LAURA ANN KNIGHT: POST #33

It was February 14, 1949 and other than being Valentine's Day it was a perfectly normal day. I went to school that morning expecting it to be just like every other day that I had known. But, when school was out and we boarded the bus to Herman Junction, when we got to the Ashlocks' we were told to get off the bus and stay there for a little while. Later Dad picked us up and took us home. When we arrived we had a brand new baby sister and we were told that she was named Laura Ann Knight. Two years later we would repeat this process and when we got home we found a little brother. I had begun to think that we had better quit stopping at the Ashlocks' because every time we did we had another baby when we got home and the 'big'house' was getting fuller than it already was. What in the world did the Ashlocks' have to do with this anyhow I wondered?

Laura was the second girl in this family of five boys and Mom was elated to have another girl. It had been seven years since a new baby arrived at the Knight's house. In fact, this was the first one to be born at Herman Junction. Laura was adored by those older siblings. Two years after Laura was born Jack was born and he was a sickly little guy for a time. Mom had kids of all ages and had so many things to do that any help was appreciated. So, Edna Earls whose youngest baby was five years old, just kind of adopted Laura. One time Edna took her to a basketball game and Laura wanted to know when they were going to stand up and sing. Edna told Mom that she was going to have to take Laura somewhere besides church because that was all that she knew.

Laura can play a piano and never took a lesson her life. She can play by ear. That makes me mad because I have always wanted to play something but all that I can do is blow a sonata. (You may have to put your imagination to work to figure out what instrument that is). She loves to sing and play and we have had some great times singing together. I have been blessed to preach in several meetings in Ocean Springs through the years and have stayed at Laura's during that time. She and Jewel took us to one of the finest restaurants to eat that I have even been in. It is called, "Anthony's Under The Oaks" and is in Ocean Springs.

Laura married a military man and they moved about over the U.S. and even overseas. She had two children, Kirk and Kendra. Kendra was killed by a drunk driver several years ago leaving a baby of her own. Laura and Jewel adopted that baby, Lindsey who is now soon to graduate from high school and is a beautiful and wonderful young lady.

Laura is stark raving crazy! Now, you might wonder why an older brother would speak so of his baby sister. She lives in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and has stayed there through the worst hurricanes the U.S. has had. She stayed there through hurricane Katrina and I just thought that after everything was over we would have to go and gather up her family and take care of them but they survived wonderfully well and were able to help so many other people. When hurricane Ike was coming I thought, "She will leave this time!" Nope! She stayed right there again and everything was well. She needs to at least learn how to swim!

So, February 14, 1949 was a special day at Herman Junction and with this new baby all was well.