Reflections

I was looking through some old photos today and came across these that were in my bag of really important photos to scrapbook and right away the memories came flooding in. My life has been inspired by so many people for different reasons but none more than my family and I can remember as far back as when I was 6 yrs. old and the place we lived in Wyoming-it was a friendly sub division where all the houses looked the same and we made some good friends and did the things that kids usually do-run through the sprinkler in the summer time, go to the park or a friends house that had a swing set and swing for what seemed like hours. We had cats and a dog when I was a kid, Dad brought home this big tiger cat when it was a baby-someone had abandoned it and he had been hunting that day near The Hoback and brought it home for us..we named it Hobbs and that cat was huge it seemed as he got older.
There are so many wonderful memories for me in this house we lived in when I was 6..it had wood floors and I loved the smell after my mom would clean and wax the floors, they shined and the whole house smelled good. I remember Birthday parties there and big family get togethers which seemed to last for hours and hours. My parents had lots of friends that would come over and play chess or ping pong(on the tv) or this game they called "bump" with a wood board and marbles.
Growing up I didn't have many cousins at all since my Dad was the oldest of two and my Mom was an only child. I never knew any of her family but we did have two cousins from my Dads brother(he is the one in the photo with me and my sister) and there is a story about him too but maybe someday I will be able to write about that. He died when I was 19 and it was something he had planned and it just killed me inside at the time-we were really close as I was growing up and I never even imagined this would of happened.
When I was 8 my cousin Susie died from Leukemia-that was the first time I ever dealt with someone dying close to me and I didn't know how to handle that for awhile..when your a kid you think some how it was your fault. I realize now that things happen and for a reason, I just wish I could of seen her grow up and see what kind of person she would of become. She died when she was 4(she is the little one in the picture with me and my sister.)
My Great Gramma was so fun to be with-we'd go for rides in hers and Grampa's Red Chevy down to the store and buy penny candy and sit on the stools in the back part of the store at the old fashioned soda fountain and order a cold drink on a Hot day. I wish they still made places like that! There was something about her cooking too:-) She made the Best toast and eggs I have ever had-with Apricot jelly on the toast. She lived in a little trailor that was so homey to me and on the coffee table in the front room she always had tea roses in water that she had picked off her rose bush. She called me Raynay(only she did that and I loved it)
I remember a time with my uncle going hunting for deer and the two of us were driving behind Dad in his truck with the windows down and the music playing just having a great time talking about everything and anything(we had some great long talks) Man I miss him!!
When I was 21 I decided I wanted to be a nanny and I had really wanted to see the East Coast so I went what seemed like to another world for me clear across the USA to Connecticut all by myself to a family I had only know through photos and phone calls to work for them taking care of their 5 month old baby James. It was so rewarding and what a beautiful place to go..I remember the first night there I cried myself to sleep-I was a really long way from Montana and I didn't know at first if I'd make it being so far away. I am really close to my family and this was a huge step for me but I went for more than one reason and I am so glad I did. I got to see the ocean for the first time and since then I have been captivated! It's amazing how beautiful the USA is and so glad I got to see and do what I did.

My Memories are beautiful to me even though some are so bitter sweet-they make me who I am today and I wouldn't change a thing as I reflect on "yester"days.