21 July 2018

Bess Tuggle - Memoirs of Surviving Children, Pt. VII: "Wuvs"


Once upon a time I was fortunate enough to be a full time mother, full time office manager and full time student. I say fortunate with a strained grin on my face, but I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

My children were kind enough to be born on a Saturday. Each and every one of them. My step-dad didn’t appreciate it (that was when the college football games came on TV), but I certainly did.

I never had maternity leave, but my boss was awesome. I’d show up to work on Monday morning, new baby in tow (along with the rest of the brood), there’d be a rocking chair for me, and I kept a crib in the side room. The boys just didn’t know how well they had it. I think they do now.

Working from home could be a challenge. Most of our customers believed I was the boss’ daughter, so they didn’t mind the little voices in the background. Trying to study at home was a whole different ballgame.

I’d have my invoicing pulled up on my computer. Accounts receivable, accounts payable, customer list that I had to call, the next lesson I had to study for school… Then all of the sudden I’d hear a little voice.

“Mama.” “Mama!” “MAMA!!!”

Keeping up with four sons’, multiple other rent-a-kids, work and school was a challenge. Hearing a little voice interrupting when I was trying to concentrate could drive me CRAZY!!!

I would finally answer “WHAT?!?”

Then I would hear “I wuvs you.”

Proud that I survived raising them to adulthood, proud that I graduated with my BSB/A (with honors), and proud of how well they all turned out.

I wuvs them all too.

Bess 



A jack of all trades, Bess Tuggle has been a Covington resident since the late 70’s. She's been a K-Mart cashier, cabinet builder, vet tech, office manager for a beef cattle ranch and water well company (where she was able to hold benefits for D.A.R.E. and Scouts), a court reporter, business manager, assistant at a private investigation firm, legal assistant, convenience store clerk, landscaper and elementary school substitute teacher.  Her greatest pleasure is being a wife, mother and grandmother.  Her stories are all real, and all names will be withheld to protect the innocent, and also maybe the guilty, depending on the crime & the Statute of Limitations. 
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