We're talking about best moments...or maybe just life-altering moments this week at WordWranglers. Why the video over here? Well, because I love Kellie Pickler and it's mostly on-topic.
You've already read about Nan's bank robbery and Liz's Bobby Kennedy moment ... and I'm wracking my brain trying to remember five moments that stand out more than others. There are a lot, but then I try to quantify what makes them 'more' and...my brain starts to hurt. So I'm clearing my head and the first five moments to jump in here get all the glory. Okay? Let's go!
1. I don't remember the date, but it was halfway through second grade, probably mid-January. We transferred schools from a very tiny - as in combined classrooms - 1st/2nd together, 3rd/4th, etc - school to a school with 3 classrooms for each grade. I didn't know anyone there, and I was so scared. I remember thinking, as the principal led me down that long hallway, that no one would like a country girl like me. Yes, I had my very own Little House On The Prairie moment (you remember, when Nellie called Laura 'a country girl' in that snide tone). And it wasn't horrible, but it was still a full week before I talked to anyone other than my teacher, Mrs. Munsterman, who was so very kind to a shy girl who didn't have a clue, and encouraged me to come out of my shell.
2. June 23, 2008. It's our 'gotcha' day, the day bebe came to live with us. She was 2 days old and in the middle of really bad DTs from the drugs in her body. She tremored constantly, even when she was asleep, and the worst of the tremors came at about 2am. Those were eight lo-o-o-ng weeks...but they also bonded the 3 of us very deeply.
3. February 27, 2012. The day Jennifer Lawler bought my very first book, What a Texas Girl Wants..and I'm adding one more date: June 20, 2014, the day I first spoke with my now-agent, Mackenzie Fraser-Bub. Both life-changing moments in my professional world.
4. September 11, 2001. For all the reasons that we all have - none of our lives are the same since that day. But for another one, too: it was my day off (I was working as a journalist at the time), and as I watched what was happening on television I remember very clearly thinking there has to be more than this. I enjoyed my work as a reporter/anchor, but I knew I wanted to write my own stories. That is the moment that I started to take my dream of writing fiction seriously. I had a few more detours, but my writing was always part of me after that.
5. August 23, 1970. This is RadioMan's birthday...and I wasn't even born yet. He's the most important thing in my life so the day he was born is very important to me. He's my best friend, my heart, and the first one to tell me to take another chance (like quitting reporting for a part-time conservation/PR job or moving states or sending in one more cold submission) on my dreams.
What about you? What important dates are standing out in your mind today?
You've already read about Nan's bank robbery and Liz's Bobby Kennedy moment ... and I'm wracking my brain trying to remember five moments that stand out more than others. There are a lot, but then I try to quantify what makes them 'more' and...my brain starts to hurt. So I'm clearing my head and the first five moments to jump in here get all the glory. Okay? Let's go!
1. I don't remember the date, but it was halfway through second grade, probably mid-January. We transferred schools from a very tiny - as in combined classrooms - 1st/2nd together, 3rd/4th, etc - school to a school with 3 classrooms for each grade. I didn't know anyone there, and I was so scared. I remember thinking, as the principal led me down that long hallway, that no one would like a country girl like me. Yes, I had my very own Little House On The Prairie moment (you remember, when Nellie called Laura 'a country girl' in that snide tone). And it wasn't horrible, but it was still a full week before I talked to anyone other than my teacher, Mrs. Munsterman, who was so very kind to a shy girl who didn't have a clue, and encouraged me to come out of my shell.
2. June 23, 2008. It's our 'gotcha' day, the day bebe came to live with us. She was 2 days old and in the middle of really bad DTs from the drugs in her body. She tremored constantly, even when she was asleep, and the worst of the tremors came at about 2am. Those were eight lo-o-o-ng weeks...but they also bonded the 3 of us very deeply.
3. February 27, 2012. The day Jennifer Lawler bought my very first book, What a Texas Girl Wants..and I'm adding one more date: June 20, 2014, the day I first spoke with my now-agent, Mackenzie Fraser-Bub. Both life-changing moments in my professional world.
4. September 11, 2001. For all the reasons that we all have - none of our lives are the same since that day. But for another one, too: it was my day off (I was working as a journalist at the time), and as I watched what was happening on television I remember very clearly thinking there has to be more than this. I enjoyed my work as a reporter/anchor, but I knew I wanted to write my own stories. That is the moment that I started to take my dream of writing fiction seriously. I had a few more detours, but my writing was always part of me after that.
5. August 23, 1970. This is RadioMan's birthday...and I wasn't even born yet. He's the most important thing in my life so the day he was born is very important to me. He's my best friend, my heart, and the first one to tell me to take another chance (like quitting reporting for a part-time conservation/PR job or moving states or sending in one more cold submission) on my dreams.
What about you? What important dates are standing out in your mind today?
Nice days and good memories, Kristi!
ReplyDeletethey are, Liz!
DeleteGreat memories! Everyone has been mentioning 9/11... I was amidst the last-minute details of a HUGE wine tasting planned for that evening, and attending my father-in-law's funeral as well. That date is meaningful to me for a variety of reasons!
ReplyDeleteWhat a crazy series of events, Ava.
DeleteWhen my dad retired from the Navy and we moved to Vancouver, I had the same experience as you--although I was in the fourth grade. But, I came from a sheltered on-base K-12 school, where everyone knew everyone and we all lived in similar housing--there was no class system really--and then to be thrust into the "real world"??? It was a tough year.
ReplyDeleteOh, that pain! I'm glad we both survived it!!
DeleteGreat list, Kristi! I didn't realize that Bebe came to you suffering from a drug-addicted mom--God bless her and you. What a frightening experience. She's gorgeous now--you and Radioman do good work!
ReplyDeleteshe's amazing and we thank our lucky stars for her every day. thanks, Nan!
DeleteI love your moments! Very heartwarming. Probably my most biggest moment was when I allowed this guy to sit beside me on the school bus the first day of my junior year in a brand new high school. Everything that came after was because of that one moment because that boy became my husband 6 years later, the father of my children and became my everything. What if I had not scooted over to let him sit there?
ReplyDeleteoh, how cool! I love high-school-sweethearts stories...and you and Mr. Cullen are definitely lucky in love!
Delete