Sandra Blackburn Bledsoe

8000 characters hardly gives me warm up time to tell of the blessings and beauty of my life. After graduating from MHS, I swore to never return to **bleep bleep** Marshall, TX. After all, what's in that one-horse town? I asked myself. College degree was obtained from SFA in Nacogdoches. There, I met and married the childrens' dad, Richard Smelley. We lived (I was teaching school) and worked in Lufkin, another small town, but with 2 horses, I thought. In my next life, I quit teaching, and attended SFA full time to receive my M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance. Successfully done in 1986, I worked as a therapist under a Ph.D doing counseling in several arenas. In 1988, I made a major move from Lufkin to Richmond, TX, employed as a behavioral psychologist at the Richmond State School. This was a very enlightening experience, and sometimes a scary one. Having met, dated, and parted company with a very nice man in 1987, we 'remet' and began a wonderful life together: dating, teaching in Beaumont, and marrying in 1991--that's Chuck, my southern gentleman retired Navy Captain. He and I moved to Beckville where we were both employed at BISD. In 1999, Chuck retired, and I retired in 2001. We sold our worldly goods, stored our keepsakes, and begain life as full-time RVers travelling the good ole USA from coast to coast. This renewed my faith in the human race: after all, not many people come to the school house to tell you what a wonderful job you are doing or to invite you to tea! People in state parks are there because they want to be, and want to enjoy nature and living. We have maintained many relationships from that era. After 9 years on the road, we decided to hang up our tires and our toad. And where do I hang them up: IN MARSHALL, TEXAS. In fact, in the very same house I grew up in on Emory Street in South Marshall, even retaining the same childhood phone number. I am quite happy to be here, and Chuck has adapted like the gentleman he is! Most of all, I like the familiarity: familiar home, familiar streets, familiar faces, and mostly important, family and friends.
And now, you know the rest of my story? Not quite! In 2010 I was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukemia. After 10 months treatment at MDAnderson, I am completely free of any of the dreadful disease. (I went July 15 for my monthly CBC in Shreveport--it was beautiful! I am blessed by God hourly and feel like a poster child). That experience--of not knowing whether I would live or die--was a blessed one: I am much more sensitive to the needs of myself and others; I am more willing, and take the time, to pray for others in distress, and lastly, I am more thankful to God....
As a grandmother, lovingly called 'GranySan', I enjoy activities with the young ones--doing a lot of activities that are fun and EDUCATIONAL for them.
My children call and visit often and we enjoy each others' company more than ever. They like to see Mom in her Betty Crocker mode, fixing peas, cornbread, turnip greens, and banana pudding. Yes!! Can you imagine?
Chuck and I are about to sell the coach--it's a monster to drive, especially in tight areas like Denver, Seattle, Miami. What travelling we will do will be by plane, train, or car.
And now...you know the rest of the story.

Living in my childhood home with my roomie Chuck I enjoy sitting in our screen porch and watching the birds eat what I have provided for them. Also my beautiful hibiscus & morning glories greet me each day. When inside I like to play spades on the internet & watch MLB especially the Giants& Astros & Rangers. Like to watch football with Chuck.
Visiting with my out of town family is always a treat. They come about once a month & we go when we can to Lufkin.