1) My Mom- I know, everyone says Mom first, and they should. Your mom is your first teacher and your protector. My mom let this stubborn girl learn on her own (through gritted teeth) and was there to pick me up and put me back on my feet when I fell down. She was always there for a hug and for support and always said she loved me after I did something wrong or stupid.
2) My Dad- My dad also allowed me to be me and through even tighter gritted teeth, let me make my own choices and my own mistakes. He was usually good for an "I told you so" also. He made me learn the different types of trees and plants in our area and made sure that I learned how to drive a manual transmission. The latter I am more grateful for than ever, AND I will make sure that my girls learn as well. Even though we did not see eye to eye all of the time, he instilled me a love for books and would always take me to the book store with him.
3) My Grandma (Dad's Mom)- She instilled in me a love for singing, flowers, grapes, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. She is in her 80s and is still a very healthy individual. She raised 7 successful kids and did everything with a smile on her face, and still does.
4) My brother and sister- I am the baby of the family and they will tell you that I acted like it every minute of my young life. But they are always there when I need them. My brother is who I call first if I need anything. He is hardworking and dependable. My sister is the one who will always tell you like it is.... as in, her opinion, whether you like it or not. I can honestly say that there are more times than not when I don't like what she has to say. But she says it because she loves me and she wants the best for me.
5) Edna Binnie- I unfortunately do not have a picture of this amazing woman. She lived across the street from us and was one of my mother's and grandma's best friends. She and her daughters would babysit me when I my mom had errands to run. She was a stay at home mom who was always redecorating her house and planting in the garden. Their family had cows and horses and a huge farm (huge in my childhood eyes anyway). She was one of the healthiest people I know, always exercising and eating the food that she planted and grew in her own garden. We would always go visit her just to sit and talk over a cup of coffee. She lost a battle to cancer a few years ago but will always be remembered.
6) Darla Grabe- another amazing neighbor. The Grabes lived next door and all of us kids grew up playing in the dirt and trees together. She was always cooking and her door was always open, even if the kids weren't home. I don't remember ever seeing her sit down. She was always busy doing something. She was like another mom to me. Darla had a massive heart attack at the age of 42, when I was 19 years old. Her daughter Heather has many of the same qualities as she did. And we still get together when I am in my hometown for a visit.
7)My extended family- My dad was 1 of 7, and mom 1 of 5. We had huge family gatherings and they were all big parties when we were kids. I grew up playing with my cousins, going to grandparents for each holiday, and always having family around. We aren't so close now that we are all grown up and around the US, but we still love each other.
8)I am going to put many teachers that I had together. But they each had an impact on me for different reasons. Mrs. Kennedy- 1st grade- I remember helping her with some of the lower academic students. Mrs. Gammal- 2nd grade- loved to read. Mr. Cooper- 3rd grade- started my love of science. John Geist- he was the athletic trainer who taught me how to tape a "mean" ankle. I started my first profession because of him. And that started me on the way to who I am today. His wife, Diana, was the volleyball coach who taught me how to play, score, and ref the game. And many others. I would have to look through my yearbooks to remember all their names, but my memories of growing up are still vivid.
As I read your blog I couldnt help but to smile. I love the way each individual person in your life gave a passion for you to love and appreciate something different. Growing up I was the only girl, so I often got treated as the baby even though I was the middle child. so I had to chuckle when you said you acted like it every minute. My daughter is an only child so she doesnt have the experience of sibling rivalry aka the way brothers and sisters share love and bond.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have such a large network of people in your life who helped influence you as you developed. I had a hard time coming up with people who truly made a large impact on me as a child. My immediate family was intact, but not too many other people where around besides them and I wish I had a larger network of people. I am a big believer in the importance of family, but my family was never very close and that saddens me. As an adult, I just have very close friends who are like family to me and their families have been like family to me as well.
ReplyDelete-Alyson
I had a great large family and neighborly unit that I grew up with. My favorite memories as a child were our large family gathering: weddings, graduations, and holidays. I miss them very much. I live far away from my family, so my children do not get to have a close family unit, but we have a great friend "family" here that I know help to influence their lives. This was a very fun reflection activity!
ReplyDelete