January 9, 2009

Emily reports:

I undecorated the Christmas tree today. January 6th is Epiphany. which once celebrated both the birth and baptism of Jesus and later the visit of the Magi. Some people referred to it as "Old Christmas." Having a Christmas tree helps me remember when our children were little. So when I decorate for Christmas I am thinking of some very special times as we celebrated God's gift to the world.

A cold day 17 - 26 degrees.This was a special day to remember a brother on his birthday. I think

Dan would have been 86 today. His name, Daniel Milton VanSant. came from mother's family. There was a Daniel Shearer and mother was Jesse Milton. Her Grandfather was Granville Milton Jones. Dan was very protected brother and a highly intelligent person. He was a handsome boy with dark hair and brown eyes. He was fast promoted in elementary school and stayed home from high school one semester to take care of our little sisters, Frances and Joyce. That was probably 1939. Frances had a little kitten and if the girls misbehaved, he would get the kitten and some wire pliers and pretend to pull its teeth! They didn't want that kitten's teeth pulled!

Frances and Joyce were very close in age.Frances was just two when Joyce was born. They were good playmates. I was almost 6 when Frances was born. Daddy assigned me to entertain them and keep them safe. I took the job very seriously. The three of us shared a bed. I was in the middle.There were seven boys in the family. I liked my brothers most of the time. They were protective but liked to tease me. I adored my little sisters. Mama, (Grandmother VanSant) and our aunts made darling little dresses for them. They were dressed alike. All little girls wore dresses.

They were creative in their play. A hay rake might be a bank teller's window. Daisies could be fried eggs and Junebugs buzzing in a cold cream jar would be a boiling pot of beans. They liked to sing and folks at the country store across the road were an appreciative audiance.

Dan finished high school at mid-term at age 16. He went to the Uinversity of Kentucky and was with Ben for his first year. Being in ROTC at the University, Dan was activated and had OCS ( Officers Candidate School) at Ft. Benning, GA