Joseph Sig Miller

   ahhhhh.... Joey.  There is so much to say about Joey.  Though I had wanted 4 children while I was myself a child, I had decided in all my wisdom, that 2 in my home would be perfect.  We had our Angel watching over us....life was good. 

Well, you know how those things can go.  We were still a young couple, and had just bought our 2nd home with some land.  In December we got all new furniture and carpeted the entire house.  In January, I had a sneakin' suspicion that something was 'off'.

In January, My sister Arlene had her son Audi, and I had a secret that I was expecting my 4th child.  Katie was 5, and Evan was 7.  It was going to make a change in their life.  I told them.... and of course their Dad knew.  One afternoon, the kids and I went to my folks, and I let Evan tell them.  He was so excited to have that kind of big news to tell.... and my folks were pleased too.  Surprised, yes, but pleased.  If you've read my blogs much, you know that my folks are pillars.... they take everything and make it better. 

Pregnancy was something I always loved.  I felt good during pregnancies.  And I felt special. I mean, traffic stops for an expecting woman!  I've seen it happen!  People want to touch your belly, which is odd, but I know it's because of the miracle that is a baby.

The pregnancy with Joey was not 9 months of comfort.  Joy, yes, but not comfort.  In March, Evan and Katie and I all got ear infections.  We never had them before or since, but we got them bad.  I didn't even know how bad mine was, til I woke up one morning and oh my gosh it hurt.  Next thing I knew, my ears were bleeding.  I called my Dad to ask him to take the kids to school... but upon hearing his voice....I choked up and he knew something was wrong.  Mom came and stayed with us for a couple days... and I got antibiotics.  I got over that ear infection, but I never felt good while expecting my unexpected Joy (Joey) I should have known then that Joey was going to be different!  I was always overdue, but Joey was 2 weeks early.  He also brought Evan and Katie gifts from where he came.  They loved him for it.  Evan is blond and blue eyed, fair skinned.  Katie is auburn and brown eyed & dark skinned.  Joey is a combination of the two.  Blue eyes, and brown hair.

I had softened in my discipline by the time he came along, and trust me, I heard about it from Katie and Evan.  I suspect the loving beatings he took from them would have made me angry, but they made him tough.  I still raised him to speak his mind,...I just forgot to tell him to keep his trap shut to me.  Gosh that boy would not shut up when I was mad.  He still has a desire to make sure I know he's right.  He's not though, I will eventually convince him.  All my kids are very skilled horsemen/women.  Joey doesn't like it though.  He got dragged along on all kinds of adventures, and just enjoyed the adventures for being adventures, not the horse part of it. 

He was always a bit different from them.  He never broke bones, but he had accidents, that caused infections.  He got a nail up in his knee cap once, and the infection caused Wakelee Bledsoe concern enough that she set him up in St. Lukes for blood transfusions.  She told me to go home and pack a bag and go to the hospital.  White blood counts were off the chart.  So, we did.  He was about 4-5, and couldn't walk, due to the pain.  His dad was working in Boise and would meet us there.  I carried  him up from the    parking lot.  Struggling the whole way.  While we sat in the Dr.'s exam room waiting, I was worried.  The Dr. walked in, Joey jumped out of my lap, and was healed.  Seriously.  They checked him over, and we came home.  There was more to it than that, but that's the gist of it.

Another time, (when he was in Jr High or High School) he had some kind of appendicitis... blood counts off the chart, could hardly breath.  Blood work showed he needed to go to St. Lukes, probably going to have to have surgery.  Wakelee said, "Get there now"  So, we did.  What happened???? He cured himself.  We came home  .... No one ever understood it, it was just Joey.

A  couple years ago, I got real sick and found myself in the hospital (Thanks to a mother and father who don't take "NO" for an answer) They were right, ... I was nearly done for.  Since then, all my kids keep a more vigilant eye on their Mother.  I suppose they have come to realize that though I try to act infallible....apparently I am human.  They didn't like that I was living alone, and would come chop wood, and just in general check up on me.  I think that them knowing that I'm not in this house alone any more, because Wayne is now here, has given them all a bit of Peace. 

As kids do, mine have all gone thru times of sadness and I always feel terrible when they do.  You can give all kinds of advice, and tell them that this won't matter in 20 years, but you know that they still have to "get thru it now" and that's not always easy.  Joey recently went thru an emotionally stressful time.  He's in college in Lewiston, and it was frustrating for me to not be able to see him, hug him.  Just a couple days ago, he did tell me that " I was depressed, but I also knew I have a lot to live for, so I knew it was going to be OK"  Those were musical words to my ears.  He appreciates that his family is here for him, even when we can't be there physically for him.  He values and lays his Faith right where it belongs. 

Joey is named after my Grandfather Joseph Samuel Cox and my Father Franz Sig Clark.  He does have the best qualities of the both of them. 

Jessie