( I know this is long. I apologize. I wrote it for another blog a couple of years ago and it just kind of got out of control……) You certainly don't have to read it all. I wanted to include it here as a way to preserve it as a journal entry since I've been keeping a paper copy of my blog.
54 items for 54 years:
1. I was born in Rupert Idaho in a little hospital that is now a retirement home. We lived “in town” at the time but moved when I was one year old “to the farm.”2. I loved growing up in Rupert! It was a simple way of life and we were happy making our own fun and playing with each other. 3. I’m the middle child of seven. That explains a lot about who I am. I really think my birth order has a lot to do with my personality. My brother Paul was my best friend through high school and college. We served missions at the same time and shared many happy experiences together.4. We learned to work on our forty acre farm. We had animals (pigs, chickens, milking cows, a horse named Tiny, a dog named Jenny and several wild cats.) The boys did most of the outside work and the girls did the inside work. I helped hoe the garden, pulled weeds, mowed our huge lawn and picked raspberries during the summer, complaining through most of it. 5. I always shared a bedroom with a sister/s until I was 15, then I had a room to myself. I got to have dark purple (my favorite color) shag carpet, light purple painted walls and curtains and bedspread to match. It was purple heaven!6. My first job was hoeing beets during the summer with several of my girlfriends. We worked in a field located by the freeway. We wore bikinis to work so that we could get a good tan. Truckers routinely honked as they drove by. I also babysat for the neighbors for 25 cents per hour. My first steady job was working as the janitor of the seminary building at the junior high school. I got paid $40/month, which was big money to spend on buying new vinyl records and saving to buy my first contact lens which I got when I was 16. 7. I got my own ice skates one year for Christmas. We had an ice rink in town. My skates were blue with blue fir around the top of the stakes. Very cool. 8. Carla was my best friend beginning in second grade. We did some mischievous stuff while playing at her house or mine. One time we shaved our legs with her dad’s razor and cut the crap out of our skinny legs. We never fessed up to our mothers about what happened, and I still have a scar from that misadventure. Carla is still my friend and we see each other several times a year. 9. I wore a dress to school every day until 9th grade, when girls were finally liberated and allowed to wear slacks to school. On special occasions, we were allowed to wear slacks (not Levis) or long shorts to school. 10. There weren’t any sports for girls in Rupert when I was growing up. I did play church softball and city softball for a couple of years, but it wasn’t a big deal. Parents didn’t go watch their kids play. They were too busy working. It was just more of a casual, friendly competition. One year I caught a fly ball bare handed and it tore the skin between my pointer finger and my mister-tall-man finger and I had to get five stitches, but I held on to the ball.11. I can name every boy I liked since kindergarten, all the way through to Ricky. 12. I was painfully skinny growing up. I got teased a lot and everyone make jokes about my weight. When I grew taller, it was even worse. Anorexia or bulimia weren’t even terms used or diseases diagnosed back then. One woman in the ward told my mother I probably had a tape worm. It didn’t get me down, because I always had good self confidence. Boys weren’t too interested in me though, and this was the hardest part. My dad always told me I’d get a good man if I would just be patient.13. I loved old Rock and Roll music. I had many, many old records from the 70’s and enjoyed listening to R&R music. I went to at least 15 concerts at the old Salt Palace when I was at BYU. If I lose my hearing, I’ll know why.14. There were nine girls my age and nine boys in the Rupert 5th ward. We all grew up together since there wasn’t a lot of mobility in the area. I knew these friends very well since we spent so many years together. I wasn’t as kind as I should have been to a few of the girls. 15. I started kindergarten attending Mrs. Seamon’s private kindergarten (since it wasn’t offered in the public schools.) I went to Memorial School for grades 1-3, Lincoln (named after Abraham Lincoln) for grades 4-6, Washington (named for George Washington) for grades 7-8, and Minidoka County (Minico) high school for grades 9-12. The schools in Idaho were OK, but not great. My 7th grade math teacher was a drunk who routinely came to class hung over. I blame Mr. Whiting for my lack of math skills. The last math class I took was algebra in 9th grade.16. My dad was a high school shop/woods (as they called it then) teacher. After about 10 years, the sawdust started causing him lung problems, so he started teaching drafting. I took his drafting class as a senior. He also farmed our 40 acre farm. When I was in grade school, he started selling life insurance for Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. He worked hard to support our large family. My mom never worked outside of our home. My dad gave her his teaching pay check to manage the house and buy food and such. They used the farm income to pay for cars (paid in cash) and college tuition for all seven kids. They both believed in getting a good education and we were some of the few kids in our ward that went on to college.17. We always had the most wonderful Christmas celebrations. My parents loved Christmas and they were very generous and they made it so much fun. We had many traditions we all loved. My dad could build anything, and he made us many cool things, like doll cupboards, cradles and rocking horses. Mom sewed doll clothes and made us many of our regular clothes. We couldn’t come out on Christmas morning until Dad had yelled” Good gal, he’s been here!” 18. I always wanted to go to BYU. My older siblings all started at Ricks, and then went to USU or BYU. I didn’t want to go to Ricks, so my dad said if I could get accepted to BYU, I could attend. I was so excited to get accepted. Paul followed me two years later. 19. I took a lot of sewing classes in high school. I also took speech and debate classes and competed in state competitions in Boise. I did especially well in extemporaneous speaking and won a state competition.20. I was one of the very first kids in town to get braces from Dr. Catmull. I was 16 years old and before I got the braces on and wore them for two years. Dr. Catmull said I had too many teeth and that some of them needed to come out. He pulled five of my permanent teeth to make room for all the big teeth in my mouth. He pulled one too many and I had to get a bridge after the teeth got straightened around. I’ve had a bridge since I was 18. 21. I started BYU in 1973 and I lived in Deseret Towers with Jill, a Rupert friend. We made matching purple bedspreads. I met a cute, blond, blue-eyed boy in the 46th branch named Rick. He had a SLC girlfriend at the time and didn’t give me much attention.22. I declared my major in Home Economics Education and I didn’t take one class I didn’t need to graduate. I loved my major classes. 23. My brother-in-law Lucky got shot and killed in a freak hunting accident in November of my freshman year. The next summer, I moved in with Janet who was left a young widow and we lived in Marrcrest West apartments in Provo. We traded off tending baby boy Cameron while we were attending classes at BYU.24. I broke my leg (the femur) while in a BYU ski class at Sundance. I had to drop out of school my sophomore year. I was in traction in the Utah Valley hospital for six weeks, followed by two months in a body cast lying in a hospital bed - one month staying in Orem with my sister and her family and another month in Rupert. I turned 20 while in the hospital. It was a true trial for me and I learned a lot of patience. My broken leg (the left) healed one inch shorter than the other and I am uneven when I walk. For this reason, I have never been a runner, although I do enjoy walking.25. I have a love/hate relationship with BYU. 26. Candy I like – Worthers, black licorice, Butterfingers, anything with nuts and caramel. I’ve never been a big chocolate fan.27. Food I especially like – watermelon, grapes, pineapple, pie of any kind, homemade ice-cream; there really isn’t any food I hate and won’t eat.28. My mother was very organized. She had a weekly schedule and she did specific things each day in addition to her daily schedule. She got up early and worked hard all day. If we went to a friend’s house for a sleepover on Friday night, she would come and pick us up at 9:00 am sharp so we could do our chores. She ran a very organized household and I learned a lot from her, even though I complained and especially hated doing the dishes on my assigned nights. I’m glad now that she taught me how to keep a clean house. 29. I love to organize things. Anything, any time, any where. Just let me at it.30. I have balanced our checkbook our entire married life and tracked the finances. I paid all the bills every two weeks on pay day. I also did our yearly taxes until Claire took them over. 31. When I was in high school, I was called to teach the Sunbeam primary class which was held on Wednesday afternoon. I loved teaching primary. I remember helping the kids make hand prints of their hands out of plaster of Paris for Mothers day. The mother’s loved receiving this gift.32. Also in high school, I was chosen to be a part of the school Service Club. There were just 5 sophomores, 5 juniors and 5 seniors girls in the club. The 15 of us sold all the tickets and programs to the athletic events at the school. It was a fun club and I was elected President my senior year. We had a big banquet at the end of the year, and we traveled to Twin Falls for a fancy dinner and movie in the big city. I had my first Shirley Temple drink at one of these banquets and I thought I was pretty big stuff.32. I played powder-puff football my senior year and bent my wrist bone while tackling those big metal tackle thingers. Because of my injury, I had to take the ACT test with the boys, since the girls took the test the day I got hurt. We took the test in the school auditorium which wasn’t big enough to hold the entire senior class. It was very embarrassing.33. I love to read. Love, love, love it. I have a serious reading disease however. I can’t put the book down once I have begun to read. This causes serious problems as usually the entire world falls to ruin around me while I’m reading a book. I have had to therefore limit my reading to times when I can devote many hours to a book. 34. I hate to exercise. Always have, always will. I have always been skinny and always thought it was a waste of time to exercise when I didn’t need to lose weight (not correct, I know.) It’s only been the last five or six years that I have actually put on weight and had to think about exercising to fit into my clothes, which is my sole motivation. 35. I loved serving my mission in Argentina. Memorizing the charlas in Spanish was very difficult for me. I’m not great at memorizing. We taught some wonderful people and had many great experiences. My MTC companion, Cheri and I got to come home together by way of Peru. We got to go to Maccupichu and tour around Lima.36. I asked Rick out on our first date after our missions. We went on a double date to the 10 stake fireside in the Marriott center. Rick was funny and charming and I fell for him.37. I married the man of my dreams on June 16, 1979. Elder Neil Maxwell married us in the Salt Lake temple at 8:00 in the morning on a bright, sunny day. Afterwards, we went to Highland for a brunch prepared by Pat, served on the patio of their home. My parents dropped us at the airport and we flew to Denver and stayed at the Brown Palace, a five star hotel. We spent a week in Colorado on our honeymoon, also staying a night at the Broadmore resort, and then returned to Rupert for a reception at our home in Rupert. 38. Living through my dad dieing of cancer when I was 28 years old was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. He was sick for six months and was in a lot of pain before it got him. He fought like crazy and we did everything we could to save him. He was only 61 years old and my mother 56 when he passed away. I miss him still. I think about him a lot. He had a huge influence in my life. I look forward to the day when I will see him again. 39. I’ve worked for BYU on and off for my whole married life. I also taught sewing at an alternative high school for a few years. 40. I have the ability to multi-task like no other. I am happiest when I am busy. I get down when I don’t have enough to do. I feel worthless and lazy. I’ve never been a big TV watcher. Such a waste of time. 41. I’ve been able to be involved in community service for the last 20 years. It started by serving as the legislative VP at the elementary school. I was soon the president and went on to be involved in other aspects of PTA in the city, Scera heritage museum board, and the City Planning Commission. I’ve loved serving and being involved with people from all over the city of all ages and backgrounds.42. I was named Sherry (sp?) for several weeks before by parents decided on my name. My grandfather Lavon died shortly before my birth and I'm named after him. No one can pronounce or spell it and I’ve spent my life spelling and pronouncing my name for people. 43. Two of my four sisters have lost their husbands. That’s very unusual and sad – 50%. I have tremendous love and respect for these two sisters who have shown amazing courage and faith through their trails. My mother has lost two husbands as well. I’m in awe of these strong women. I admire and love my mother and respect her strength and character. She has been through a lot and she remains positive, active and fun to be around.44. I love to listen to Josh Groban sing. Rick took me to Las Vegas to see him for my 50th birthday. It was a huge surprise and I love him for doing it. I also love to listen to classical music, some country (not very much), old Rock and Roll and some other types of music that are different and soothing. I love to discover new artists.45. I have been blessed to be the mother to four amazing children. I never had any real problems with pregnancy or childbirth and I remember each birth with such happiness. Thank goodness for drugs. I’m a believer in using pain medication. None of that natural birthing stuff for me. We have been very blessed to have children come in to our home who were teachable and good from the start. I would do anything for our children. Anything. I’m so proud of them and the good lives they lead. We’ve been so happy with the spouses they have chosen and love to be together with everyone. Truly, there is nothing else that brings me greater happiness. 46. I have always felt like I had a sixth sense, even when I was a little girl. When I see a problem or hear of a situation, I immediately try and solve the problem and can often see a possible solution or remedy. I can’t help myself. This is just how my brain works. This has been a blessing and a curse. I have been able to help and serve many people and help them resolve some of their problems. However, at other times, people have rejected the help, while it was offered as a suggestion or was a good intention on my part, they simply didn’t want to be helped and then they reject me personally. This has been very hard. I am working to not overstep my bounds and to only offer help when it is requested. 47. I’m very concerned about being prepared in all ways for the future. I like to organize and plan our food storage and I’m very anxious that our children who live far away have their own storage. Then “when the wind blows” I can rest easy, knowing that everyone is safe and prepared. 48. I love my husband. We are two parts of a whole. I’m not complete without him, and sometimes I do stupid stuff when he isn’t there to temper me and reign me in. I am enjoying spending more time with him now that our children have left home. He is a kind, gentle man and I’m lucky to be married to him. We are currently serving at the MTC together and it is a HUGE blessing in our lives. 49. I’m so excited that I am a grandmother. I have ideas of the kind of grandmother I want to be and the things I want to do. I look forward to welcoming more grandchildren into our family and showering them with love. 50. I love my friends. Their friendship means so much to me. I've been fortunate to have friendships that have endured over many years. I value each one. 51. I love to travel. I hope to get to all 50 states and many foreign countries before I die. I think traveling broadens your horizons and perspectives like nothing else and helps a person understand other people and cultures that are not like their own. 52. I have a huge photograph collection. I've taken pictures of our family and friends for over 30 years. I have them all in photo books and I love to look through them. 53. I hope to serve a mission or two or three with my husband some day. Can't wait! 54. The gospel of Jesus Christ means everything to me. I’ve always known it was restored again in it's fullness to the earth. I plan to serve and endure to the end.
Last weekend we had a house full of company. I loved it! Rick's best friend David came to town for the blessing of his newest grand daughter. David was in our ward our freshman year at BYU and Rick and I met him all those years ago. He and Rick were later missionary companions in Peru. We've known and loved David for many, many years. We've been friends with his family and his five children as well. In fact, one year we DROVE to Dallas to spend Thanksgiving with David and his family. It was a LONG drive, but well worth the effort. David and Rick have been dear friends, brothers really.
