Joletta's Dreams: The Story of a Young Woman's Journey Home

(Paperback)

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Joletta returns home to find her mother passed out on the couch, again! Jo is frightened not only for herself but for her baby sister Annie!
Joletta knows it is not right. Mothers are supposed to take care of their children, not the other way around!
Just because Sam, Annie's father, left them, does not excuse Mom's behavior!
Mom even spent the money they receive from Social services and missed the appointment with the WIC program, which provides extra food supplements for children in need!
Joletta is hurt and angry with Mom, but that will not buy food for Annie, so she decides her only option is to ask the neighbor, Mrs. Taylor if she will lend them some money. She has to tell a lie, which she knows isn't right, but certainly does not want to tell the neighbor the "true story!"
Susan Taylor, who was widowed as a young mother, raised her children in her big Victorian house and although the neighborhood is not what it used to be, refuses to leave her home.
She senses that something seems a little "off" when the girl asks for a loan, but readily agrees to give her the $10.00 Joletta ask for. As time goes by, she will become an important part of, not only Joletta's life but also very special to the entire family.
Jim Benning is their Social Service Worker who Sandi, Joletta's Mom, resents but realizing she must co-operate with in order to get the state assistance the family needs, she continues to meet with him.
The story follows Joletta and her family through the next years as Jo grows and matures into a young woman.
What do her dreams mean Where will her hopes take her, and what life challenges will she meet along her journey

Author Bio

Born number six of seven children, I share my birthday with a twin brother and our birthday month of September with two other brothers. We were all four born within three years and were called the little kids by our older siblings who shared the status of big brother and sisters!
I know times were not always easy for my parents, but we never felt a lack of love. I am eternally grateful to both of them, as well as my grandmother who came and lived with us after grandpa died.
Our early years were spent running through the woods and splashing in the cold clear streams of our SW Missouri Ozark hills. We later moved and I became a small town girl, but I never lost my love of the country life.
I met my love as a young teen at our local skating rink. and we married in 1965 shortly after I graduated High School! We will soon celebrate our 54th wedding anniversary! I love him now even more than I did when we married!
Only months after that, he left for Vietnam with the US Marines! It was a long year but, thankfully, he returned home safely after a 13 month deployment.
Less than a year later, we became parents, first we had a little boy and two years later a baby girl.
While they were still toddlers, we moved our young family far away from our extended family, to the flat lands of NW Ohio. There we bought the small house that we continue to reside in after 45 years!
Not only did we raise our own two in this house, we later became a foster family and shared our home with 48 foster children (in a timespan of 18 years!) I always tell people we were never bored!
Of course, as always happens, our children grew to adulthood, married and now our family has grown to 15, including six grandchildren and two adorable little great-grandchildren! Also, we continue to cherish several of our special extras as family.
We have spent the years since retirement traveling, volunteering, participating in church activities and of course, spending time with family and our many friends!
I never expected to write a book but several years ago I began to write about this young girl I named Joletta and, as time went on Jo began to feel almost real! another of my children!
Many of Joletta's experiences and challenges were influenced by my own personal hopes, dreams and experiences, some true and some purely fictional.
I am so very thankful for all that God has given me! His love has carried me through the many joys and sorrows this life is filled with. He walks with me daily (in good times and bad, ) I am truly blessed