Every year on his mother's side of the family there was an Official Family Picnic which took place over one weekend each summer. The place was chosen by a different set of aunts and uncles each year making it interesting and a few times controversial. The first one I attended took place near Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri and was called Big Piney Resort located on the Big Piney River. It consisted of a couple of little cabins with a few beds in each. I think we might have rented three of them.

But before I could go, it took a lot of talking to my mother who had short reins on me, her daughter. She had limited trust in youth, my youth in particular. She never said what her big fear was but I had a good idea it was the possibility of my sexual electrical connections getting wired up to the point that I might have sex with Harold and get pregnant. What made her agree to let me attend I can't remember as the most important thing to me was that I got to go. It was a great trip and his uncles were "crazy" and so easy to be with. Harold and I bought and wore matching tee shirts on the trip. Needless to say, my mother's worries were unfounded.

There were more picnics in the years to come but there's one that stands out above all others. It took place at St. Francis State Park on The Big River. The family group took off in a caravan of cars very early on Saturday morning. I was working at Busiek's Grocery Store at the time and had to work till 5pm. Harold said he would wait till I got off work and we could drive to the park that evening. For some unknown reason I decided that I didn't want to go and this huge argument arose between Harold and I and he was adamant that I must go to this family picnic. Why I wouldn't reconsider is beyond me now. How it was left that Friday night was horrible. He left my house saying, "I will never forget this!" I went inside and started to cry and woke my parents up telling them that I didn't know why it was that important that I attend this particular outing. They sided with me, or at least my mother did. What I think she should have done is call to my attention why I was being so stubborn on not wanting to go.

I was befuddled with the whole thing sobbing on my pillow. A light flashed in my brain that it could be something a little more important than just my attending a family picnic. At about 2am I phoned Harold and told him I was sorry and that I would go if he still wanted me to. He did and I worked at the grocery store with red swollen eyes until he picked me up when my shift was over.

It wasn't that long a drive, less than two hours. It was storming with lightening and thunder but cozy inside the cabins; the ladies in one cabin and the men in another. Harold coaxed me out in the storm to his parked car. I was about to find out why it was so important that I go on this particular trip. He reached in his pocket and brought out a diamond wedding set and asked me to marry him. He had kept it a secret from everyone including his mother. He had planned this romantic scene and my not wanting to go had changed it and disappointed him. Now I understood why he acted and said some of the things he said. What I still don't understand is why I was so rebellious on not wanting to go but you can be sure I'm glad I did. Would it have changed our eventually spending the rest of our lives together? Does it really matter now?

We went inside to tell Julia, Harold's mother, and the rest of the cousins, aunts, and uncles. Of course, they were thrilled with the news and jokes were made when the lightening flashed that it was really my diamond engagement ring flashing around the room. How we all finally got to sleep is beyond me especially since I was squeezed into a small double bed between two of his aunts. There weren't enough beds to go around but then who cares on a night like this!

WOW! Now all I have to do is go home and tell my parents the news. My mother had concerns of my attending that first family picnic. Little did she know that the future would prove her somewhat clairvoyant but with a totally different result than she expected.