When I was in the 9th grade my Dad got transfered to Charles City Iowa.  It was 1971.  I would be a freshman and my sister a senior.
     Below is the house we lived in, but at the time it was white..  The building in the next picture  is my school.  Although you cannot tell I lived 3 doors down and across the street from my school.  Did my Mom let me come home for lunch ! Heck no - she said I had to socialize.  Well we all know I have no trouble talking.
     Anyway, today this house and Iowa is still an important part of my life.  We loved living here.  Charles City was a tiny town and we all knew everyone.  My sister met her husband there, they were high school sweethearts, we had our horses at a farm near by and in the summer everyone in town went to the pool.
     Many of you that shop in the store know that I make regular treks to Iowa to go shopping for the store.  Later I will add some more Iowa photos so you can see where our Folk Art, Amish Baskets and Antiques come from. 
    My daughters and I go "home " as often as we can.  Their cousins are all the same age and all of "us girls" go running around. One of the things that I have learned over the years is that you have to know where you "come from" in order to get to where you are going.  I notice with many friends and customers that we all are so proud of where we came from but often as we get older, kids grow etc etc we are not quite sure what to do now.  As many of you know my girls Katie and Amy are either in Grad school or regular college. It was quite an adjustment for me as a single Mom to be rattling around on our ranch by myself.
      Last night all the girls were home along with Katies boyfriend Mark, who Amy and I just love.By the time I got to the house, Mark was mowing the yard and the girls were starting to get dinner ready and goofing around. It was one of those Mommy Moments when you think" hey, this is pretty cool".
 While we waited for dinner to cook we sat out in the back and shared the adventures of the day. It was really nice having quiet time with my girls. 
     Dinner was great - I had gone to HEB and bought whatever it was the chefs were making that day and tried it at home.  I am not a good cook so we are all amazed when I am successful. To make a long story short everyone was in prime form laughing and joking. Then the girls decided to get out the jewelry box and show Mark all our treasures. Well one treasure led to another and before you knew it the girls were giving the entire history of the Cox family.  I was just grinning from ear to ear.  As a parent you wonder if all the places you drag your kids to ever matters.  do they pay attention to Great Great Grandmas ring or where this vase came from or which cousin went with which Aunt and Uncle. And what IS Aunt Frances's last name?  I may not be the best Mother in the Universe, but listening to my girls last night I think I did a pretty good job. I know they are on their way to learning who THEY are because they know where they come from.   See you soon!  Kathy   j.a.m.  (just a mom)