My Parents Met In Middle America

A re-post from February, 2013...

It has always fascinated me to learn how people get together, share a life, and produce a legacy for future generations.  Have you ever considered the "what ifs" that might have changed the course of your life?  I am convinced that a very well-thought out master plan is responsible for how we came about, even with all of the choice possibilities and coincidences (or co-inky-dinks, as we say in my family) that cause the twists and turns of our lives.  Each of these twists has a purpose, whether we are aware of the purpose, or not.

Take, for example, my parents.  They are both in heaven, probably dancing, golfing or playing Bridge.  I loved hearing the stories of how they met and looking at the pictures of their first years together.  My mom, originally from New York, was a student at Missouri Valley College, and my dad, originally from California, was in the Navy, stationed at the same school for training.  He was dating my mom's roommate.  If the roommate was not ready to leave for a date when my dad arrived (which was often because my dad was always early), my mom would sit and talk with him while he waited.  One thing led to another and soon they were dating and my mom's roommate was not.  Fortunately, there was another great guy waiting in the wings for the roommate.

My mom was the Editor of the school newspaper, and she was not afraid to exercise her First Amendment right.  The Navy had a football team that played against the school's team for practice.  She wrote about a game where there were questionable calls, as well as, questionable tactics involved.  In essence, she blasted the Navy's team! I think her courage and assertiveness made my dad love her even more! This cost her the Editor's position, but she got over it.

My mom graduated, joined the Navy, and married my dad on a weekend leave.  The rest went according to The Plan. Theirs is a great story, with so much more to tell...another post!

This post is brought to you by the effervescent Mama Kat at Mama's Losin' It.  Each week she provides writing prompts from her Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop, to her writer followers with a challenge to crank up our brain muscles.  Please click on the link above to visit Mama Kat and read some great stories from some very talented bloggers!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Writer's Workshop - My Parents Met In Middle America

It has always fascinated me to learn how people get together, share a life, and produce a legacy for future generations.  Have you ever considered the "what ifs" that might have changed the course of your life?  I am convinced that a very well-thought out master plan is responsible for how we came about, even with all of the choice possibilities and coincidences (or co-inky-dinks, as we say in my family) that cause the twists and turns of our lives.  Each of these twists has a purpose, whether we are aware of the purpose, or not.

Take, for example, my parents.  They are both in heaven, probably dancing, golfing or playing Bridge.  I loved hearing the stories of how they met and looking at the pictures of their first years together.  My mom, originally from New York, was a student at Missouri Valley College, and my dad, originally from California, was in the Navy, stationed at the school for training.  He was dating my mom's roommate.  If the roommate was not ready to leave for a date when my dad arrived (which was often because my dad was always early), my mom would sit and talk with him while he waited.  One thing led to another and soon they were dating and my mom's roommate was not.  Fortunately, there was another great guy waiting in the wings for the roommate.

My mom was the Editor of the school newspaper, and she was not afraid to exercise her First Amendment right.  The Navy had a football team that played against the school's team for practice.  She wrote about a game where there were questionable calls, as well as, questionable tactics involved.  In essence, she blasted the Navy's team! I think her courage and assertiveness made my dad love her even more! 

My mom graduated, joined the Navy, and married my dad on a weekend leave.  The rest went according to The Plan. Theirs is a great story, with so much more to tell...another post!

This post is brought to you by the effervescent Mama Kat at Mama's Losin' It.  Each week she provides writing prompts from her Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop, to her writer followers with a challenge to crank up our brain muscles.  Please click on the logo below to visit Mama Kat and read some great stories from some very talented bloggers!  Thanks for stopping by today!

What If?

What if I had followed my dreams of becoming a dancer? Would I have made a living doing something that I loved? Did it matter that I was not a "great" dancer, but my heart told me I was? It may have mattered that one leg was 1/4" longer than the other one; it may have mattered that I would have been one of thousands at every audition; it may have mattered that most of the guys who danced back then were not interested in women. Or, maybe not?


I wonder how different things would be if I had made the cheerleading squad in high school. It was my dream to be a Pioneer cheerleader! Would I have been a slutty cheerleader? Would it have mattered that I slept around and started a family at 18? Would it have mattered that I didn't earn the silly secretarial degree from college and found that working for attorneys paid a lot more than insurance brokers? It may have mattered if I hadn't gone to college...I would not have met my hubs. It may have mattered that by not meeting my hubs, my four cherubims would belong to someone else or not belong to anyone at all. That matters to me. I'm sort of sweet on my cherubims.

Had a few things happened differently, I would not have a lot of what I have today. I would not be humbled by my imperfections or the perfection of nature; I might not have found God through a 12 step program; I would not be in awe of the fact that I managed to produce not one child, but four; and I would not be amazed that a man would stick it out with a neurotic witch like me for 33 years...next week.

I'm glad that life happened to me as it has. No "what ifs" here!

Procrastinator Queen

So, I'm sitting here with the best of intentions to write about: my day; my kids; my job; my lack of living a healthy lifestyle; the return to another school year, yadda, yadda, yadda!! What I really want to do is read about five billion blogs and comment on at least half of them! For a great chuckle, check out "My Husband is Annoying." I'm sure you've seen it advertised on your local news. It will either either make you laugh 'til your gut hurts, or, make you think the author is annoying!

My Kids: Hero doesn't want to come home and have free room and board. He likes his little college town. That's okay; his room was invaded five years ago by Ed within minutes of his leaving for college.

Rock is leaving for school tomorrow. He will be a college senior who dreams of the "college after-life." Should he throw himself into the band? Should he try to get an internship where he can use his art talent (and not just sit around answering phones)? Decisions, decisions! I'm so lucky that his college is only 30 minutes away...close enough to do laundry on the weekends, but far enough that I don't think about what he does during the week!

Ed, has carried on the tradition of having the most obscene and disgusting bedroom! It's as bad as any teenage boy's room! Her brother would be so proud! Let the bugfest begin! She has come of age by turning 18 and it changes almost everything! I no longer have control of everything in her life. The free spirit inside her that has wanted to break free, has done just that! She thinks she's ready to fly away! (please stay...just a little bit longer!)

My sweet little Katya is learning what it is to burn the candle at both ends. She is attending two different schools and has just been made a manager at her job. Sheesh! I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Ah, but she still makes the best Blizzards in town!

My job: I'm back at school, and sort of loving it... I was spoiled with sleeping in this summer. I'm paying for it now! But, it is great to be back with my co-workers, and, of course, the kids! I love getting a daily dose of the corny, silly, dramatic and "no clue" of 13 year olds!

Well, since I don't want to address my "lack of healthy lifestyle" right now, I will save it for another time. Suffice it to say that I am still on vacation, and I'm loving it!

Nuts About the Kid!

Hero arrived yesterday for a visit. He lives about 3 hours away in a cute little college town. I was so happy to see him; it was all I could do to stop myself from squeezing him to death! I get to see him about every three to six months. He just graduated from college and is starting the job-hunting, when-do-I-have-to-start-repaying-my-student-loans phone calls, and trying to figure out how many jobs he has to get to survive on his own. His Wonder Woman is still in school, so he does not want to move back home (there are other reasons why he doesn't want to come back..it can't be me...maybe it's because Edwina has taken over his room and completely covered the walls with posters, and thrown all her girly stuff about the room.)

Many of us moms will make all kinds of mistakes on No. 1, but I think my guy turned out okay. I'm glad sometimes that my memory is bad; I shudder at some of stupid things I did when he was little. For being my "practice kid" he is one awesome Hero. I'd love to hear some of your parenting memories with your first child.

Thanks for stopping by!