Things I did as a child.....

There are so many things that I grew up doing that my children won't!!!!!

Here is my very first Thursday 13!


1.) I walked from school through town to the dance studio (probably close to two miles). We would stop at a convenient store and oogle the ice cream sandwiches behind the sliding glass. I usually had enough money for some cherry sours but ice cream sandwiches were a splurge :)
My kids walk.......hmm......let's see.......*nowhere*.

2.) I "pumped" my friends on my bike (in front) with another daredevil sharing the banana seat behind me. Yep, that's three girls on one bike. My 12-year old is still riding the same size bike she got when she was about 8! I don't even think the concept of "pumping" exists in their mind!!! Good thing they don't read my blog.....yet.

3.) I listened to some really vulgar music! At age 10 or 11, my absolute favorite songs were "Super Freak" by Rick James and "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band. After hearing the lyrics as an adult I was tempted to charge my parents with child abuse. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???

4.) I had my own BB gun. I used it whenever I wanted. The thought of my children with a BB gun makes me shake....all over.....and want to vomit.

I don't want to incriminate myself but I'll tell you this. There was a day when my target practice wasn't going too well and..........there was this little dog..........he was the neighbor's dog.........and.......Let's just say that after that day you could never really tell which direction he was looking - if you catch my drift.

5.) On many a Sunday morning we would pick up donuts and head to the tennis courts. This tradition is one that my kids will not be partaking in. While our family still has donuts, we head to church instead.

6.) I went to daycare. From the time I was a baby until I was preschool age I went to daycare while my grandmother worked. My mother was really young when I was born and so for that part of my life my Mamaw was my caregiver. I have a couple of really vivid memories and they include having an *accident* involving my underpants while wearing patent leather mary janes. I guess I remember the mary janes because I had my head down, looking at my feet for most of the afternoon trying to ignore the persistent question of, "what's that smell?" The other memory involves spinach and I believe that the two are somehow very closely related....but I have no proof. No daycare for my kiddos.

7.) I drove at age 14. I didn't drive far, but still I drove. Usually to get donuts. We don't even let our kids drive the mower.

8.) I went to camp when I was about 11 or 12. My kids won't be doing that and if you went to camp when you were 11 or 12, then I probably don't need to elaborate.

9.) I stayed gone all day without any clear knowledge of my whereabouts. I would leave mid-morning on my Shetland pony named Sugar (aka: beast) and pack up for an adventure. I was probably never more than a couple miles from home but heaven only knows what could have happened to me. I was almost always alone because we lived in the country and also because none of my friends could ever figure out the rules of my imaginary world nor would they surrender to my assignments of what role they should play there. Sounds pretty weird, but at the time it was so very normal.

10.) I rode on a butane tank to pass the time. Of course my kids *could* do this if

A) there was a butane tank belonging to anyone we knew -AND-

B) they had absolutely nothing else to do, which was the case in my visits to Granny Daniel's house (great-grandmother).

I can't remember a whole bunch about her house except these few things:

*she chewed tobacco

*Grandaddy's room was locked after he died and I always thought she was keeping his body in there (weird childhood fears) and

*I made her nervous so I had to stay outside when we visited and all there was out there was a butane tank. So I made the best of the situation by using my bizarre imagination and riding that tank all the way to land of "make believe".

11.) I spent countless weekends with my grandparents because they lived close by. My memories of those weekends are very sweet and I count them as some of my favorite. I watched Fantasy Island and The Love Boat every Saturday night on my Mamaw's bed. I ate cherries from the jar in her fridge until I was sick. I stood behind her as she sat on the couch and took the pink plastic pins from her hair rollers and then I ran my little fingers through her curls. Oh yea, and I got away with murder. I could seriously do *no wrong*.

Since our kids' grandparents live in Texas their memories are a bit more spread out but I know they are no less sweet. They won't be able to spend every weekend with them but when we are together we sure do know how to make the time count!

12.) I grew up never seeing anyone in my entire family read the bible. Not once. I also never attended church with either of my parents.

Praise God that His provision for my children included the reconciliation of their parents to their Savior and the precious memory of our family united in worship and a love for God's word.

13.) I (along with countless others) have ridden in the front seat of a pick-up truck..... standing up no less! I have also ridden in the bed of the truck......down the highway......going 60+ mph.....with my hand hanging over the side so I could feel the wind whipping my palm.

Oh (sigh) the good ol' days!