I refuse to move out of our school system because, unlike me, my children have gone to school with the same children since pre-K. I like that, they like that...Eric just wants out of dodge...
I recently reconnected with some friends from 4th grade on FB. When I attended Irving Elementary in Muskogee. Angie had this photo posted on her wall
That's me, top row center. I was very tall for my age. I had boobs and had to wear a bra-it wasn't cool to be the tallest girl and the only one with boobs. That is Mrs Cook, she was my favorite teacher ever, she was also very tall when she was young-well that's what she told me.
I remember Mrs Cook taking me aside because the boys would tease me and snap my bra, she would give me pep talks, never saying anything bad about the boys but rather trying to help me see how unique I was, instead of me trying to make my tall, boobie self invisible. She totally rocked...
That year I won outstanding student in all of 4th grade and Mrs Cook, no doubt had something to do with it. I remember when my name was called, I was scared, not wanting to get up in front of the whole school and walk down the aisle to the front and collect my award, but I looked at Mrs Cooks smiling face and everything changed...I got un-grounded...
I was grounded because we(my sister Becky and I) had asked to go play at someones house after school (about a week before the awards ceremony) Mom said yes...only thing is, we kindasortalied instead of going where we said we were going we went 2 streets over to play at another friends house who had a trampoline. We had deduced that since mom was at work she would never find out, we would be home before she got home...only thing is...she got off work early and came looking for us... not good...
When I won the award my mom ungrounded me and that meant I got to go to the end of the year Skating party. If you were child product of the 80s you know that means combs in your back pocket, suicide pops, and skating to Jam On It, Celebration, Another One Bites The Dust, Rappers Delight and YMCA(just to name a few)...it also meant that IF I didn't put on skates everyone else was as tall as I was...if only briefly...cuz THIS girl LOVED to roller skate...
4th grade and half of 5th were BIG years for me, I had good friends Shelonda and Jorinda were 2 of my closest, I liked 2 boys, Stacy and Randy-Randy would come by my house every morning with a sack full of bubble gum and jolly ranchers. Stacy gave me his arrowhead necklace to wear-which I proudly did on picture day (mom wasn't real happy about that one) I would wear my moms long faux fur coat and high heels to school-THANKS to Mrs Cook helping me embrace my tallness, I apparently felt the need to be even taller. I traded moms diamond ear rings for lip gloss-she wasn't to happy about that one either.
5th grade would usher in a more tomboyish me and it was the first and last time I got 'swats' for spitting spitballs. I collected 'NFL' pencils that were 2 for a quarter down by the office and traded them with the boys. Most days after school I could be found in our yard playing touch football with the boys. I even owned an Oakland As green baseball helmet that I so thought I rocked...then we moved again and I said goodbye to my friends and promised to stay in touch...it just took me almost 25 yrs to get back in touch...
Out of all my grades of school when I look back 4th and the first half of 5th grade are the ones I remember most fondly. Yes even if Harley use to chase me all the way home and call me spider-legs...
My confession for today: Isn't it funny the things you remember from your childhood...Do you have a certain time in your childhood that left a lasting impression?
