My stories are framed by "My Story." My African American parents had six children: five daughters and one son. I am daughter number four but child number five. My father was a leader in my community, and he believed in the American dream, and together, my parents taught their children to believe in the American dream. All men are created equal. We pledged allegiance to our nation "under God." God was interwoven throughout every aspect of our lives. He was in our home. He was in our schools. He was in our church. He was at the Girl Scout functions, the Boy Scout functions, and at the Y.M.C.A. God even went to the Heart of Texas Fair and Rodeo and the Genco Credit Union annual banquet. (God was everywhere we ate, every time we ate). God was everywhere we went: the homes of friends, the homes of relatives, and of course, the homes of other church members. After all, at church we were taught that God is everywhere. (I was too young to distinguish the difference between God's presence everywhere we went and the conception of God's omnipresence). Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the presence of God was not prevalent in some homes. He was an essential member of my family. How could He not be essential any and everywhere else? Are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness even possible without Him? My parents divorced when I was eight years old. I count it joy. God was present in both houses.

In chronological order:
My parents' (William, Delois) children....Judy, Bruce, Rita and Nita (twins), Francene, and Cheryl
My father and Nattie's (second wife) children....Andrea, William (Bill), and David
More joy:
Bruce and Brenda's children....Tiffany and Troy Haliburton
Rita and Wesley's children....Kathalyn, Wesley Jr. and Jonathan Nute
Nita's son....Steven Haliburton
Andrea and Eddy's children....Alexandra and Arrianna Rojas
Mama's goddaughter....Dorzelbra Kay Thompson