Growing Up

Going to my __th Catholic grade school reunion brought back many memories. Obviously, I can't cover my whole childhood in a short blog writing, but I will try to hit a few of the things I remember.
My friend Mary Jo reminded me that I was boy crazy when I was younger (think she may have been too:). My friends were astonished when they thought I was that way since the fourth grade but I think it was since the age of 4. My parents' relationship with each other was not the best and I think I longed for that perfect person to meet my needs.
I will be seeing my extended family this weekend and it is amazing we are all speaking to each other when I think of the drama in our home growing up. It was often a free-for-all when my Dad wasn't there. We would chase each other around the table, throw shoes at each other, taunt each other...I guess some of that is normal?
Steve, the youngest, vividly remembers us threatening to throw him down the laundry shoot. It was a chair-opening type, just big enough for a small kid to slide through if dropped. We never actually did it. We also fought over trying to clean up the house and who had control of the television set. If we girls did get in the mood to clean, we nagged and pestered the boys to start picking up after themselves, which never happened and only further annoyed them.
When I left the house, I seemed like a different person. I remember climbing up our weeping willow tree and asking God to make me normal. The jury is still out on that one:). I usually felt I fit in okay except during those difficult adolescent times. A big turning point for me was when Scott R. decided he liked me better than my popular friend. The relationship, mainly centered on discussing the Batman series, didn't last long, but it gave me confidence.
In high school,I was neither in the popular group nor the left out group. I had to work so I found my first job, after babysitting and snow shoveling, at Grant's dime store. I also enjoyed being in debate, a drama club, math club for awhile (mainly to meet a boy, of course).
My high school counselor felt I had the potential for college. I was third in my family and the first to consider it at that time. With my Dad's strong urging to try something he regretted not doing, I headed to the then WSU - Eau Claire. Now I live about an hour or two from there.
That's it for tonight. Thanks Ruth for getting me started again.