Friday, September 10, 2010

Farm Boys, CDs, and my Molly

It's FRIDAY AGAIN!!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEEEE! And, I have Sunday off, so I will be getting some good family time. I'm getting spoiled, oh yes I am.

Anyway, since it's Friday, you know what that means, right? FIVE Questions. :) And probably lots of friend shout-outs.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere we go! (Know what song that's from?)

1. Do you feel guilty spending money on yourself?
It depends. Once in a while I feel all "deserving" of a treat of some kind, and I don't mind spending on me at all, however, I have been known to feel guilty about spending on myself.

Let's go back four years and some-odd months to my preggo self. I went on a lovely shopping spree at Motherhood, and got some super-cute clothes for my baby-bump. A couple of hours later as we were eating lunch in the food court, I suddenly felt as if I were suffocating. I couldn't believe the money I'd spent on clothes I'd only wear a few months! Nevermind the world was tired of seeing me in my over-sized sweater and size-too-big brown corduroys. I quickly tried to return some of the loot, but they have a very stern NO-RETURN policy...even when they KNEW I'd only been gone an hour or two. I then told the cashier (in no uncertain terms) that they were preying on vulnerable, emotionally unstable women and they KNEW IT. Attack of the psycho-preggo lady!

I think that's the MOST guilty I ever felt, but you get the picture. I'd always rather buy something we need (more) or something for Chloe.


2. How well do you know your neighbors?
Well enough to recognize them (and their vehicles) outside my eh, um, "neigborhood," and well enough I'd ask them for help if I were stranded on the side of the road, or running from an axe murderer in my home. Bryan knows them very well, I just haven't been here long enough to know everyone. Martha is the closest I come to "knowing" one, and although we haven't ever really spoken in real-life, we are totally Facebook friends, and we have a (not-so) secret posse :)


3. What age are you looking forward to being?
I'm not looking FORWARD to being any age. I believe twenty two was the best age, and I have chosen to remain there for the rest of eternity.

When Friends first came on and I was all of oh maybe fourteen, I looked SO forward to being (gasp) thirty, because they made it look sooooo cool. Now that it is quickly approaching, I scold my younger self for having wished it upon me. Darn you teenage Andrea!

4. Do you get excited when the mail comes? Why?
I don't anymore, because I KNOW there is nothing but bills and junk. But when I was younger, oh how I couldn't wait for the mail! This was before the age of Facebook, and even before e-mail was widely popular. This was when I met friends (and cute boys) at church camp and kept in touch via mail all year long.

This was when the mission farm produced oh-so-morally wholesome easy-to-look-at twenty-somethings and the teenage girls such as myself fell madly in love with them. They would, in turn, go back to their drug-dealing ways (with the love of Jesus in their hearts), and leave our tender hearts bruised. One, however, seemingly kicked his habit and moved to the Texas gulf coast. We always had a little emotional(ly unhealthy) attraction, and he kept in touch with me via snail mail. Ohhhhh the sweet letters I used to get.

This was also the time before IPods and digital music when I was a member of the BMG music club! I received such wonderful albums as No Doubt, Bush, The Nixons, Tori Amos, Matchbox 20, ahhh the list goes on and on. No such lovely things in the mail these days :(


5. What is your earliest childhood memory?
I think the earliest thing I remember from my childhood is the last Christmas with my Grandma Willa. There are pictures, but that's not why I remember it. I remember feelings.

My cousin, Molly, was a newborn baby, and I was all of two years old (almost three!) Grandma had been too sick to shop, but had asked someone to get us babydolls (I think). I got this life-sized baby-doll with blinky eyes. She was a great doll. But my cousin Misty got a Cabbage Patch, and BOY was I jealous! I didn't have any yet and that was a HOT item in those days!

Anyway, I named my baby doll Molly, after my super cute cousin. My grandma died in February after I turned three, and I became very attached to my Molly dolly. She was numero uno, and I didn't go to Lindsey's house, or anywhere over night, without her until I was um...maybe in fifth grade? I KNOW! But Lindsey understood. She had a baby, too ;) Molly is still with me (that's her today), now sleeping on Chloe's top bunk teaching all the newbie dolls how to roll!

I also remember that Grandma had a Cabbage Patch doll of her own she asked my grandpa to give me. I would say she knew I wanted one so badly, and she wanted me to have hers. I remember going to get it that day, and how Mom told me not to ask about Grandma, or the doll. Grandpa hadn't forgotten, though, and he made sure I went home with her. That baby's name is Willa Mae, and she's still in perfect condition, now sleeping on my mom's bed.

I think about these things often, and wonder what Chloe is keeping in her memory from these very early days. You just never know.

6 comments:

  1. Once again, you have amazed me! Luv it!!!

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  3. I’m impressed with what you remember about your grandma. I remember that last Christmas with mom and dad. I think we called her mom instead of grandma because that’s what Terry called them and we were all so close in ages. When we were young, going to moms and Aunt Shirley’s was one of the most memorable things we’ve done. thing to do. Aunt Shirley always made us kids feel special. She can make anyone feel special she’s so good to people. I imagine you’re mom will tell you, I was a pain in the …  Still, your mom and I had some good times before she got married.

    If you’d like to give your daughter some cabbage patch dolls, Molly has some here at the house she doesn’t want. You’re welcome to them, if you’d like. My mom gave them to her, I think, but Molly never liked them.  I feel honored you called your doll Molly. Did you know your great grandma’s name was Molly, she might have been your great, great grandma?

    I’m glad to see you and Molly being in contact, since we’ve always moved around due to the USAF, she’s never really gotten close to family.
    Keep writing, I’ve enjoyed reading your blog…

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  4. Thank you Cyndi. Yes Shirley always has been so good to us. She stepped in as our surrogate Grandma =) if you're sure Molly wouldn't want them I would love for Chloe to have them. How special that Aunt Joyce got them. I'm a sucker for family heirlooms.

    And yes thankgoodness for Facebook =) Keeps people closer.

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  5. It was last month when Molly and i went through her old toys to get rid of them, that we found the dolls but I think they have been without clothes. I will see if Molly can remember why or where they might be. Then I'll send them to you.

    Apparently, Aunt Shirley is many things to many people. For you she's a grandma, for me she played the role of mom while I lived close to her and then became my adoptive mom after mine died. Don't know what I'll do when she's gone.

    I have been reading your blogs including the story about your "Life Happiness Policy" I loved. If you came up with that story on your own, please seek out your writing career. It was great!!

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  6. Awwww thanks thanks it makes me feel soooooo happy for you to say that :)

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