oh wow what a story - how difficult are those memories - I would never have guessed. You are always so bright and encouraging to everyone here. (and I think you are beautiful inside and out)
Now I understand why you told me to forgive - I am so thankful that I have and you are right, it sets us free. This is a wonderful page and you are such a beautiful person. Thanks for sharing with us.
what a wonderful lo and inspiring story. Finding your own way and creating the wonderful life you now have - CONGRATS to you . I am sure each and every one of us can relate to a part (or maybe all of your story). I myself was skinny w/hand me down and/or SEARS "specials-clearance" clothing. TFS.
You are so blessed to have all of your school photos, Char. Most of mine were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, so you definitely have a treasure here. Great photos and 2 pager!
Wow, I may have to lift and twist this idea for a school memory. Love that you got it all on a two pager and all the photos to go with it. I can so relate to much of your journaling. Inspiring....
OH MY GOSH!!! This is a terrific idea for a LO with all the photos together. It is fun to see someone go up right before our eyes. Sorry childhood wasn't perfect for you but just remember you survived and are a better person for it and your life now it wonderful.
Fantastic layout with ALL the pictures from each school year. Your story sounds a great deal like my experience but it was more with the teachers (a few that can destroy the whole experience) than the kids.... I took baby sitting jobs to earn money so I could have store bought clothes. I didn't appreciate the fact that I had my own designer and seamstress growing up.
Your layout brought back so many memories, not all of them good but in the scheme of things they were just a small part of my life that I chose not to revisit very often.
Such a fantastic layout! Gosh, it sounds like your teacher really was a witch! You survived, as tough as it may have been, and turned out pretty well! I'm glad our paths have crossed!
I love the LO you've created and the story you shared made me sad but am glad you found the silver lining! It angers me so to know that kids do this to each other and even more so that a teacher would do that or stand by and allow other children to act that way. But isn't it a good feeling to know you are the bigger, better person!!
We had a lot of similarities in our childhood. I know your pain. I am glad you were able to work through it. I have too many mysteries left to be able to completely let it go. I'm always working on it and have found several shocking incites. Have a good day.
Love your LO! I read all that you wrote. Although I am quite sorry for what you went through while growing up, I'm so happy for you now, realizing why kids, and adults really, can be so mean and inconsiderate. I truly believe what we go through in life is meant to make us stronger, God always has a plan for us. Thanks for sharing parts of your life...and I liked the clothes your mom made...looked like the clothes my mom made for me and and my sisters!
These are all my school photos. I used ArtBooking for the titles & Locker Talk for the hopscotch, book stack & grad cap. I stamped the pencils and other items including all the school year tags.
Journaling on the back of the page reads: School years 1970-1986 – what I remember-
I lived across the street from the school playground- the school was up on a hill. So I’d walk 2 housed down and then across & up the hill to the steps that took you over a drainage ditch & up on the edge of the playground. When you came up the school buildings were on the left, the big grass field (with baseball diamonds) was on the right & the volleyball and basketball courts were immediately in front with the swings and jungle gym all the way on the other side. Prunedale Elementary School (Prunedale, CA) was a Kindergarten thru 8th grade school. I’m thinking my mom or dad took me to Kindergarten, but I remember walking there and back- well 9 years’ worth is quite a lot of trips. Plus in the summer they played little league baseball there.
Kindergarten was a blast. Art. Stories. Playtime. Snack time. The only thing I didn’t like was nap time. I was so hyper I just couldn’t take a nap.
1st grade was the beginning of a nightmare thru to my 8th grade. Mrs. Cosby was a witch. I swore she had to be because she was so mean to me. She called me a cheat, a liar, a thief. This caused the other kids to judge & label me too, even though they may not have remembered exactly why- the distrust & dislike stuck. I was told much later that she had a habit of picking one bright student every year and using them for all the punishment and reason when things were lost or stolen. She took a jump rope from me that I had brought from home & gave it to another girl just because the other girl said it was hers. My name wasn’t on it & I was a thief & a liar so it couldn’t be mine she claimed. I had a very hard time expressing this to my parents. What 6 year old is articulate enough to relay the terror of her & my classmates who would take to teasing me during recess? I’d fake stomach aches trying to get out of going. Mom didn’t really understand it as I had been so eager to go to school & loved doing school things. I could read & add/subtract before I went to Kindergarten. I don’t remember having any friends from school for most of my remaining 8 years there. I used to wish that we would move so I could start over at another school.
Much of the years between 1st to 8th grade is riddled with being teased & bullied. I was smart & was also diagnosed with ADHD/ADD (one of those anyway) & given Ritalin I think in 3rd grade. I was called a bag of bones because I was so skinny. My mom made most of my clothes- for which they teased me for. She rarely bought anything but socks & underwear unless it would cost her more to make it- whether I liked it or not. I wore hand-me-downs from my cousins. Many times I was told I wore high waters or my shoes were ugly (mom bought 5-6 pair of maroon tennis shoes from Sears in that many sizes as I would grow into them & it was such a bargain). I hated those shoes. I earned money when I was in 7th-8th grade from babysitting and bought a couple pair of my own shoes.
When I went to high school I had to ride the bus as it was in Castroville 7 miles away. North Monterey County High School was the name & our mascot was the Condor. Not many schools pick a vulture as their mascot, but this one did. It was a new school & we would be the 2nd class to go all the way from Freshman to graduation there. I was so relieved to be in a new environment. No one teased me there. I made some friends. I worked my tail off and struggled to get good grades. I was mostly a B & C student. I took band in my Freshman year but couldn’t fit it in my college prep schedule after that. I got a boyfriend in my Junior year. Married him after college & divorced him a little less than year after that (but that’s another story). High school was emotional & I was faced with many real life issues like girls getting pregnant & dropping out or giving their baby up for adoption. A few classmates died- one in a drowning accident on senior cut day (we were really close to Monterey Bay & the beach from school)- a couple others in car accidents. I had a couple wrecks as well- one the fault of the other driver, the other environmental- but thankfully just a few dings on the car & no one was hurt.
I signed up for DeVry Institute of Technology Computer Information Systems Bachelor program the day I turned 18. I had been taking a computer class in my senior year of high school & did really well at the programming. It came easy to me. It was fun & I found I was kind of a geek. At least I finally fit in somewhere I thought. I left for Los Angeles in October to start college. I graduated in 3 years as it was a year round program. I had a 3.45 GPA & would have done better if I had not done the party thing. By the grace of God I survived those years. Thankfully the school being a tech atmosphere there wasn’t any frat houses or things like that. I had several adventures there- the McDonald’s massacre happened at a store I frequented- I always got my food to go, so thankfully was not there when the shooter walked in & started spraying everyone with bullets. Also the San Bernardino Highway shootings happened while I was there- and yes, I drove that highway.
It really wasn’t until they started putting bullying in the news that I really realized I was bullied as a child. It has affected my life but I don’t hate those that bullied me- nor do I wish them harm. I’ve come to realize that those people were mean because their home lives or such were bad & they took it out on an easy target- me. For a very long time I was self-conscious of my looks & never considered I was cute or pretty. As I got older, I learned how to not be such a target. I was still outspoken and would many times dive into a conversation without being invited, but I think overall I’m doing pretty good & wouldn’t trade where I am now for anything.
Thanks for looking & leaving a comment. Have a blessed day.
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