I grew up on a 10-acre farm in the small rural community of Catawissa，Missouri，as the sixth of seven children. My parents，Archie and Altha，often _________ during meals how everything on the table came from the _________.

Besides running the farm，Dad was also a _________. in the fall of 1970，he was working on a house when the ladder broke all at once. His back was fractured（折断）in two places and _________ needed rescue.

He stayed in the hospital for three weeks，_________his back to be treated correctly so the bones would _________ perfectly.

On Thanksgiving Day，Dad was still in the hospital. We always _________ pigs the day after the holiday so that we had enough pork _________for the next year，and that year my uncle _________ with a couple of cousins to help my three older brothers prepare our year's supply.

After Dad returned home，he was in a back brace and saddened for __________ to work. Worse still，the doctor told us his chance of complete recovery was __________. I was too young to realize our family had no __________ coming in as Christmas approached.

One night we heard a car coming up the long driveway. Always __________ about company（客人），we kids were curious about who was visiting.

Peggy Phelan was at the door，holding an envelope __________ with money which，according to her account，she had __________ in the community. And she was there to __________ it！

Dad tried to __________ but Peggy would have none of it. I can still hear her saying，"Archie，whenever someone's baler（压捆机）is broken，you bale their hay. Every time someone passes away，Altha is cooking. It's our __________."

That evening，I understood what being a good neighbor was，and that __________ my parents were good neighbors, their __________ would be paid back.

   I’m a woman, whose colleagues are nearly all women as well. So having a son can be a strange experience. I sometimes tell my husband that raising our 3-year-old boy _____ someone dropped me off on another _____ where I didn’t know the language and had no map.

My son makes me laugh, but his desires and _____ sometimes do feel as _____ to me as another galaxy (星系). He has taught me so much about the bigger man (my husband) in my life and even _____ about men in general.

When I get _____ at my husband now, I look at our son and stop. He was once as sweet and precious as my son, _____ he is so annoying now.

My mother-in-law’s attitude used to be puzzling to me, but now I _____ it. I love my son so much. If some woman ever _____ him, she’d be punished for that.

______ my daughter can’t find something, she will search. But my son is ______ calling, “Mommy ! Daddy! Where is my toy?” It’s so much like my husband. He will also spend 0.1 second ______ for it before calling out to me and ______ where the butter, cheese, or coat is. My son has taught me it’s a man’s thing.______, that doesn’t mean I won’t make him stop having the bad habit. I ______ will. Isn’t that what all moms say?

My husband showers every day on most ______ days. But on weekends or on vacation? Forget it. Now I understand that. My son ______ bath time and screams the whole time. I have to bribe (诱哄) him to get ______.

Nothing is sweeter for a mom than her baby boy. My daughter and I are equally ______, but in a different way. He tells me he loves me and how beautiful I am. I wish I could bottle that sweetness and ______ it for his teen years.

   Even if you think that your parents are mean-spirited（小气的）at times, loving your parents is a normal and fulfilling part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you, raised you, and are in part, a source of who you are. 【小题1】

Tell them you love them every morning. A gentle "good morning" and "I love you" will warm the coldest heart. Remember that they brought you into this world.

Respect them more and cherish these moments. You can use these moments to learn from them, preparing yourself for the day when you're off on your own. It's OK to get angry but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, write down your feelings, or talk to a friend. 【小题2】

Obey their requests. It will make you have a better attitude and earn you more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you are not recognized. However, you had better remember they keep a roof over your head when it's raining or snowing. Understand that parents are human beings and make mistakes. 【小题3】 Since you can forgive your friends, why not forgive your parents？

【小题4】 Do things with your parents like watching TV, or going somewhere with them. Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. Listen to their old stories and learn from them. You will find they are your teachers in this way or another.

Some people simply may not be able to love their parents. 【小题5】 Seek help if you are being abused（虐待）in any way. Parents do not have a right to harm you.

I left home at 18 and pay my own way through college. In the past 20 years, I have worked for everything I needed. So it shocks me what some people in their 20s, still get their life supported by our parents. Some of these parents have difficult supporting their families.

It’s true that the job market is much more harder these days. Therefore, there are certainly some ways to make living on our own. Even if our parents is nice enough to pay for our college, we shouldn’t burden them at our problems. We should be financially responsible adults, made our parents proud of us.