Chrissy and Me-Part Two

I put Chrissy in the largest bedroom upstairs.  

She stayed with us for nine months.

Jennifer was 13-14 at the time and a bit jealous of the wonderful relationship Chris and I formed.  We stayed up late, talking to each other.  About our childhoods.  About relationships.  Chris was 21 and me 44--more like sisters than Mother and Daughter, but I felt very motherly toward her.  She so needed an older woman to build her up, believe in her...love her, no matter what.

She had no car, so I dropped her off at her work on my way to my job.  Picked her up on the way home, but at times, she had to wait for me.

She got on Welfare and food assistance.  Back then, they did house inspections and Chris was required to keep her food separate from ours--in a separate cupboard and shelf in the refrigerator.

Once, Jennifer helped herself to a pasty that Chris had made and put in the freezer.  I chastised her, telling her that we were not allowed to eat Chris' food! That made Jen even madder--at both Chris and me.  

Once a week, Chris and I would go over to Owosso, to the Mental Health Center and get separate counseling.  Then when we got home, at night, we'd sit up and talk about it.  We were each other's therapist.  Both of us so emotionally damaged.

We  had a house fire and couldn't stay in the house while repairs were being made.  Jen and I stayed with Pam and Al, up the road at their house, but there was no room for Chris.  She had to go back and stay with her parents--for 5 weeks.

After we got moved back in, she had decided to move to Idaho, to be nearer her older sister who lived in Washington State.  I remember so well, taking her to the bus station in Flint.  Putting her on that bus for the many days ride to Idaho, and crying all the way home.

We kept in touch through letters.  She started college in Moscow, Idaho.  I got remarried and moved.  She met a really nice young man and got married.  I got divorced and moved to Saginaw.  Then the Internet was invented and it became easier to keep in touch.

She was finally reunited with her daughter. She had been forced to give custody to the child's father because she couldn't support the girl.  The girls' Dad called one day and said, "I'm getting married again and my new wife doesn't like the girl.  You come get her or I'm going to put her up for adoption."  The girl was 10 at the time.
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Her new husband was in the Army and they moved all over the country.  For a time, they lived in their motor home.  

In 2010, when Fred and I finally got to travel to the Outer Banks in NC., Chris and her husband were stationed in Richmond, VA.  We set up a time to meet and had supper together.  The first time we had seen each other in 26 years.  That Mother-Daughter feeling was still there!  As Fred and I drove away, I was crying.

Fred said, "What's the matter, Sweetheart?"

"I'm just so happy for Chrissy.  She is so happy and so loved by D.  But....it will be the last time I ever see her in this life."

I truly believed that.
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Fast forward a couple of years, Chris and her hubs living in Texas.  He is transferred overseas.  They lived in Germany for awhile, then Italy.  Chris has Lupus and for some reason, the climate, the water, everything about Italy made her sicker and sicker.

Last year, she finally had to leave her hubs and come back to the States.  She purchased a home in Texas.

She and her hubs had traveled so much around the States, but were always in a rush to get to their next post.  They'd drive by National Parks or Monuments, but never had time to stop.  Kind of like, "Look quick.  There's Mount Rushmore out the side window.  Oops, missed it."

She decided to buy her little trailer and take this summer to travel to all the places she had wanted to see.  

She left Texas July 5th.  Because of her Lupus, she tires very easily...so she'd drive one day, stop at a campground, spend the next day resting, and then leave the next.  She visited friends along the way.  Stopped in Idaho with her in-laws...hubs had a leave and they met up and took a few days to vacation in the Canadian Rockies.

He back to Italy, she traveling onward.

Just before she arrived here, her hubs called to say he had been promoted to a full bird Colonel!!!!  Just under a one-star General.  He is going to be sent back to the States, but they don't know to what post or what State.

Chris has done very well for herself, as has her husband.  A really, REALLY nice salary comes along with being a Colonel.  Chris has written and had books published.  She also designs knit and crochet patterns and sells them on Ravelry and Esty.  Apparently, these patterns go for a real good price.  Her designs are unusual, clever and quite exquisite.  
She gives me the patterns, I make the product and make corrections in her pattern wording.

WIN-WIN!!!
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At one time in my life, I had a comfortable financial situation and taking this young woman into my home was no big deal.  I so enjoyed her company and helped her as best I could.

Now, she has a very comfortable financial situation and she has adopted me. :-)  

God put us together for a reason--I didn't think of that at the time, but now...I know for sure.  Here we are, 30+ years later and when we meet, it is like we just saw each other last week.

One lady at the campground told Chris, after I had visited there, that she knew we were Mother and Daughter because, Chris looks just like me.  Wait.  What?  We don't have any resemblance to each other in the least.  I suppose it is the way we act with each other?

Our loving relationship toward each other is like a REAL Mother and Daughter relationship SHOULD be!!