Mother of the Year - NOT!!

Relief Society use to be during the week in the morning. Once a month we would have a luncheon and we all served on the luncheon committee several times a year. This was always stressful for me since I was not a cook and never had been taught how to cook - even make a salad. One Tuesday it was my turn and I was stressed before I ever got there. I dropped Mike off at his kindergarten (he was 5 yrs old) and when I got to Relief Society put Brent in the nursery (he was 2 years old). We were meeting in the chapel south of Camelback on 56th Street at the time and Mike was attending Mohave Grade School off Granite Reef south of McDonald Drive. Anyway, I'm peeling potatoes - and more potatoes - something even I could do, when I noticed the time. Mike's class had already ended and I hadn't picked him up! I told the other sisters I wouldn't be back (I'd had enough of potato peeling), jumped in my car and raced to Mohave school to pick up Mike, crying the whole way. He was sitting on the classroom step all by himself and feeling very forgotten. I hugged him, etc. took him home and begged his forgiveness. We finally both calmed down and I realized that in my haste I had left Brent at church in the nursery!! I loaded up Mike and, once again, raced to the church, crying the whole way. Brent was very unhappy in the nursery after being told his mom had gone home. It's a wonder these boys weren't scarred for life - I know I never forgot it. This is Mike's kindergarten picture - this was the year they decided he needed glasses. He only wore them the one year, and wouldn't wear them again.

Labor Day Storm of 1970

In regards to yesterday's post, there was an article in the Arizona Republic today. The title of the article was "1970 storm drenched Arizona, left 23 dead in its wake" The story reads "...it is time to recall the deadliest weather event in recorded Arizona history, 39 years ago this weekend. On Sept 4-5, 1970, the remnants of Hurricane Norma swept over the state. It is most commonly recalled as the Labor Day Storm of 1970. It set off severe flooding, mostly in the central part of the state. Twenty-three people were killed... In other words, many parts of the state got as much rain in 24 hours as they would normally get in a year. Tropical storms have hit Arizona with heavy rains many times, but none was as deadly as the storm of 1970." These heavy rain caused the SRP canal north of our home to overflow, break and then flood a large area including the area where our house was located. Sid had left the hospital where I was with baby Mike to go home and watch an evening football game - Dallas vs Someone. Dallas was his favorite team at the time. He fell asleep watching the game and work up to Snoopy (our Smart Dog) scratching frantically at the back door, which had high steps leading to it. He went to see what the problem was and saw that our entire back yard was flooded (and Snoopy was having to swim to stay above water). He quickly opened the side gate and the water rushed out of the back yard. By doing that, he saved our home from being flooded. Every other house in our neighborhood was flooded with a lot of water damage done inside the home. I don't think I could have faced coming home with a new baby to a house with such terrible water damage inside - fortunately, I didn't have to. This is a picture of the Salt River flooding up to the Sun Devil stadium, usually a good distance away.

Michael Lance White - Sept. 4, 1970

It was the hottest August on record - or so I felt - and Mike was due the first week in Sept. I had gone to the doctor on Sept. 3rd and he told me it would be at least a week or more before his birth. Actually, he said "before the birth". We didn't have ultra sounds in those days and never knew until the baby was born if it was a girl or boy. I had felt very strongly during my whole pregnancy that I was going to have a girl. An olive complected girl with a mass of black hair and brown eyes. I even thought I might name her Julie. I could even see her in my mind's eye. Anyway, on the 4th our dog, Snoopy, (also know as Stupid Dog) hurt himself and needed to go to the Vets. A very stressful situation. My stomach also wasn't working right, so I had taken pills to help with that. I began having cramps that afternoon, but assumed it was the pills working. It was Labor Day weekend and my doctor had told me he would be gone all weekend. Sid was doing car upholstery at that time and would do special jobs in our garage at night. He had a friend that needed his sand rail seats done that night. He had a big race to go to the next day. My neighbor stopped by and noticed my stomach cramps were 10 minutes apart. We decided to be safe that we should take Jim to his Uncle Vernon's and Aunt Willene's. They lived down town and we took the freeway to get to their house. On the way back one of Arizona's famous summer sandstorms hit and we had to pull over with zero visibility. I was still having regular cramps and getting real worried. We finally rushed me to the doctor who told me that it would be a least a couple of days. Back home - I rested on the couch while Sid rushed to get his job finished. At 10:00 pm I could wait no more, regardless of what the doctor had said. He took me to the hospital where they told him I would be in labor probably until noon the next day. I told him to leave and come back in the morning - which he did. At 3:30 am I decided - or Mike decided - it was time. The nurses called Sid, woke him up, and told him to get to the hospital. Almost an hour later he still wasn't there. They called him again, and he had fallen asleep. He got to the hospital just as they were taking me to the labor room. Fathers did not go in the labor room at that time, so he waited outside. I had told the doctor (not my regular doctor) I was having "Julie" and described her to him. When the baby was born, he started laughing. That is scary to hear just as you've "pop" your baby out. He told me that not only did I have a boy, I had a very fair, blond, blue eyed boy. He thought that was so funny he left for a few minutes and went out in the hall to tell Sid. In those days we stayed in the hospital for 3 days after we gave birth. It rained hard and heavy all that weekend and the night before I was due to come home, the canal broke by our house and flooded the whole neighborhood - every one's house but ours. Indian Bend Wash was a real wash then and there were no bridges across it when it flooded, and it was flooded. Sid borrowed a 4-wheel drive truck to come get me and Mike and bring us home. As for Mike's name - Sid liked the name "Michael" and he knew a sports figure and other people named "Lance" and so that was what he was called - Michael Lance. Happy 39th Birthday today, Mike!!

Sundown 1979

We moved to Sundown Drive in September 1977. There was no pool - no yard really - just weeds and dirt in the back and a dying lawn in the front and the big pine trees to the north. We built a pool the next year and cleared the weeds off. This picture was taken in June 1979. We were busy cleaning up and remodeling the inside and hadn't done anything, other than the pool, to the outside. There have been many, many changes since 1979, thank goodness. However, I think that is the same mail box we have today. I can't get Sid to replace it.

Come Fly With Me

Mike had a golf tournament every year for many years to help with the medical expenses from David's surgery and cancer treatment. At one of the tournaments held at The Links at Queen Creek our friends, the Urschels, had a special treat for David. Their son, Scott, had his own helicopter and a license to fly it. He flew to the tournament, picked up David and Mike (and Joan?) and took them on a short flight around the area. David was so excited and talked about it for many months afterwards. It was such a special treat for a very special little boy - and his dad!