Katherine Halferty Harberts

Sometimes, everyday life seems so uneventful....like nothing really changes, just doing routine things...then 30 years goes by and it seems like everything changes, a lot has happened, history has been made with the string of everyday events, slowly creating one's life story.......Well, I moved to Beaumont, Tx in August of 1978. That August seemed like eternity.....new town no friends and my younger sister and brother in the same boat turned to GENERAL HOSPITAL for escape... or was it for a sense of connection...I remember just sitting there watching with them, as Luke and Laura's drama unfolded....I have never watched a soap opera since!!! I cannot believe how I became so frustrated by the decisions that these people were making and the effect it was having on me....hahaha...now I realize how important relationships are to people.....if you can't have real relationships you may turn to watching someone elses' just to satisfy that desire for connection. School started, it was very different from Permian....Forest Park....but the people were nice...I continued taking French and actually went to Mexico with the Spanish Club....my friend was in the Spanish Club and invited me to go to Mexico City with them. It was a wonderful trip. I started my first regular paying job at Wendy's in November of 1978....I had been in town for 3 months. The assistant manager, would become my husband, shortly after graduation. For over 6 years he and I continued to work in retail before having our first son in February of 1987. John was born with palpable kidneys...we didn't know what that meant and evidently, the doctors were not clear on what his diagnosis should be......so we followed up with ultra sounds yearly for next 3 years. On the day our second son was born, we were meeting with one doctor in early afternoon discussing recent ultrasound of older son....possible cancer.....and having second son later that same afternoon. Kirk was 8 days old when John (3yrs) was having biopsy of the kidneys. Yes, we had cancer.....so the journey of faith and hope began.....I was so thankful for my double stroller!!! John, Kirk and I rolled back and forth to and from the hospital in that double stroller loaded down with all of our "camping" gear every week for a year and a half. John continued to see specialists, and has had some challenges....but he is a survivor! Sometimes, I look back and really think it must have been just a bad dream.....then when Kirk was 3, I became a full-time stay at home mom.....what that really means is you never stay home and volunteer for everything you sign your kids up for........these were truly the best years of my life as a mother. I enjoyed being involved in my childrens' lives....homeroom mom, mother reader, computer lab helper, team mom for baseball, football....den mother for cub scouts, docent for a family history museum on school campus, etc....we spent every Thursday at storytime at the library and then picnic lunch in the park or McDonalds' playland. Then when John was 10 and Kirk was 5, we had our baby girl! She was a wonderful bonus....really looked at her in disbelief for some time...really thought we would have another boy....just couldn't believe we had a girl! So we carted her to every baseball game, football, Tae Kwan do, and scouting event from day one....she is the epitome of flexibility.....schedules pretty much went out the window for her.....we were too busy....sleep when you can and just roll with the flow. Amazing how your attitudes toward parenting change from the 1st one to the last one...hahaha......kids are resilient.....schedules are nice but often must be flexed to accomodate the interests of the family......being together was the most important thing.....we enjoyed lots of family gatherings, stayed involved and maintained standards of excellence despite health challenges, and lay-offs. Unfortunately, we did have underlying difficulties that were easily ignored in light of all the many family obligations....sometimes the hard stuff just doesn't get addressed.....no time...too much pain....etc. so the marriage was dissolved in 2005. What remains are three wonderful children....who continue to excell and thrive despite some heartache and disappointment. So proud of my kids! Life continues to throw some curves, but hope keeps the fire burning.....I believe the best is yet to come!

I remember moving to Odessa, Texas from Fremont, Nebraska in November of 1973, I believe.....it was my 6th grade year. I started school at Burnett Elementary. I just remember how friendly and nice all of Mrs. Rugge's class was.....also, remember not really understanding what they were saying to me....but everyone was smiling so I knew they liked me. On the playground I would just sit and listen to everyone talk....like a foreign language.....I was learning "Texan"....like "fixin' to" I never could figure out what they were going to fix??? "Y'all"....that wasn't necessarily a plural.....it could be you (singular) or you (everyone there) I laughed with my new friends, as I learned this wonderful new language! Also, Texans are terribly romantic....at a very young age....I learned about "goin' together" in the 6th grade, as well. We did not "go together" in the midwest....at least not until High School as far as I knew. Of course, romantic interests, changed weekly....it was wonderfully sweet and innocent back then. I guess, in High School I had fewer friends...I remember Karla Hockensmith...we enjoyed listening to music and shared lots of laughs...especially in P.E. and Mr. Wilke's geometry class....I still have a stack of notes we used to pass in geometry class. I remember Tina White and she had a car we would go driving on Friday night....remember when you used to just drive and meet people in their cars of go to Taco Villa? Melody Howard...so funny she sent me a telegram when I moved to Beaumont ...a poem that promised a can of "Raid" on it's way to save me from roaches that are very prevelant in the Southern coastal region....hahaha.....I never did get used to those big ugly creatures....Mom almost died of heart failure every time my sister and I would see one ...we had very good lungs and knew how to use them....just the mere sight of one of those monsters sent us in a tizzy! Well, there are so many other wonderful people and events I could mention....maybe I will add later....all my encounters were positive and definitely influenced me through the years....very thankful for all the people in my life....I would gladly love to connect with any and all I have ever met....thank you.

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