MOM’S MEMOIRS – IRENE LOUISE (NEE KUCKKAN) MUELLER
(Continued)

Mom’s Autobiography – Chapter 37 – In Book, Page 89

Progreso, Mexico, Golfing, Nicole and David’s Wedding, Reception, “Little People”, Janice Suelflow-Dave’s Mother-Irene’s First Grader, Easter at Abiding Savior, Bicycles Stolen, Dick Preached at Lord and Savior, Crystal Lake, Illinois, Back to the Rio Grande Valley as Winter Texans, Steve’s Appendectomy, Back to Our Trailer at Pioneer Park, Lake Delton, Wisconsin, Boat Vandalized by Rodents, Back to the Rio Grande Valley – 1997, Life at Our Condo in Mission, Texas

Dick and I love to go to Progreso, Mexico, and since they were having Winter Texan Day, we parked our car on the United States side, crossed the bridge, put our quarters in the turnstyle, and we were in Progreso. Winter Texan Day is when the people of Progreso invite the Winter Texans and treat them royally. There were samples of food, Mariachi bands, entertainment on a platform set up in the street, many ribbons and buttons given away by the businesses, etc. It is lots of fun to go there, and we saw many people we knew.

We again went golfing with our son, Steve, at Seven Oaks, and as always, enjoyed going with him. Both Dick and Steve hit that little old ball with much power, but Dick compliments me by saying that I hit it straight. Thank you, Honey!

In my album I now find an invitation to a wedding in our family. Nicole Naomi Wilson and David John Chmielewski have invited us to their wedding in Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hustisford, Wisconsin, where Nicki teaches school. The wedding will be Saturday, June 14, 1997, when we will be back in Wisconsin. David is the son of one of my first grade pupils at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School in Freistadt, Wisconsin. Janice and her twin sister, Joyce (Suelflow) were both my pupils. The Lord works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. Who, at that time, would have thought that Janice’s son, David, would some day in the future marry the daughter (Nicki) of the baby (Debbie) I was carrying at the end of the school year? How well I remember being sick with “morning sickness”, running down to the basement, coming back up the stairs to my schoolroom, and finding all those sweet little children sitting quietly at their desks.

Easter came and again, Hans Hovda decorated the sides of the altar with tall palm branches, and of course, there were many beautiful Easter lilies. We will never forget it. After the inspiring Easter service, there was Mrs. Buser walking around among the people proudly displaying her beautiful Easter bonnet “with all the frills upon it”. There was wonderful music played and singing led by Dick. As usual, at the end of the music, Dick came sauntering over to me and sang “Goodnight, Irene” with all the people. Oh, what sweet and happy memories!

Dick and I enjoyed our condo and planted many flowers and trees around it. We planted a Magnolia tree, and were thrilled when it started blooming beautiful magnificent, gorgeous, fragrant white flowers! We planted many cacti outside the fence along the road to thwart burglars. All four of our bicycles – Rebecca’s, Steve’s, Dick’s, and mine had been stolen by burglars from our shed. The clever thieves took off the hinges of the door which was locked! They took two the first time, and came back to take the other two. Steve had just given us lights for our bicycles. But then we think, “what is the world to me with all its vaunted pleasure.”

ANOTHER FAMILY WEDDING IN WISCONSIN

On June 14, 1997, Nicole Wilson, and David Chmielewski were married in Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, Hustisford, Wisconsin, where Nicki was teaching school. Nicki’s uncle, Pastor Timothy Mueller, our son preached the sermon. The Text and Theme: Deuteronomy 11:18-20 – “Fix the Words of God in your Hearts and Minds”. And Dick, Nicki’s grandfather, was honored to perform the marriage rite. It was a beautiful wedding, and how happy and handsome everyone was! There were Janice (Suelflow) Chmielewski (the mother of the groom) and her twin sister, Joyce (Suelflow) Komorowski who were my first grade students at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Freistadt, Wisconsin. The wedding reception was held at the Hartford Senior Center, Hartford, Wisconsin. The guests were entertained by the “Little People”. It was great! What a blessing to be with so many wonderful relatives and friends!

On October 5, 1997, Dick guest preached an inspiring sermon at Lord And Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois, where he had been Pastor for eleven years, and where David Wilson, our grandson, was then Principal and Teacher of the Upper Grades. His Text and Theme were: Matthew 24:14 – ‘When Will The End Come?” Another blessing – to see our relatives and friends again there, too.

BACK TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AS WINTER TEXANS

We went back to Mission, Texas, to live in our condo at Seven Oaks Resort and Country Club. Dick was no longer Pastor of Abiding Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church because he had retired. Another chapter in our lives had begun. We attended church services (including Christmas and Easter) at Abiding Savior, and the delicious potlucks. We went out to eat with the members of the church for the monthly fellowship meal which we always enjoyed. We went swimming and golfing at Seven Oaks, and also to Progreso, Mexico, to do our Christmas shopping for our families as we always had done. We celebrated Steve’s 30th birthday, complete with balloons, cake, gifts, etc.

(How fast the years roll by. It seems a short time ago when Steve was in the hospital in Woodstock, Illinois, when he was only about ten years old, and he had an appendicitis operation. Dick was Pastor of Lord And Savior in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Woodstock is about fifteen miles from Crystal Lake. When he was not feeling well, we took him to a doctor there, and she said he was constipated.. She gave us some medication for him and told us, if we “wanted to” to go to the hospital and have his blood tested, and sent us home. We did go to the hospital to have his blood tested. But he did not eat and just laid still on his bed. I told Dick that something was definitely wrong with Steve. Early the next morning the hospital called and said that his white count was way up and we should bring him there right away. We did, and before we knew it, Steve was being wheeled into the operating room and his appendix was being taken out! His appendix had burst and he was in the hospital for about ten days – very sick. He would call us from the hospital and say, “Mom, they’re coming to stick me again!” They didn’t have room for him in the children’s ward, but when he was feeling better had fun in the men’s ward playing “Battleship” with his roommate, a very nice man.)

BACK TO OUR TRAILER AT PIONEER PARK, LAKE DELTON, WISCONSIN

A shock awaited us at our trailer. We had parked our beautiful boat on our lot, but raccoons had decided to make it their home for the winter. The upholstery was a mess! We did not know that if we had just put mothballs or Bounce sheets in it, it would not have happened – live and learn! Our son, Tim, and Dick cleaned out the mess, and Dick and I got matching vinyl and fixed the upholstery on the seats and sides of the boat as best as we could. THE ENGINE WORKED!!!! Our families came and visited us, and again had a great time water skiing, tubing, swimming, fishing, computering (is that a word?), watching videos, barbecueing, sitting around the camp fire and having devotions, walking up and down the streets and shopping in Wisconsin Dells, some going to the water parks and going down the water slides, etc. We collected my mother from Watertown, Wisconsin, and she visited with us. We took a tour boat down the Wisconsin River and saw all the beautiful limestone rock formations. What fond memories we have of those days!!!!

We visited our children, spouses, and children in their homes too, and attended their church services. What a blessing to hear our son, Tim (in Waupun, Wisconsin) and our sons-in-law, Jim (in Merrill, Wisconsin), and Jeff (in Calgary, Canada) preach God’s Word. Also we are blessed to have our children, spouses, and their children involved in teaching Kids 4 Christ, Bible classes, singing in choirs, playing organ, piano, trumpet, and other instruments, building of churches and schools, and doing many other activities in the spreading of His Word. WE ARE RICHLY BLESSED!

BACK TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY – 1997

Parents came with their beautifully costumed children to our condo door in Mission, Texas, for Halloween treats. The children were so cute! They were so appreciative of what we gave them. Even trucks came over the border from Mexico carrying children so they could go door to door for treats.

We received many cards, letters (including Christmas), pictures, and telephone calls from our families in the North. They told us about their very busy lives. Our lives were much the same as when we had gone back to the Valley from the North the year before. Dick sat on our patio and started to router out the backs of boards for the clockworks for clocks he would make for gifts to our families and friends. We went to a lumber company and got lattice boards to make a division on the patio between where our truck was parked and the rest of the patio. Our Magnolia tree bloomed breathtaking ivory flowers, and the Bougainvillea, Poinsettia, Yucca, and others of God’s creations were growing beautifully. As anyone in the family can tell you, I love planting seeds, flowers, bushes, trees, etc. and watching them grow. What miracles they are!