Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my past from growing up. I'm not sure exactly why, but random thoughts will pop in my head while driving, working up patients, in a conversation with Brian. I think I may be missing Mississippi. I haven't been back in over year...now, that's a long time for someone like me. It sucks that we live 13 hours way, but I do have to say I love Wilmington. I do have to say that I miss my family and friends. I will be missing my niece, Audrey, 7th birthday this weekend. She's growing up so FAST.
Sorry for the rambling, back to my childhood
(elementary-high school) memories. To make things easier, I will make a list in no particular order.
1. During senior year of high school, class of '99, we took a field trip to Parchman, Mississippi's State Penitentiary. Why they took us there, I don't know. I suppose that's what you get for living in a small town in MS. They took us on a tour and had some prisoners speak to us. This one guy in particular, I can't remember his name, but he was a SOLID black man....I mean solid. Anywho, he describe the nights which was a little frighting. He said "Can you picture waking up in the middle of the night and there's a man standing over you with a can of grease in one hand and a knife in the other, which hand are you going to choose?" Yeah, that's right, he said that. Now, if that doesn't scare a 17-18 year old, then I don't know what will. I suppose Winona Academy didn't want anyone from their school to end up there.
2. My Barbie doll house that I got for Christmas one year. I believe I was around 7 or 8. My parent's actually built it for me, but of course I thought it was from Santa. This doll house was two stories with real shingles on the roof, real carpet and wall paper. The doll house was a light color blue. Now, I had the whole set-up with living room furniture, kitchen furniture with dinnerware, bedroom suite and a hot pink convertible. I LOVED me some Barbie. It was the coolest house EVER. Then several years down the road, my parent's sold it to my Uncle Kenneth. I was very saddened by it. Maybe one day I will have a little girl and I will have my dad build her one just like the one I had. I don't even think I have a picture of it, only a memory.
3. Learning to ride a bike. Growing up, we lived behind my Uncle Warren's monument shop...tombstones everywhere. I remember my Mom was holding me up and we took off. I was peddling away and I happened to look back at her with full of excitement. Seeing that she wasn't there, I looked forward and BAM, I ran smack dab into a tombstone. It didn't feel good, but I jumped back on and was able to ride by myself.
4. My trampoline. During summer of '90 (I think that's when it was) I was spending the week with grandmama Sanders. Well, it was suppose to be a week but I got homesick. That was the longest of being away and my grandmother's house creeped me out. My granddad grew up there and so did my dad. Needless to say, the house is old...back from the 1800's. I had written a letter to my mom and I was crying when I wrote it and a tear drop had stand the paper. My Mom noticed it and she came and got me early. Grant it, we only lived about 40 minutes away. When she came and got me, she bought me a trampoline to make me feel better. I was spoiled. I loved my trampoline. I spent countless hours teaching myself how to do front and back flips, Leigh and I would jar each other to see how high we could bounce each other. I would move the trampoline next to the house and jump off. My Mom wasn't happy with that one. I would put the sprinklers underneath and we would jump over the water when it came through. It was AWESOME!
5. Dance and gymnastics. I started taking dance lessons when I was 3 years old by Claire Gaines and her Mom Mrs. Gaines. Dance class was so much fun! I took dance all the way through elementary school, except for 5th grade. I don't know why I skipped that year. I guess because none of my friends were taking it. I only took gymnastics for a few years. I actually fractured my left wrist from doing a back handspring. I remember that cracking sound like it was yesterday. My favorite thing about dance and gymnastics was the recitals. Getting all dressed up in the costumes and being on stage. For some reason, I always thought all eyes were on me! It was a great feeling.
6. My prayer partner. Ms. Townsend was one of the members at Moore Memorial United Methodist Church that I selected to be my prayer partner. Ms. Townsend lived next door to the Gaines, where I took dance, and I would go over to her house every time I went to class. I remember being this amazing gardner. She had tons of flowers. Her backyard was like an enchanted forest. Inside her house was full of plants. When she died, my parents didn't even tell me. I had to hear it from Mollye Robertson. I remember getting off the phone with her crying and I told my Mom. My Mom already knew, but didn't want to tell me because she didn't want me to be heartbroken. That was the first person that was ever close to me that had died. I didn't even go to her funeral because my parent's thought it would be too hard on me.
7. My first car. 1992 baby blue Ford Tauras Stationwagon. That's right, a STATIONWAGON. Let me tell you, I was cool as shit driving that thing. Everyone wanted to drive the "dragon wagon." I remember during Sophmore year, it was homecoming week, and I was able to fit 14 people in that car. Even one guy, Kyle, was 300 lbs! It was a bad ass ride. I had some good times in that car.
8. 1980's and early '90s TV...especially the cartoons. Smurfs, The Wonderful World of David The Gnome, The Little Prince, Today's Special, Care Bears, Hey Dude, Rainbow Brite, Heathcliffe and the Alley Cats, Garfield, Empty Nest, Popples, Shirt Tales, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Gummi Bears, You Can't Do That On Television and Punky Brewster to name a few. I tell you what, they don't make t.v. like this anymore. When Brian and I have kids, I'm not going to let me kids watch what's on now. I have a few of these on DVD that I will let my kids watch.
9. Homeschooling my Junior year. I wanted to graduate a year early, so I home schooled my junior year. It was great! I taught myself and got to hang out with people from the public and private school. I actually went to two proms that year. At the public school it was with Kyle, the big guy but we were great friends, and with Dylan at the private school. That was pretty cool. After homeschooling, I met my high school sweetheart, Donovan, and decided to go back to the private school my senior year. I was young and in love and thought it would be best that I go back and finish with my friends so I could be with him. I relationship ended after 2 years, but I will have the many fond memories of Senior year.
10. My swing in my door way. At our old house in Winona, my Dad put a swing in my doorway. I'm not sure exactly why, but it was so COOL! Of course, you couldn't swing that high but hey, who can say they had a swing in their doorway. NO ONE!
Those are just a few memories that I have that I wanted to share. There are way too many to list and plus, I don't want to get carpa tunnel syndrome. Maybe another day I will list more. But until then, this will have to do.
