Monday, January 22, 2007

More About Me - #21-40

21. My mother tells me I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 3. I wish I remembered that day.

22. I have never wanted to live any other way.

23. Being the eldest, I was given a great deal of responsibility.

24. I was mad when my youngest brother was born - I wanted a girl so that we wouldn't be outnumbered.

25. He and I became very close, because I helped Mom a lot with him.

26. When I was 10 I almost drowned when I hit a drop-off in a Minnesota lake.

27. My mom couldn't swim either, but she was tall enough that she was able to reach me and rescue me.

28. I still have a fear of water and cannot even float, much less swim. I don't even like to get my face wet in the shower!

29. I got a D in swimming class because of this phobia. It's the only D I ever got in my life.

30. The P.E. teacher wouldn't get into the water to help anyone, but would stand on the edge of the pool and try to tell us what to do. After we moved, the class I would have been in threw her into the pool, and it turned out she couldn't swim! They were expelled from school for awhile. I wonder if I would have been in on that.

31. My sister and I used to designate Saturday night as "giggle night." We must have driven our mom crazy!

32. I had a very tender conscience. As a teen, I would go into my parents' room when I got back from any event and tell them all about it. Someday I'll tell the story of the slumber party when the police arrived - I made sure they knew all about it so they didn't hear it from someone else. The policeman in this little town reminded us of Barney Fife.

33. I was the tallest girl in my high school class (there were only 82 total).

34. I lived in 23 houses/apartments (not counting dorm rooms) during the first 30 years of my life, but have lived in the same house for the past 28 years.

35. I am afraid of heights - can't do roller coasters, haylofts, ladders, mountains.

36. We moved back to Minnesota in the middle of 5th grade - as far north as you can go.

37. My sister and I worked very hard to lose our Arkansas accents quickly, because we were teased mercilessly - we practiced saying "I" instead of "Ah" every night.

38. We lived in an apartment at the back of the church for the first year or so - two tiny bedrooms upstairs, a living room and kitchen downstairs - 7 people. The aroma of Mom's roast always permeated the sanctuary before Dad finished preaching.

39. The time in northern Minnesota was the least happy years of our lives. It was a very rough town.

40. Dad got very sick and had to leave the ministry for awhile to regain his health. We became laymen's kids for a couple of years. I missed being the p.k. My sister kind of liked the change.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

13 comments:

Carole Burant said...

It's after midnight and I should be in bed but I wanted to visit a couple more blogs yet:-) I'm so enjoying reading your list...it's amazing how much better I'm getting to know you through it! I'm terrified of heights too....even getting up on a chair is scary for me. It's no wonder you don't like the water after what happened to you! Looking forward to the next installment:-) Hugs xox

Maggie Ann said...

What an interesting post! I'm afraid of heights too. And, I too was the oldest and was given alot of responsibility. I'm afraid of water too. I hate it when my hubby drives near the dam. ~~I must get you in my sidebar soon! I'd better get to bed, I have a bad habit of staying up too late, then I go to bed and can't sleep anyway. What a terrible night owl I am...=)

Unknown said...

I'm enjoying these posts about yourself. Congratulations on your 100th post!
I was sad too to hear about your piano.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I can relate to your fear of water, but I want to overcome it, I really do!

Anonymous said...

I think you are doing a great job on this list, mom. I'm even finding out some things I didn't know, like the apartment above the church.

Anonymous said...

Hey there. Just wanted to say thanks for understanding why we're thinking of moving on again. I know you'll all be disappointed, and I feel bad about that. I just can't help having itchy feet! And I do understand why you love CO so much. I always think how strangely perspective changes everything. Two entirely opposite reactions to the same place!

Lala's world said...

I am so enjoying this! my mom hated the sound of giggling and we would get into trouble if we did it....of course we did a lot of it!

Anonymous said...

It is nice to get view into your life and where you came from. I think it is interesting.

Swim teacher who can't swim...very interesting. I had some business teachers in college who had never owned businesses....

kpjara said...

I love these entries...and getting to know more about you! I don't think I could ever live as far north as Minnesota.

Anonymous said...

Loved your list! I was one of the tallest in my class too. (and I think you and I are the same height!)
Wait till your grandkids are taller than you. That's an eye opener!!
hugs!!

Tammy said...

This is so interesting...I'm hanging on every line!

My mom has a fear of water also...
I can't believe that swimming teacher didn't know how to swim!

Can't wait for the next installment! :)

Pamela said...

You know, something must have happened to my Mom as a young girl too. Cause she has always had a terrible fear of water. Thankfully, she didn't pass that fear on to us kids. Cause wouldn't you know I went on to save my brother from drowning, and became a Senior Certified Lifeguard! lol

My Aunt, Uncle and their four kids lived in the back of their little white church too!

Anonymous said...

Amazing how much we have in common. I cannot for the life of me get over my fear of water and can't swim a stroke. And I'm the oldest, too. Compared to the responsibility I had dumped on me, my sister got off very light! I'm still bossy to this day.