CHAPTER 10
December 5, 1839
We are ready to set out on our journey upriver to what was going to be my new home. I was so excited I could hardly wait to go. We had everything all packed in the wagon, including things my Mother had given me to start a new home and a new lfe for Jesse and I. She promised she would come as soon as the new baby arrived.
It had snowed a little during the night but not enough to keep us from leaving. The snow was sparkling in the sunshine and the trees and bushes all took on a magical glow. I was bundled up to my nose to keep warm and Jesse promised we would stop early for the night. He knew of some places we could stop to get in out of the cold. As we're going further north I expect it would get colder by night time and maybe even possible snow again bay night fall. Thankfully our new home was only a one night stop over. We should be there by early afternoon.
We pulled up in front of the house the next afternoon. I was a little surprised because I had envisioned a large two story building and what I saw was not exactly what I expected. It was a two room cabin in the woods. How this can be referred to as the House on the Hudson I have no idea. How am I supposed to live here. I had never lived this kind of rustic life. half of my things won't even fit. The furniture was too large and imposing for the space. The kitchen, living and bathing area were all in one room and a curtain seperated the bedroom from the rest of the house. I looked at Jesse with a question mark in my eyes. He said. " I had no idea this is what we coming to live in. I have never been here before. Grandpaddy always came to visit us in New York."
I sat down and cried, how am I going to do I thought. Jesse was immediately beside me, holding me and saying "don't worry we'll fix it up and build on to it for you. Don't be sad please." I dried my tears, put my shoulders back and said. "I can do this, I will learn what has to be done and we will be alright." I will make this cabin a home we can be proud of to bring your friends to and we will be happy here."
Before you know it we had mande a home that we could bring up our family in and yes we were very happy the first few years. Joseph was born the next spring .soon Elizabeth made her self known and the last little Amanda. We lived here for ten years and they were some of the happiest of my life. I never saw Albert again and don't know to this day what ever happened to him, but I made a point of never asking again either.
One day jesse came home and said. " I have been talking to some fellows in town and they were talking about the State of Texas." i said,' where is this place and why are you so excited about it?" Jesse said ," I would like to go there I think. There is alot of land just for the taking, we could do so much better than here,.just think of the place we could have. I would build you a big house, the kind you deserve and I know we could be happy. Just think about it for awhile." He said ," it's wide open spaces and they do not get the winters we have here. The fellow in town was telling me all about a place called Austin and that it is in what they call the Hill Country.." I could not control his excitement and said I would pray about it and see what the lord said.
So here I am, getting up on a frosty morning, January 1, 1850 and making breakfst, getting the children dressed and getting ready to start out on our new adventure. Jesse already had the oxen hooked up to the covered wagon and as he came in the door he asked, "are you ready Mama?" Just one meal in this house that had been a home for so long now would stand empty for how long no one knew. We finished our meal and as I closed the door for the last time, I looked around at the home Jesse had made for us and thought, "good bye to the world we knew and hello to the new adventure Jesse was leading us on.
