My Daughter Marcy-My Teacher and Friend

Dear Marcy Lou, 

Today I laugh at your feisty spirit. You start at the bottom of any job and end up on top. You learn every position in most companies and accomplish insurmountable problems. You are unbelievable in what you tackle.

Not just wife and motherhood.

Remember the days of pulling lumber in a mill, your skinny frame right alongside a bunch of burly men? Then you took on the management of a custom framing shop before you knew how to measure the dimensions of a frame. 
You are a wallpaper hanger and a magician with a paint roller. You have tucked old brick, laid new brick, and even installed carpet.

Age when you beat up the bully 

Our first glimpse of your courageous nature came when your sister, sixteen months your senior, struck up a problem with a neighbor kid.  tt didn’t matter that you were only three at the time. You went to her defense and hiked the kid out of our yard.

But one of the best examples of your determined nature happened when a junior high algebra teacher said, “Any student not understanding these problems stop by my room before class tomorrow morning.”

Age 11 with Grandpa Orin 

You said you didn’t understand algebra. You had asked to stay in a lower math class. Only one of the teachers thought you a genius and encouraged you to take on the higher level Algebra class.

“I’m leaving for class early.” You said one morning to your dad and me.

We were very surprised when you returned mid-day in tears and angry. 

Do you remember the incident?

You were the only one that showed up before class. The teacher didn’t expect any students and arrived late. 

When we asked what happened you said the teacher said, “Are you the only stupid one in the class?”

Ready to jump to your defense, your dad and I both offered to talk to the teacher—we were ready to call a counselor and the principal if necessary.

“I’ll handle this myself,” you said. And you did, extracting a profuse apology from that teacher who maintained he didn’t mean the words to come out the way they

Marcy and Hubby Don 

did.  

The algebra teacher affirmed you and said you showed the greatest wisdom. You were smart enough to admit you didn’t understand and asked how to conquer the problem.

Your plucky nature helped you then and now.

Your family appreciates your strength.

Your employers marvel at your coping abilities.

Your Grandpa Orin and Grandma June sang your praises.

Your dad rode a bike to Louisville to see you

Your dad loved spending time with you, buying you cream soda and having lunch with you.  

After your family moved to Omaha, you become my mentor—my teacher. I learned to stand up for what is right, tackle problems head on, call till I find answers, and search every avenue until I figure out how to make something work on the computer.

And when I’ve accomplished a task, I tell my co-workers or friends, “My daughter Marcy taught me to do this.”

Your tenacity is a God-given gift.

Your willingness to use that gift is a blessing to me and others around you.

Thank you Sweetie for being the beautiful woman you are.

Love you, from Mom, the now 

Marcy and Me w/cheesecake May 2013

Lionhearted Kat
For my readers: I wrote this in 2002, but it is still true today. Marcy continues to teach me. She's amazing. If her Dad were here he'd say, "Of course she's amazing. She's my daughter."