Our family increaces with the birth of our third child

Our son Gary was born on May 24,1945, then our daughter Gail arrived March the 7 of 1949. Colleen Beryl was born on Sept 3rd in 1953. My father passed away in Nov 17, 1952 in Weyburn. It was his request that he wanted to go back into this institution for my mother was finding it hard to find work and care for her husband. His feet were getting to lose all feeling so he asked for mother to take him to the Dr to find out if she could admitted him. They were living in Regina at this time as she had got a job working for a large farmer just out side the city. This farm was later sold to becoming known as"Baker field Sports complex." They went back to the city that winter, he told her one day that he had walked outside in the snow to see if he could feel the cold, he said that he couldn't feel the difference, so mother knew she needed to take his suggestion seriously.

Mother had friends living and ministering in a church in Weyburn. They were Floyd & Winnie Larson. We were living in Lang then as Gary was our only child at this time. Mother went to stay with the Larson's & it was this time my dad re-enter this hospital. He said, "I can hook rugs , do hand sewing as well as doing other jobs with my hands," He also said "I am smarter in there than most of the people as I feel people are not looking down on me here becauseI can't get around well or be of help to you in earning a living." After the visit with the Dr. he once again went back to live in this hospital. Mother helped each of her children when she was needed. Mother now lived & worked for my dad's, brother Uncle Oscar as his wife had passed away. We visited dad several times when he was in this hospital. Our last visit was when we took Gary & Gail to see him. This was just before it was discovered that she had been born with her hip out of joint. A year later just after dad had his supper, he lay down, quietly passed away in his sleep, to be with his Lord & Savior Jesus. His funeral was held in Regina. Rev Lorne Pritchard took the service to which all our family & friends were able to attend.

Now to go back to the summer before Colleen was born. We again had a large garden and kept
busy that summer, I had mothers Singer sewing machine to use, it was still the treadle type, where I used the foot pedal to do my sewing. I could now buy flannelet to sew the diapers and buy yarn to knit outfits for Colleen. When it was time for our baby to be born, Max drove me to our municipal hospital in Hamiota. He stayed with me for a while but at supper time he went to to get his supper, when he returned he learned we had a baby daughter, we named her Colleen Beryl. I had to spend 2 weeks in hospital. Max's sister Clara, who was working in the drug store in Oak lake at this time, came up to see me and her new niece. Dr had just notified me I could go home. Clara drove mother & baby back to our farm. We were glad Max didn't have to make the trip as he was still busy with the harvest.

Gary & Gail had been told that they would soon have another play mate. When Gail was told she had a sister, she really looked forward to her sisters home coming. As soon as I gave her a peak at this sister, she said "let me take her into the play room," she looked so disappointed when I told she had to wait awhile until she got old enough to play, so I said "here I will let you hold her for a while." For her to hold her sister seemed to satisfy her for now. The day did come when they played together a lot.

Times together with our family on the farm

I must mention about the winter Max, Dad & Mother went to Listowal On in Dec to visit his brother & two sisters. Elmer & Edith were expecting their second child. They had Dr Purdie who would be there for the delivery which was to be in Elmer parents home in town, I came in to take care of their daughter Beverly & Gary as this was before Gail was born. Dr came to the home for the birth of their son Donald on Dec 21. I was there to look after the mother & new born. Fires had to be kept going in all our homes, as well as the farm chores had to be done at both farms and also look after the live stock.

I don't remember where we had Christmas as new mothers were kept in bed for two weeks.
I must relate before we came back to take over the farm, Charlie, Evelyn & Clara were having times of prayer upstairs, in the same part of the house where we started our married life. They were really touch by the Lord, all three of them felt called into serve the Lord, they kept up these times of prayer for several day as Charlie felt strongly he was being called into the ministry. After his dad heard about this He decided he wanted Max to come back to take the farm over.

The timing was right for us as my brother Cliff had this offer to work in a garage in Milestone. Max parents had decided it was time for them to retire. Charlie & Evelyn were offered to work for a neighboring farmer on a plan for cash & live in that large house on that farm which was only 3 miles from his dad's place. We had good times of fellowship with them that summer. There was a new pastor in Oak Lake, Rev Bill Borrows & his wife, and the church was growing. We had good bible studies and larger Sunday school. That summer Evelyn & I went to Trossach camp for a week, taking our kids, Gary & Ferne. Evelyn enjoyed the bible studies. At this time the Eston Bible school had been going for several years. The school was really birthed at this camp, so it was being promoted. Evelyn talked with some of the teachers so when we returned home she told Charlie that this sounded like a school they could not only go to but she enjoyed the Bible teachers at this camp that would be teaching at the school in Eston.

They applied as well as Max's, sister Clara, she took the one year course but Charlie & Evelyn went for the three year course & graduated ready to go into the ministry. It was at this school Clara met her future husband, Lewis White of Pangman. Each year after school they lived with us on the farm. They got different jobs, also working in the local honey plant in Oak Lake for the Ben Duecks. The church was growing with the Sunday school growing bigger with the family of 6 children of the ones who came to work at the honey plant. The daily vacation Bible schools reached more children in the area each summer. The pastor had been contacted by Arlo Johnson about coming to have a longer daily vacation bible school.

Arlo & Glenna came to our house as newlyweds. Charlie & Evelyn had attended bible school with Arlo. Charlie fashioned the bridal chamber - a wash bowl with matching pitcher was put in there room - he then hung a horse's bridal over the pitcher. Now Arlo knew Charlie was a tease. I told them they could take the room at the top of the stairs. Glenna did not know what a horses bridal was so she couldn't get the joke not being raised on a farm. But Arlo knew so rushed down stairs after Charlie for he being a farmers knew it was a horses bridle. I really felt sorry for Glenna who was this newly wed bride seeing her new husband reacting this way. Arlo used to tease Charlie at Bibles school. When they met Arlo would try to use Charlie's bawled head as a mirror.

We go back to Winnipeg to see the specilist

We had to make another trip to the city to see the specialist. I believe Gail & I went by train & if I remember right Les Pritchard picked us up & we were taken to see the Specialist, I believe she was exrayed to see how the hip shelf had grown over the joint. It was time to change this cast to a lighter one, which would go down both legs in a caste to her ankles with a square inch stick in the plaster between them, holding them apart far enough that her hips would be in place, so she could have movement of her legs without putting too much pressure on her hip joints. I used creams on her fair skin for her newly exposed legs. I must have returned by train. Gail would play with her brother in what we called the play room, with their toys. She could scoot around on her seat by propelling her body with her hands where ever she wanted to go. She was a happy child with no complaining about this caste. In the warm days Gary would put her in his little wagon to pull her around to enjoy the outdoors. When they played in the play room I found out she could pull herself up to a chair or the couch swinging herself to move where ever she wanted to go. Gary was very helpful to me as he made sure she wouldn't go out of his sight when I was busy. She did have a scare after falling over a toy cutting a gash on the back of her head leaving a scare to this day.

I met another lady who had her daughter at the specialist the same time we were there. Her daughter had both hips out of joint. She had found that out when her child would not try even to crawl I saw her at the Specialist both times we went to see the Dr. She had two children, a year apart, but even after her child's cast was off she wouldn't try to walk, we corresponded for several years, she had 3 children before her first one walked.

Max brother Charlie, Evelyn & Fern would come for visits. When our last visit to see the specialist Evelyn drove Gail & I down to get her caste off. We were all excited about having it removed. Gail was talking by now. A nurse brought her out to us, her Aunt Evelyn took her as
I talked with the Dr. Gail said "Put me down I want to run," disappointment lite up her face as her legs crumbled so she said "put the caste back on I can't walk." The nurse assured her she would in time. Gail didn't shed a tear but I could see by her face she would soon be trying. The men folks couldn't go with us as both Max & Charlie had chores to do. Evelyn & I made the trip home that night.

Gail still scooted around on her seat but I noticed she would head for the play room & shut the door behind her, after a short time I took a peak in the room, here she had pulled herself up to a chair, each day she did a bit more as her legs strengthened, She had a few falls hit a toy or so
but never complained about her bumps, she was walking with nothing to hold her back from
from pressing on until she could go places with both feet on the floor, to take her where ever she wanted to go. I asked Gail today if she remembered anything about being in the caste. She said all she remembered is when we went back to see the Doctor he told her he couldn't tell which hip had been out, they were both perfectly the same. We were all thankful that this trying experence was in the past.

Life as a family on the farm

We now on the farm with our small family. Max parents moved into their home in town. Only their daughter Eileen was at home, so the 3 of them had a smaller comfortable house to care for with a nice garden at the back & a place for flower beds at the front. Grandma Gompf was a great gardener & loved her vegetable & flower gardens, each year she would show her produce at the country Fair at Oak Lake in mid July. Eileen was a great help for their retirement. She had health problems so wasn't able to live on her own.

I believe Max's parents had a farm sale the fall before they moved to town. Max bid on the machinery he would need to farm. That winter wasn't a hard one for us. We lived just in the downstairs of that big house. Gail started to crawl by sitting with one foot under her, using the other one to propel herself forward with the other. Both of the children played generally in the kitchen as it was warmer near the kitchen coal fired cook stove. Both of our 2 children didn't walk until they were over a year old. When Gail started to walk she appeared to have a limp. That spring we took her to Dr Purdie for a check up. I asked him if she was walking as if she was favoring the leg she used as she slide on her seat to get around. He held her dress up to watch how she walked. He noticed that hip wasn't right. He told us she needed to see a specialist in Winnipeg. This was quit a shock to us. We had just started to farm so had a mortgage thus money was scarce. We did have some laying hens & sold the eggs. We got income from the sale of cream, as Max milked two cows twice a day. The cream was sent by train to the Brandon creamery, a cream truck picked our cream up at the farm in the summer months.

We didn't know how we could handle this unexpected expense. The pastor & church people
sent up lots of prayer for Gail, and God made away for us. Our Dr 's son was a member of Kinsmen club in Souris Manitoba a town south of us. He presented our need to this club. They paid for the specialist while we paid for our trips to Winnipeg. Max had relatives living in the city & I knew Pastor Les Pritchard formerly of Pangman Sask. These friends were used of God to give us the help we so badly needed at the right time. I traveled by the train to Winnipeg with Gail & these caring relatives picked us up, took us to the specialist & had us stay with them.
It was still quit a shock to hear Gail was born with her left hip out of joint, and would have to remain in hospital, while her leg would be put in traction to lengthen it. She would be tied down in bed with a weight in traction by a pulley connected to that ankle. It would take several months so her hip could be set into the socket. The Dr would then put her into a heavy plaster
caste. This was a body caste from under her arms, with her legs spread apart. It also went to the knee on the good leg then to the ankle of the other leg. I was to leave her there to go back home. This was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But God did provide many praying friends & relatives, for our support. Rev Les Pritchard would visit her. Prayer support was a strength for both of us, also a life line from God during these trying times. Les Pritchard kept in touch with us about her progress, and other friends in the city did the same. We were informed when her Dr had placed her in this caste. Max took me to his sister Louise & Gilbert farm north of Brandon. Cecil, Gilbert son of his first wife was visiting them so was to drive me to Winnipeg to bring our daughter home. We left early to pick Gail up then after seeing the specialist we left to drive back home before evening. Max was so pleased to have us all home together once again. Dr would want to see her again in a little over a month. He informed me I must keep her caste dry & clean. As Gail was in hospital for several months, Meal time was hard that first night, so she screamed to be free of this caste that held her tightly. I had to take her in a separate room to give her food the first few days. I would play aeroplanes with each spoonful. She also must have felt strange to be with her family after so long in the hospital. I taped her caste with water proof tape. We purchased our first vacum cleaner so I put the hose into where the air came out to blow the air around the moisten area thus drying it. When we took her in for her next check up the caste had soften some. Her Dr was lame with a bad limp, he was born with his hip out before they started checking all baby's at birth with this problem. He was upset with the dampness of the caste, I asked "how can I keep it dry," as he walked away he said "don't you know water can't run uphill? raise the head of her crib." That did help. This was a long cold winter so we didn't get out much but we enjoyed to get out together again that spring. Gary was pleased to have a play mate again. In the spring I did take Gail out when we went to a farm meeting so met with many of our neighbors. Many had visited with us by phone but it was so good to visit with them face to face.



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Life in Lang Sask,as well as church work in Truax.

I was again back in Sask where I had many friends & relatives. Money was very scarce but prices for food were cheap. Nell & Cliff had a garden & we had large garden spot, so Max put in a large potato patch, he fertilize it. I think he watered it as we had a well but the water was not good for drinking. Max had to get a cistern put in near the house. There was a water truck who brought us water to fill our cistern once a month. We did not waste our water. It wasn't more than we could afford. I had a washing machine that ran with electricity, Cliff had found it
for us in the second hand place in Regina. It had a wringer on it, you had to feed the clothes in by hand. Mother & dad were with us part of the time, one day she was putting the clothes through this wringer, she was not used to this power washer & her hand went into the wringer part way. I got it stopped but her hand was bruised but she did not break a bone. Max worked part time in one of the two general stores in town. That winter as I shopped in this other store, the manager asked me if I knew where he could find a clerk that would be honest & knew how to keep thing clean, as he was having a hard time getting good reliable help. I at once thought of Rachel Rasmussen. She had been home helping her mother with her father before he died from cancer. She lived not too many miles away. I told him that she once was my helper when we did church work in Manitoba. He asked me to get in touch with her to see if she would be interested in this job. He needed a reliable clerk right away so he drove Max, Gary and I out to meet Rachel. I had told him that she was a hard worker & loved to keep things clean. After meeting & talking with her, he wanted to know how soon she could start to work. Rachel need this job so after talking with her mother it was decided he would hire her even if she hadn't ever worked in a store, He told her he was willing to train her so we later helped her move as Max & I were willing to let her have room & board with us. This also would help in our finances. We had to finish the room in the upstairs so she could have her own place to stay & have her meals with us.

We had some garden beside the potatoes, I think Cliff & Max got meat from some farmers whom they did work for in the summer months. We had a lot of new good friends and a good church family for fellowship. Cliff & Nell had a son Murray born in Apr. 1944 & Patrica was born in Oct 1946 and Gary our son was born in May of 1945. Now he had two cousins to get to know, before we bought our home we lived for a few months with my brother & his wife. We were glad to move into our own home. Nell's family lived at Truax which was several miles from Lang. Her family had became born again Christians by listening to some good radio gospel programs, Lorne Pritchard had some meetings in their home. They had been to Trossach camp, so Cliff, Nell, Max & I started going up to the Kirkpatricks for a Sunday afternoon Sunday school - which was held in their home. We also attended the early morning church service in Lang. Max & I enjoyed Nell's family and had many good times of fellowship together. I had many allergy's in Sask again, I was to the clinic in Regina, I took a aspirin when I was ill with a flu & had a bad reaction, I found out I must never take one again as my throat swelled. To this day I can't take anything with aspirin in it or it could kill me.

I learned I was going to have another child the following March. That winter was very cold with lots of snow, with high winds, which made large snow drifts that were so high that the train could not travel on the line that came from Regina to Weyburn. In January as soon as the snow blower could make it down No 6 highway to Lang, Max drove Gary and I to Regina to stay with my Aunt & Uncle the Oscar Lincolns. I was there for nearly 2 months, before Gail arrived March 7 1949 , she was born in the Regina General Hospital but the Dr was away, so an intern was the one who delivered her. She was 7 lbs. we named her Gail Gloria. We now had a family of four. Max had my mother to look after him, while I was away, mother also made meals for Max & our boarder Rachel.

Max came to take his family home on the first warm weekend. My brother Cliff had an offer to work in a shop in the next town Milestone. Harry Johnson asked Max if he would do his farming that year as Eldon was going to train to be a missonary in French West Africa, as his other son Arlo was going to school in Regina.

That spring we move to their farm near Parry Sask. We had a good summer on the farm. In the mean time Charlie & Evelyn felt they needed to enter the ministry, they moved to work for a neighboring farmer for cash so they could get enough cash to attend Bible school. Max's dad asked Max to come back take over the farm as his parents were moving off the farm to buy a house in Oak Lake. He wanted us to come to live on the farm for him to provide his parents with with meat raised on the farm. Max was to pay other family members their share of the farm.

That fall after harvest Max & Gary drove our truck load of belongings to Oak Lake, while Rachel drove me with the rest of our things & our young daughter Gail to Oak Lake. Max & Gary made it before the snow fell. Rachel & I made it one town away from where Ernie & Clara Siggelkow's home in Carlyle where they were pastoring. We had to get her car in the garage for the night. Ernie had an elderly couples place for us to spend that cold night. We were glad we had a warm place to sleep as Gail wasn't yet a year old. We were glad to stay a few days with my sister until the weather improved. I think Rachel got her car & drove back to Lang as she still had her job in the store. I think that either Ernie drove me to our farm or Max came to picked Gail & I. We were back in the big stone house at Oak Lake, which was to be our home until our family grew up & left home for life on their own. We lived here until the years of our retirement.

The birth of our first child.

Max's brother Charlie went to Ont where he married his cousin Evelyn Taylor, there they got work. Max needed extra money that fall so when harvest was over he hauled coal to those who
gave him & Elmer fall jobs. I remember on Halloween night, as Edith was wanting a porch over
their front door. Max & I believe it was Elmer moved their out house to the front door, while Edith & I were shopping. Edith took it in good humor. In Dec of 1944 Edith & Elmer were expecting their first child, their daughter Beverley was born in Virden hospital, Dec 29th, 1944. Charlie & Evelyn first child, Ferne was born in Ont on Jan 3 ,1945. We were to have our first child in May. There was a health nurse in Oak Lake & my Dr Purdie, was from Griswold, who had a country practise. He also was the Dr for the Indian reservation. We had moved into a larger bedroom in this stone house.

First I must tell you about an instance when Max had bought a horse. He had been hitching it to a cutter so he decided we would go into town to shop. There was a bit of snow but when we got with in a 1 mile from town, this horse decided he didn't like this sleigh so he started to kick, a board on the front of the cutter broke but Max got the horse stopped. He noticed bleeding from a cut just below his knee. I believed some one stopped to take us to my sisters. I don't remember who took the horse to Elmer's. Ernie drove us to the Dr in the next town. I was 6 month pregnant but never got injured. Dr cleaned the wound then proceeded to sew it up,"saying I will get this together so you won't have infection in it." I noticed Max was getting white, then passed out in a faint. I don't remember how or when we got home but Max was so glad I didn't get hurt. I recall another time when I was walking to the chicken house to gather the eggs. I was told to be careful of a ram his dad had bought so he could raise sheep. I didn't notice this ram until it came around the side of the building heading for me, but as clumsy as I was, with 2 months to go I did manage to make it into the hen house but had to wait a hour or so it seemed before that ram left for the barn.

Our first baby was arriving May 24, Max birthday was May 23 & his sister Louise birthday was
24 so she was looking forward to have a nephew as her gift. Max's two sister were still living
at home. The nurse arrived & Dr was on his way, Max came into see me, then left & had to lean over the up stair balcony so the nurse attended to him first. We both survived. Dr arrived in awhile, before our son arrived. I was 30 years old & Gary was 8lbs so I was torn, but Dr just sewed me up while I held the nurses arm, no pain killer but I made it, even if the nurse had a bruise on her arm. We had to spent two weeks in bed, but that was in the old days. I tried to breast feed him but Gary also had colic. We spent many nights up with a crying baby as he ate & threw up then cried for more, yet he grew. The nurse put Gary on cows milk, as my milk didn't agree with him. I got an infection in my bowels. The nurse came & gave me a milk enema which was quit painful but I survived. The cows milk had to be brought to near the boiling point, then slowly cooled. Gary did well on this diet, but Bottles had to be boiled. We didn't have a fridge but bought a ice box which I had in the upstairs hall. Each winter the men cut ice on the river ,which was put in the ice house, which was a hole in the ground, where the ice was stored in the summer months, covered with saw dust which they got from when they sawed the wood for the furnace & stoves as this was the way it was done in the 40's.

Ernie & Clara ministered in Oak Lake for a while. Clara & I had good times together with our
Children, I helped when needed. Gilbert & Louise moved to his farm north of Brandon. We had good times together as a family. Charlie & Evelyn moved near Winnipeg. My parents came & lived with us upstairs for about a year. Charlie was wanting to farm so we were informer that Grandpa Gompf wanted to give him a chance to farm. My brother Cliff was living in Lang Sask, he heard we were moving so he wanted Max to move to Lang to start into the garage business with him. Both of them were good at repairing machinery. Charlie & Evelyn moved in up stairs when we left for Lang Sask. We bought our first home in Lang. It was a older house which the former owner wanted to sell but hadn't finished some repairing he had started. I don't remember what we were paying for it but this was our first home. My brother had built his first home in this town. We would be finishing our house. There was a German speaking church, Evangelical church in town. The morning & evening services were in English but the prayer meetings in mid week were in German. We enjoyed our fellowship with this group of Christians. We still have been in touch with friends who used to live in Lang Sask.

More about Life together with family on the farm.

We had many fun times as a family together. We all went to the church in Oak Lake. I enjoyed getting to know my first niece Sharon. I remember one time the Siggelkow's were visiting us, I had a few house plants in those deep window seats, as Clara & I were visiting, Sharon was very quiet in the upstairs hall just out my kitchen door. I had a different new kind of a caucus plant called the hen chicken plant, there wasn't any prickles on it, I found her eating these smooth leaves of my rare plant, It never hurt her. Later in life, after our retirement we spent our winter in south Texas. There were many kinds of caucus growing in their pastures. I learned that in the spring new tender leaves grew on those plants, the cattle loved to eat them in the spring. In fact during lent in the spring there were caucus leaves for sale in the stores. The leaves were eaten to put the protein in the diet. A neighbor showed me how to cook these leaves with hot sauce I didn't mind it but it wasn't my favorite dish.

My sister & I became closer in our times together. Clara was expecting her second child in Nov 18, 1944. Max & I were expecting our first child to be born on May 24 1945. We were able to do many things together. I remember my cousin Cecile came to Oak Lake to visit us, we both wanted her to stay over night but she stayed nights with Clara as we didn't have a bed for her.
Darla was born in the parsonage with the Dr Purdie from the next town Griswold. Darla was a
large baby, Clara breast fed all her baby's, but Darla was a colicky baby, so they missed many nights of sleep. The Dr or some one advised her to put her baby on goats milk. Ernie was told where he could buy a goat. I believe that Max went with him to pick up this goat. He built a shed for his goat, but to milk her, he arranges a way for the goat to walk up on to a low table so he could make it easier to milking. Darla really did well on this milk, so her colic got better & she grew to be a healthy child. Both Clara & I sewed the clothes for our baby's, also knit sweater outfits our them. There were no pampers in those days. We sent away to the catalogue for enough flannelet for each of us to have a dozen or more diapers sewed for our baby. Each day we would scrub by hand on a wash board the dirty diapers, drying them in the winter time, on a cloth horse near the heater or cook stove. This was called " your daily dozen".