I‘ve had so many wonderful experiences with my ‘kids.’ At first, having twins was tricky. They came home a month after their birth and immediately began crying a lot at night. I made sure I kept a log of when I fed each one, sometimes both at the same time. They weren’t deprived of food and the pediatrician couldn’t figure out what was making them weep so much. Then I took them to Dr. Blissit and he asked me if I had them in separate cribs. I did, but he told me to put them in the same bed since they had been used to each other before birth. Well it worked! The very first night they slept quietly, only waking up for a quick bottle and then going right back to sleep! He also gave me direction on what to do with their early asthma and that involved running the shower a little while, then taking them in the bathroom, and they were soon comforted. It was amazing to me that he knew more than the baby specialist!

I had fun pushing them in the twin stroller down the little road beside our first home in Ola, which is now a BP on Hwy. 81 East. I would walk over to Norman Turner’s store (crossing 81 wasn’t a danger back in the sixties) and we would enjoy shopping at that neat store. There was always a dog sleeping by the stove, but he never got aggressive. It was interesting to see the canned goods, tools, clothes, and seeds and potted plants in the spring. Later, we enjoyed strolling through Planter’s Warehouse for those garden items. I loved the little horse they could ride in front of the Colonial Store, now Moye’s. By that time I had three sons and they loved going to Alexander Park to swim.

And then Norman and I were married and a while later we were blessed with our girl. My three sons had SO much fun playing with her and rocking her to sleep, but I was still having Mom fun too. We kept going to Indian Springs, fishing at Jake’s Lake, and enjoying Halloween on the Square. We enjoyed walking around town and shopping in the stores back then. Every year Mount Bethel would have a big Halloween celebration too and I still have a few pictures of some of my fellow Methodists snacking together in the parking lot.

I loved taking trips to Tybee Island, and a few to Florida. We didn’t have GPS back then, so I would get out my paper map and decide which route to take. Now years later my grandkids would give me instructions from the map as I drove. I’m so glad I just kept having fun, even with the next generation!

And the fun just keeps coming. All my kids are now adults and so are the grand kids. I love when they drop by for fun visits, and sometimes they bring wonderful food they’ve cooked. I loved the homemade soup, Mexican sandwiches, and then a tray full of homemade fried green tomatoes and a cucumber salad. I am glad that one of my grands will come pick me up when we have a gathering. I still love to drive, but with them being behind the wheel I can check out the scenery as we take different routes. The gatherings are all fun too, with delicious food that I don’t cook! I love seeing their latest adventures via recordings on their cell phones.

My next Mom Fun will happen in a few months as I switch from my flip phone to the latest in technology, again thanks to my tech savvy grands!

Beverly Wittler has four children, eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. She lives in McDonough.