Job 42.15 "And in all
land were no women found as fair as daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren."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 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 beach, outdoors, and animals. Mama came to visit us in Hawaii, and Eva was showing off on 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 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 beach, tourists would often take a photo of her playing in 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 wonderful dialect of 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 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 hard times we had. I want to thank her for that respect.
Eva has always had a sense of 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 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, Lord spoke to me and said, "She's all right, take your time." I stopped by convenience store, got a cup of Maxwell House, and then went on to hospital.
As I entered 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 intense presence of Holy Ghost---tears filled my eyes. I was praying for her in 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 next three days, scars on Eva's face had disappeared, 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!
