Everybody has a Story: Springfield part 7

High School photo

Pop & Mom with Uncle Ted and his three daughters.  This was taken around the time I went to live with them.                                       

Our Dear Little Kathy

     I do not recall the reasons for my next move, however, I embraced it with a stoic attitude.  Again, I packed my meager belongings.  This move found me in Springfield, Ore. in the home of an uncle and aunt with three young girls.   Here I attended my senior year at a public school, however, I was much more prepared as well as having three good friends from church to share experiences with.  I found myself caught up in the many activities of a young person, losing some of my fervor for spiritual things.  It was difficult to find a quiet place to nurture what I did have.  It was here that I was introduced to living with the mentally challenged and stressed-out parents as my three cousins were diagnosed with PKU, each with distinct mental deficiencies and challenges.           The kitchen became my friend and it was here that I experimented with meals as the rest of the family struggled to cope with daily living.    For two years I assisted the family as well as completing my senior year of high school and later taking classes at Lane Community College in Eugene to transfer later to a Bible College.    A childhood friend had been killed in a car accident around this time just upon graduating.  This incident spurred me on to renew my spiritual commitment.    The Lord led me to Multnomah School Of The Bible(Multnomah University now) through circumstances that I do not recall.     The next four years were spiritually exhilarating, emotionally devastating and physically exhausting.  The demands on my life sent me on a roller coaster of emotions and mental exercises I had never experienced before.        I had just come from a Summer of working at the Alliance Convalescent Hospital in Glendale, Ca. as a nurses aide where I had just got my on-the-job training.  I recall with horror of some of those first experiences.   Upon returning to school, I secured  another job, at the Manor, also as an aide, juggling classes and work.