Some Childhood Memories

Here's a list of meaningful things from my childhood:

Having mom make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day cut into 4 squares that I ate while watching Sesame Street. I know it's been Elmo that hit it big off of that show, but truthfully I think my favortie character might have been Grover.

Tuna Helper Tetrazini. And fresh-made chocolate chip cookies. And by fresh, I mean made DAILY.

My friend Kim, who has been my friend so long that I honestly don't remember meeting her. And of course Abby and Linds and Katie and Jocie and Lauren. My friends have been my friends forever, and one thing I don't think I'll ever forget is that it was my friends in the bathroom with me helping me get ready for my wedding. There was something really fitting about that.

Singing in the car when the family went on trips. I remember singing the Little Mermaid and the "Oh no bee-staw eh may dominea" song a lot. And Mom and Dad taking turns telling all of his kids things they like about us.

Coming home after church and smelling the roast or whatever Mom was making for dinner and all of us pretending to die in the family room because it smelled so good.

Going up to Great Grandma Hanna's house for Christmas and Santa Claus always stopping by.

Sitting on Grandma and Grandpa Turner's steps eating watermelon. And once I went over to Rebecca's house and she gave me American cheese to eat as a snack and since I don't like it I fed it to her cat.

Family dinners when Dad would always stack things and put one grain of rice on our plates and tell us when we had finished it we could have some more. And I don't know if it was just me or all of us, but I remember that the blessing on the food was always the same.

I remember doing the same puzzles EVERY DAY. And playing with my Little Ponies while listening to Saturday's warrior. ON A RECORD. Ahh, Saturday's Warrior, a film almost anyone can relate to, where the good guys just want to have their nine kids in peace, and the bad guys want....dun dun dun...population control.

I remember dancing with Allison and Danae in the family room, but they would always dance together so I would dance by myself holding my hands with my fingers entertwined and looking at them, pretending it was me and someone else. Yeah, that might have been where the psychosis started...

I remember how hard it was to live with 6 kids all in the same house, and I remember fights we got into, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know I say it again and again but I love the relationships I have with everyone in my family. You guys are my best friends. I love you so much.

And my friends feel like family. No matter how much time has passed when we get together we can talk and have fun without it being uncomfortable at all.

I'm really thankful for all you guys.