Yep, that's me at the age of two. Happily living in South St. Louis, 4155 Burgen, off of Morganford and Bates, with my dad, mom, older and younger brothers. My sister wouldn't arrive for another 4 1/2 years! What was it like living in the Lou in the 50's? It was standing outside your friends home and "calling" them to come outside. It was making mud pies, and playing tag, swing the statue and hide and seek. It was playing house and taking care of your babies and pushing them down the sidewalk in their buggies or sometimes dressing the cat as a baby and trying to push him in the buggy (not a happy cat). It was sitting on the front porch with the older neighbors in the evening and then trying to catch lightning bugs. It was dance lessons, trampouline lessons, swim lessons, baton lessons, art lessons, softball, brownies and girl scouts. It was walking to and from school with my best friend. It was creating dance routines for the neighborhood kids and putting on "shows". At that point in my life I wanted to be a dance teacher. At the age of 11 we moved to Kansas City and that was the end of my dance career.
In my 20s, we were living in Wentzville, Mo. where we had moved to when I was in the eighth grade. A very small town with a junkyard smack dab in the middle and not much else to offer other than wonderful, friendly, caring people. I graduated from high school, and started college. My dad passed away. I bought my first car, a 1970 Ford Mustang. I started my career with the telephone company. I married my high school boyfriend, I divorced my high school boyfriend. My brothers and sister were married and I even got a couple of nieces and a nephew.
In my 30s, I met George, the sweetest man that ever walked this earth. We built a home. We had two wonderful children. I got the greatest mother-in-law in the world! Life is somewhat of a blur at this point, I just know that it involved a lot of --working, raising kids, family gatherings, t-ball, softball, acrobat lessons, brownies, birthday parties, sleepovers, homework, choir, Sunday School and Church. More nieces and nephews! Church picnics, sausage suppers, weight watchers. Additional college classes. Cermaics, stenciling, cooking and cleaning. Our first family vacation to Orange Lake Country Club in Florida. The Schmidt Christmas Bakery begins! Bridal showers, baby showers and weddings. Fun times with friends and family.
When I turned 40, my kids said, "But mom, you don't look like you're 40". (What did they know they were all of 8 and 4). But I do remember thinking, What is a 40 year old suppose to look like? I guess to an 8 and 4 year old, you look very, very old. So much went on during these years that once again it seems as though it went by in a blur.....baseball, softball, hockey, basketball, soccer, football, homecomings, proms, coronations. Gadget started driving and dating, confirmation, graduation and leaving home to go to college. JMan was confirmed, and started high school My mom and mother-in-law had serious health issues, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Major changes at work, survived two mergers with the telephone company. Whew.....
Then came my 50s......Jman started driving, and of course we continued with proms, homecomings, lots of high school sports, and summer traveling baseball team, graduation and the start of college. Mom week-ends with Gadget at college. Gadget graduated from college, started working and moved into an apartment. Early retirement from the telephone company after 34 years. Mable passed away. The day after Mable passed away, my mom died on the operating table but was miraculously brought back to life. George has by-pass surgery and I have a knee replacement. I start volunteering at Daniel Boone Elementary and the Butterfly House. Scrapbooking and stamp 'em up has become my newest obsession. More family weddings! Now I have two Great Nieces and a great-great nephew. Justin graduated from college and is pursuing a teaching profession. The economy went into the toilet and history is made when Obama is elected President. My Space, Facebook and blogging take up some of my extra time when I'm not substitute teaching.
And now here comes the Yikes part. In a little over a week I turn 60. I'm not dealing with this very well. I've heard a million times, "It's better than the alternative", which I have to agree with but it doesn't make this age thing any easier. I'm just amazed by how quickly the years have gone by. Especially the last 30. I need to start working on my plans for the next 10 years, then when I turn 70, I can look back on my 60s and say, "Well, that wasn't so bad after all"..............
