I Am Jo, Jo Am I

It started as a suggestion from our grief group leader to start journaling. It was formed when I joined a small writing group in Beverlys living room and we got the assignment to write Who are you now? and then to write Who were you before that? and Who were you......... and fi fteen before thats later I had the outline of this book. Th e telling became compelling as I worked over the four years and chronicled my story. I tell it because it affi rms for me who I am and maybe later generations will want to know something of where they came from. In the beginning my grandparents came into Oklahoma when it was Indian Territory and participated in the journey to statehood. Th e changes that took place between the time my mother was born in 1898 and when she died one hundred and fi ve years later are hard to imagine. She lived in three centuries and this story lives in these three centuries. Being a mother and enjoying two sons that are a joy to me to this day is a rich part of my life story and this part of my telling is a joy to remember. Th e love of two gifted men blessed my tale and fi lls me with appreciation for both of them. Th e three children from the second marriage are an amazing gift. What it meant to be a woman, wife and mother changed and morphed as I grew from childhood to an eighty- eight year old woman and I had the opportunity to work with women of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as we began to struggle with issues that impacted our homes, schools, churches and political institutions. Retirement bloomed into ten great years exploring the United States and Canada and also helping the fi ve children that now form my family. Many hours of helping to redo, remodel and restore helped build relationships and gave me many special memories. Th is story of I am Jo/Jo am I is one womans story of life, love, learning and living toward the end. I am still doing it!