Flashback Friday - Life Story question

Steve and I have been planning to continue our story because we had fun doing it. We've been told that some people actually enjoyed reading it too. Here is our dilemma. We don't really see each other much during the week. In fact, this week it really has been very little. We usually have all day Saturday and Sunday, and this weekend we don't even have that. So, I am going to do something else for this week and then we will try to work on something during the week so that by Friday it will be ready to post.

I decided to cheat a little this week and pull a question out of my Life Story jar that would work for my Flashback Friday. The question is "Tell about any conditions surrounding your birth that you are aware of. Tell any interesting stories about your beginnings (how your name was chosen, any close calls)." Boy what a gem this is!

When I was 11 my mom wrote me a letter as part of a mutual project. It shares some about when I was born, but not all the really good stuff. But, I would like to share a little of it because it is in her words.

"I would like to tell you a little bit about the day you was born. It was a bright, sunny, early spring morning - March 26, 1977. We already had 2 little boys and were hoping to get a little girl. We were, of course, very please when we found out you was indeed a little girl. We were a little bit scared at first because you wasn't breathing right away, but it sure didn't take long to get you breathing. Once you started breathing, you started crying. What a set of lungs! You have been very quiet since then! Just kidding." (She really isn't kidding. I am a self-admitted loud-mouth!)

"You was one of the prettiest babies ever born at the Valley West Hospital in what was then called Granger, Utah. Things have really changed so it is now Pioneer Valley Hospital in West Valley City, Utah. The nurses made a fuss over you because you had so much long dark hair. At one time Dr. Astle, who delivered you, said, "One day she'll knock some young man for a loop." He thought you looked like you would really be pretty some day."

The next paragraph I am leaving out because it is very personal, but she mentions having health issues before and after I was born. When she was 4 months along, she started having contractions due to an asymptomatic urinary tract infection. This was obviously way to early to give birth so the hospital did what they could to stop the contractions. The way that was done at that time was through an alcohol drip. Yes, my mom got drunk due to this alcohol drip, this explains everything! She was a difficult patient and kept trying to get out of bed (very unlike her, she is a nurse and knows better), but in the end it worked and I was born only 3 weeks early.

Just after I was born they were not sure what my name would be. They knew my first name would be Mary because they wanted me to have that family name (it goes back to my great-great grandmother). Their inspiration for my middle name, what I would actually go by, came from an interesting source. When I was born, they still had shared hospital rooms and she was sharing with someone who also just gave birth to a little girl and also had a little boy. When her son came in to visit he was disappointed. He said "I wanted you to have a boy so we could name him Charlie Brown." They decided that would be a cute name for a girl, except as Charlene. So, I am named after Charlie Brown and I did not learn this until my friends gave me the nickname of Charlie (against my wishes) which ended up as Chuck (which I was okay with...go figure). Ironic.

What they didn't know at the time I was born was that part of the placenta had scarred next to the uterus due to the premature contractions. Since that part stayed behind her body didn't get the clear signal that she was not pregnant anymore and her milk did not come in. Therefore, I was not breast fed like my 7 siblings. I personally find this curious as I am the one in the family with the most health issues. It simply re-affirms to me the importance of breast milk. Anyway, about 5 weeks after I was born she started having issues due to the part of the placenta wall left behind. She ended up in the hospital with severe bleeding and the doctors gave her until a specified time to pull out of it or she would have an emergency hysterectomy. It looked like it was going to happen, but she was blessed and a half an hour before the determined time she pulled out of it and did not need to have the surgery.

She had 5 more children after that, all with very little or no complications. So, I say that I started out as a problem child and unfortunately I don't think much has changed. But I can say that I am truly grateful my mom was able to have more children for all the siblings I have. I would have been the youngest child and the only girl and if that had been the case I would have been a spoiled brat - no questions!

I have an amazing family and I am so blessed to be a part of it. I consider some of my siblings among my best friends and I can not imagine my life without them.

Another My Life Story question

Between the ages of 5 and 10, what was your favorite activity?

Well, this one is pretty easy...doing just about anything outside. It of course would depend on the weather. Spring and summer Britta and I would constantly participate in the game we called witch's brew. This activity was my mother's least favorite. We had a small hill in the front with two "pot holes" we would fill with water and then find anything we could to put in for ingredients. The most common was dirt, rocks, leaves and grass. For some reason we had a box of rocks in the garage that we would frequently raid for these concoctions. We used sticks to stir it and would cackle like witches. Occasionally we would venture into the backyard with this because there was a hole at the base of the slide as well. One time, we made the mother of all witch's brews. My parents had a barrell in the back yard (I really don't remember why) and we filled that. Boy was my mother MAD!

Summer was filled with sprinklers and slip and slide. I probably spent more time in my bathing suit than any other article of clothing. When I was a child my hair was so dark it was nearly black and I used to tan beautifully and very rarely burn. Because of this, in the summer my mother very lovingly referred to me as her little indian. Britta was completely the opposite of me. Very fair and blond hair. In fact, I am the only one out of 8 children with the dark brown hair like my mother. So much for that being the dominant trait!

In the winter we loved playing in the snow. We would play house outside. You'd think we were aspiring architechts. We would trace out floorplans in the snow, including the toilets and beds. I remember playing this at school with my friends and then coming home and playing it with Britta.

The biggest memory for me during that time really is the time I spent with my family. I remember my friends, but I really did play a lot more with Britta than anyone else. We very rarely fought, even though we really are quite different in our personalities. I guess she has always been so easy going there really was no need to!

My childhood was a joy and full of wonderful memories. I am truly blessed to have my family!

My Life Story

I pulled my first question out of my jar:

Did you have roommates? Tell about them and the things you learned living with others (besides your immediate family).

I went to Snow College right after high school. Two of my friends from high school and I went down one weekend and found a place together. We found a place called The Rez. It had two separate apartments, one on top and one on bottom, both had four bedrooms and two bathrooms. So, I was one of 8 girls in my apartment. I shared with someone I didn't know before the school year, Dori. She was a lot of fun but would stay with her mom or dad each weekend because she worked and sometimes during the week. We really didn't see her much because of this. She also graduated after the Winter quarter so I had my own room for the Spring quarter. This was the first time in my life I had my own room and I loved it!

One of the funny things about our apartment was apparently the girls who lived there the year prior apparently caused a lot of trouble. The police were called out due to domestic issues over who owned a bottle of catsup. Compared to them, we were all angels and even if we broke the rules, the landlords really didn't seem to care. They really liked us, even though they lived right next door and saw everything we did.

The second year I chose to live in the same place, same room. This time I knew my roommate from the year before. She was on my colorguard. She worked a lot too, but we still had fun. She left after Fall quarter, so I had my own room for Winter quarter. But, my best friend, Angela, came down for Spring quarter and shared a room with me. That was an interesting quarter. That is when I met Kenyon...that is another story!

One of the biggest things I learned was needing to be tolerant of others and their space. There were several times when I would be tired and would go to bed even though several of "the guys" were over visiting. There were times when I felt that I got along very well with my roommates, and other times I felt very left out. I had my own group of friends that I would go and hang out with, leaving to start playing at times when some were going to bed.

I also learned that no matter how close you are as friends, sometimes it really isn't a good idea to live together. I do not keep in touch with the two friends from high school that lived in that apartment with me, mostly my choice.

I loved my years at Snow, and looking back see them as some of the best years of my life, truly. Sometimes I wish I could do them again, and not necessarily any different. Even relationships that didn't work out taught me a lot. I learned a lot about myself and what true friendships really are. I am grateful for the few very good friends I have. I may not have been extremely popular, but I always felt that I had someone I could confide in.

My Life Story

My sister recently started a blog about her family. She writes something daily and was recently commenting on my blog, and how I don't really post many. Then she remembered one big difference between her life and mine. She has two kids, while I have none. Most of her blogs are about her kids. But this made me want to write more blogs...but about what?

In addition to her family blog, she started a side blog called "My Life Story". She has a list of questions that she can answer one at a time. She asked me if I would like a copy of the questions and I really think it sounds like a great idea, so I am going to do so. She also does "Flashback Friday". In this she writes about anything from her past that comes to mind. The last two weeks have been the births of her two children. Before that a childhood activity that we used to spend hours on. I think that sounds fun as well.

But.......

I am to tired too start it tonight. But watch for it, it will be soon!