we finally got a home together. It was amazing, until the bills start pouring in. Either way, I was just so happy to be with him, and I cannot imagine a day without his goofy self. My parents have a rule to never interfere in a marriage, but by-golly when I am mad, I still call my momma and she just listens! Thats what moms do, right? =)
Also being the youngest, not having any siblings around, they always give my parents a hard time saying I had it easy and never got in trouble with anything….. On the contrary, thur home slice……..They just didn’t know about it! I got popped a lot, grounded a whole, whole lot. Got my lectures and moved on. My sister, on the other hand, would just beg my dad to just give her the spanking to stop the lecture. That flew over well! I just took it and moved on, didn’t do it again (that I remember). Mom and dad were tough especially when they found out I was sick (Please see https://internetarticles.net/warning-signs-and-symptoms-of-diabetes-childhood-diabetes/). They made sure I stayed home so they knew nothing would happen since we weren’t very accustomed to the disease of childhood diabetes. Some rough stuff. I don’t remember much about my other siblings, I was always off doing my own thing. But when the babies came along, they had to watch out! Aunty was the first one to the door to grab those babies! Haha!
Being a kid who grew up with a dad who had many, many jobs did build character for all 5 kids, and whenever we need something, dad and momma are always there.
