THANKSGIVING DAY

On Thanksgiving Day, October 13, 1971, we said a very special thank you to God for the safe arrival of our fourth son, Terry. Coincidental or otherwise, he was following in Blair’s footsteps, for he weighed exactly the same as his older brother, Blair who also weighted 81b. 15 oz. The only difference was that Terry had red hair and Blair’s was blond. His father was delighted, for now he would have enough help to saw wood, a chore that required a number of men.

Terry was the youngest of the family, and adored by all the others, especially Dianne and Patsy, who carried him everywhere. Gram loved him dearly, for he was the only one at home to keep her company when the rest were in school.

When I returned home form the hospital after Terry’s birth, we had a belated Thanksgiving dinner. This time our Thanksgiving prayer was for the gift of our six children. In the beginning, it looked as though we might not have any family, so we had an abundance of graces to be thankful for.

After Terry completed High School, he decided to take some time off. Two weeks after the college year began, he received a call saying that there was a vacancy in the Phys. Ed. Department at Saint Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. To register he had to be there the following morning. Terry decided to take the opportunity, so, with little money and luggage, he arrived at the campus that night. There were no rooms available, so he was offered a large closet that was vacant. Here he stayed until Christmas, when a room was available. Four years later, he graduated with a Science Degree in Physical Education. He has taught in several Elementary schools before becoming Principal of St. Peter’s Consolidated. In 2003, he was successfiil in obtaining his Masters Degree in Education from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax.

On August 9, 1997 he married Julie Higdon, and they have two sons, Barry and Dawson. They live on Union Road in Charlottetown, where Julie operates a hair styling salon known as J.C. Styling.

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