THANKFUL, GRATEFUL, BLESSED
THANKFUL, GRATEFUL, BLESSED!
Not only was I born into a wonderful family, but I married into one.
Many years ago, a woman named Polly, and a man named Harold gave birth to a wonderful little bundle of joy they named Don. They worked very hard as he grew up along with his older sister, Dianne, and much younger sister, Dana and one cold winter day in December they became my second parents.
People aren’t made of the stuff these two people were made of. I know of no one like my mother-in-law. She was truly unique, and I wish I had this woman’s stamina and mental toughness. Born into a family of 12 children she has now lost all her sisters and brothers yet she is an upbeat, positive person. I have never, ever seen her feel sorry for herself.
Polly went to work in a factory at the age of 16. After she married, she lived about 2 miles away from the main highway. When it snowed overnight the roads would not be plowed but Polly was determined to get to her job. Harold (Hup) would take her via open tractor to the main road to catch her ride to work. (Compare to today; “I have a sniffle; I can’t make it to work.)
Polly herself told me stories of how she would get up at 5 am to go to work, come home and set eggs for several hours and then start canning fruits and vegetables until 1 am when she would go to bed, catch four hours of sleep and then get up at 5 am to begin another workday. Who does that? My hard-working mother-in-law did. Talk about the energizer bunny! (P.S. I tried it; I can’t do it. She’s amazing!)
My admiration for my mother-in-law has grown each day since we met. At 89 years young she was still working…just because she wanted to. During the spring and early summer Polly set almost all of the pheasant eggs at my son Mike’s business…and there are a LOT of eggs to set. Polly could have sat on her lazy-boy and did nothing; but that was NOT my mother-in-law. She continued to be a productive, contributing member to our family and society until the fall of 2020. Polly was truly one of the most selfless and capable people I know and a wonderful role model for not only my children, but me as well.
When my father-in-law and mother-in-law married, they virtually had nothing. According to Don, his mother bought his fathers’ shoes for their simple wedding because he didn’t have two nickels to rub together. But in 1955 things began to change. Harold, at the encouragement of his Uncle Jake, started Martz's Game Farm, where he raised ringneck pheasants. In the fall of 1957 a group of 12 men, mostly doctors and lawyers, approached Harold about starting a hunting club. He was to raise and release the birds, and the club members would pay him to hunt on his land. Harold was a smart man, and he knew a good business arrangement when he saw it so he agreed. Two years later, after much success, he decided to open the hunting to the public, thus beginning Martz's Gap View Hunting Preserve. In 1980 Don joined his father as a business partner and in 2002, our son, Mike, became a business partner: thus, fulfilling Harold's dream of a three-generation business. And Mike’s daughter, Alana, is pretty verbal in letting us know she plans to be the next business partner. I can see a smile on Harold face in heaven. I know that is something that went beyond his wildest dreams. Will it happen? Time will tell.
I do not know how Don and I could have juggled everything in our life without the love and support of these two people. Harold went to be with Jesus in 1999 and we miss him every day. I especially miss his influence on our children because he was the greatest, grandparent EVER….as is Polly.
The years have gone by and once again it’s November. The fall leaves have dropped. I reflect on three years ago when Don’s mother was no longer caring for him. He was caring for her. On January 1, 2022 Polly passed away.
In a few months it will be Spring again. Life’s cycles. But for today, especially this month, we are celebrating with THANKSGIVING – GRATEFUL so very GRATEFUL for the life of two very special people who taught us how to live and to love.