EVA

Eva Marie Rozier was born August 9, 1979, at Fort McClellan (Anniston) Alabama. Unlike her sister, Joy, Eva was not late. The doctor examined her mother around 8 A.M. and said, "It'll be another three or four hours." Within 30 minutes, Eva came forth and has been going ever since.

I had a special privilege at Eva's birth. I got to be in the delivery room and cut her umbilical cord. Eva said her first word at six months ("Bite"). She would ask for food. She loved to eat. She began walking shortly thereafter; I hardly remember her crawling. Her mom took real good care of this happy, busy little girl. I nicknamed her "Beaver" because she was always busy. When Eva was one, my Granny Winn (mama's mama) told me that Eva's personality was just like my Grandma Crosby's (Daddy's mama). Grandma Crosby was sweet natured and very loving. I remember her holding me as she rocked me in her rocking chair. I felt secure and content in my Grandma's lap. I knew she loved me; I could feel it.

When Eva was almost three, we moved to Hawaii. She loved the beach, the outdoors, and animals. Mama came to visit us in Hawaii, and Eva was showing off on the monkey bars, slipped, and broke her arm. She didn't let that incident stop her. She kept on going.

One day when she was about four and a half, she got on her brother's bicycle and started riding---no training wheels, no help. She was independent.

Her mom decided Eva could be a model. Eva had bleach blonde hair, whitened by the tropical Hawaiian sun, big beautiful brown eyes, and a smile that would melt your heart. The Japanese liked her so well, they paid her $100 an hour to model for their children's catalog. When we went to the beach, tourists would often take a photo of her playing in the sand and water. She was (and still is) very beautiful and photogenic.

Before we moved back to L.A. (lower Alabama), I had to work with her on her southern accent. She had lived in Hawaii for three years and she had picked up some of the wonderful dialect of the locals. I had her say several times a day, "I want a piece of pecan pie." I made her say it with a south Georgia drawl. She got pretty good at it, but would sometimes pronounce her "r's" like an "L". A couple of years of speech therapy improved her pronunciations.

Eva was saddened by her Mom's departure. She was only six years old and such a sweet and trusting child. She adjusted, though, to only having a Daddy in her life and no mom. Eva, like Joel and Joy, learned to wash their own clothes, cook, and do various other things that most kids their age didn't have to do.

When we came back to Blackshear, Georgia, Eva was in the third grade. I was a room parent and entertained and helped out with parties and special school days. I remember that Mother's Day in 1988, when Eva handed me a home made Mother's Day card. I was her mother and father.

Eva grew and blossomed into a beautiful young teenager. She never talked back to me or said a harsh word to me, despite all the hard times we had. I want to thank her for that respect.

Eva has always had a sense of the presence of Jesus in her life. He's often spoke to her in dreams and used her compassionate heart to help others. She's made her share of mistakes like all of us and has learned valuable lessons.

One day when Eva was 15, I received a call from the hospital. Eva had been in a wreck and was injured. I needed to get over there as soon as possible. I immediately prayed for Eva. I didn't know what kind of condition she was in. After my prayer, the Lord spoke to me and said, "She's all right, take your time." I stopped by the convenience store, got a cup of Maxwell House, and then went on to the hospital.

As I entered the room where she was, there was my baby with her blood streaked blonde hair, a cut on her knee, and several bruises. She saw me and cried, "Daddy, Daddy, I was so scared!" I rushed to her and as I hugged her I felt the intense presence of the Holy Ghost---tears filled my eyes. I was praying for her in the Spirit. Seems like Eva and her friend had skipped classes and went for a joy ride but crashed into a big old Georgia pine tree.

Over the next three days, the scars on Eva's face had disappeared, the cut on her knee had healed, and she was back to being busy again. I was thankful that Eva and her friend were okay. Cars can be replaced but lives cannot!

I always plant sunflowers in my garden. Eva likes them, the bees like them, and they are beautiful to look at. Over the years, many people (both old and young) have gotten pleasure from these beautiful flowers.

When Eva graduated from high school in 1997, I wanted her to spot me in the crowd of proud parents, relatives, and friends. I went to the garden, found the biggest, brightest sunflower, cut it, and brought it with me. It was about twice as big as a dinner plate. The stem was as thick as a woman's wrist. Well, as the graduates marched out, I held that big old bright yellow sunflower in front of me and was rewarded by Eva with a corresponding smile.

Eva worked two or three jobs for awhile and went to modeling school. She then decided she wanted to be a nurse. She went to nursing school and graduated with honors, as president of her class.

Eva was involved in two other wrecks: totaled one car and heavily damaged another. I was right behind her in my truck when I said, "Lord, she's going to pull right in the path of that truck; protect her I pray." He did! The truck at the last minute swerved and hit the left front of the car instead of plowing into the driver's door.

One evening, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Pray for Eva, right now!" I did and asked God to send angels to protect her. About twenty minutes later, she came home all shook up. I asked, "What's wrong Beaver?" She replied, "I lost control of my car, it hydroplaned and I ended up turned around in a circle and in the other lane." I said, "I know baby, that's when I was praying for you. God sent his angels to protect you."

The first day of Eva's nursing school, she went to class and bought all those expensive books. It came a hard rain in Waycross; about five inches in an hour. Eva drove through that but went under an underpass; her car drowned out and the current washed her car deeper in water. She had to climb out of the window to escape. When I arrived where she was, all you could see was the top of that pretty Monte Carlo. The car was totally flood damaged, all her books were destroyed. Eva was back in class the next day. She didn't let that stop her. God gave her strength and ability to make it through school.

There is so much to write about how God has protected Eva, her brother and sister, and how he has cared for them. Fathers, the greatest gift you can give to your children is to pray for them!

In the summer of 2001, Eva took a job as a nurse at a children's summer camp in Hyannis, Massachusetts. She called me one night; she was so homesick. I told her I would go up there to see her and carry her some of my homegrown sweet south Georgia watermelons and some boiled peanuts. I loaded up my 1997 Chevrolet King Cab Silverado, which the Lord had blessed me with, and began the 1300 mile drive.

I remember driving through New York City and seeing the towering Twin Towers on the skyline. This was a month before 911. Eva was sure glad to see me. I was even happier to see her! We had a nice two day visit, and I drove back home. On the way back, I drove another route other than Interstate 95. I remember driving through Hershey, Pennsylvania and smelling a whiff of chocolate. I love Hershey bars. I'll take one of the small milk chocolate ones, place a fresh pecan half on it, pop it in my mouth, and enjoy! A marriage made in heaven---the Hershey bar and pecan.

I arrived back in Blackshear and thanked God for his protection on my trip. I also thanked him for allowing me to live in a town with only five red lights. That 50 mile long bumper to bumper traffic in New York City area is something to behold.

Eva is still working as a nurse. She is a kind, beautiful and compassionate young lady!

Deuteronomy 5.16 "Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

I wrote the above in May 2003. It is now March 4, 2005. Eva married Jack, a fine young man, in May 2004. They live in Waycross. She is working part time as a Licensed Practical Nurse, and is going to college full time to be a Registered Nurse.

Irvin L. Rozier