The picture at the left shows one of the more memorable events that happened while we were living at the Thirteenth Street house.

Daddy was directing choir at the First Baptist Church, just one block south of where we lived. He held this job for many years during my childhood. Mother refused to become a Baptist. She had nothing against Baptists, but she had always been a life long member of First Methodist Church, and, after all, her brother was a Methodist minister!

But Mother and kids attended Sunday School and/or church at the Methodist church on Sunday mornings. Then Mother and I always went to Sunday evening services with Daddy at the Baptist church. To say the least, we were well churched every Sunday.

During one of the 13th St. years, a new assistant mininster was sent to the Baptist Church to assist Dr. Smith. His name was Phil Philbrook, and he was fresh out of seminary and a young, single man. Phil and my dad became very good friends, both admiring the other. I think Phil was happy to find a family home where he could sometimes drop in, relax, and have a cup of coffee.

At this same time, Daddy hired a new secretary at work, a very sweet lady named Anne. I think Daddy immediately had matchmaking in mind, and he introduced Phil to Anne. Needless to say, the romance blossomed from that point. The picture above shows Phil and Anne on their wedding day. The asked if they could have the ceremony at our house, and Mother and Daddy agreed. I think they wanted a small ceremony with just close friends and family.

Of course, it was such an exciting day for me. I was at just the right age to find it so romantic. In the picture everyone looks very sober. But, believe me, it was a happy occasion. Daddy is getting ready to sing. At the rented organ is Martha Sowash. She was organist at the church for years and years. That is Mother standing beside Daddy. Doesn't she look pretty? And Daddy quite handsome.

In the other picture, you see the newlyweds at the reception at the Meadowbrook Church. The brand new Meadowbrook Baptist Church had just been completed, and Phil had been sent there as their new head minister. The church started out with this all purpose building that was used for all kinds of events, then turned into the sanctuary on Sundays. In later years a large sanctuary was built, and this all purpose area is no longer there. Phil was pastor there for many, many years and built it into a large congregation serving the south part of Anderson.

Phil and Anne eventually and two children, Cindy and Phil Jr. They moved from Anderson to Michigan. The last time I heard from Phil was a lovely letter he wrote to my mother when Daddy died. I am sorry to say, that I don't know if Phil and Anne are still living.

The other picture is the starry eyed me in the dress I wore to the wedding. It was the dress that mother made for me to wear to my Junior High School graduation. It was white organdy trimmed in pink trimming, and Mother made it entirely by hand. I also remember wearing it to Bloomington when Jack graduated from IU. I had gone swimming the day before the graduation and had a terrible sunburn. I remember the agony of scratchy organdy on sunburned shoulders! But I still loved the dress, and loved that Mother had stitched it - every stitch done with love!