Special Visitors at The Farm

All throughout our childhood, my siblings and I looked forward to an event that occurred not annually as Christmas or family vacations , but every few years. That was a visit from Aunt Frances, Uncle Larry and their daughters.

We were always so excited to hear that they would be visiting us or that we would be meeting them at our Grandparents' house (where the cabin is located at what we call Rogers farms). Aunt Frances and Uncle Larry both told the most intriguing stories.

Our Aunt Frances and her husband Uncle Larry were missioners in Korea. Uncle Larry was captured the very first morning that the Korean War began and was a prisoner of war throughout that war. I could not even began to tell of his experiences but our experience was that we adored him and would listen spellbound any time he would tell us of his experiences. When we were young he always told us interesting stories without including too much of the harsh reality of being a prisoner of war on a death march. We discovered the harsh details in the book he wrote years later. He was such a kind and generous man and we were always so proud of him and loved to just be with him. One of my own favorite stories was of him teaching a young man geometry during the years that they were prisoners. The young man later became a well known (I think) physicist.

Aunt Frances always told the best stories about life on the farm with her brothers, parents, cousins, and aunts. And she still does. I know because she told us many stories when she visited the Rogers siblings recently at the farm. Where we entertained her at her old home place and she entertained us with the history of that old home place.

Our cousin Brenda and her husband Dave also came and we fell in love with Brenda all over again and Dave for the very first time.

We expect Brenda and Dave to come often and enjoy the farm with us now that we have become reacquainted.

We were able to ask questions of Aunt Frances and the family baby, Uncle Tolly, that we have discussed and wondered about when gathered at the farm. Trying to name our grandparent's siblings and their parents or trying to remember when certain events took place. Aunt Frances answered many questions and explained how the old farm house began life as my great grandparent's log cabin but was enlarged and grew with the family. The log cabin was later moved and the newer addition then was enlarged several times until it became my grandparents' house that I remember from my childhood. Brenda and I both remember spending the night in the living room of that old house after our grandparents moved into their new house. I think we had a flashlight under the sheets and something, maybe a Luna moth, kept attacking us until we ran for protection to the new house.

Jimmy and I were especially happy to have Aunt Frances and Uncle Tolly come to our house a couple of nights later. We enjoyed as many tales as we could work into the time we had. It is such a great reminder of daddy, being able to spend time with his family.