Monday, November 10, 2014

Monday Memories: My Family

Hey, y'all! Monday may bring us back to work, but it also brings us one of my favorite memes and it's all about sharing memories! Y'all know how much I appreciate memories so you can imagine how excited I was to hear of a meme all about writing our memories! I, of course, missed the first one but I'm just going to combine the first and second memories together in this post.

Want to join in? Just click the button and link up to Memory Monday at Retired, Not Tired!

Retired Not Tired Memory Monday


This week's prompt is: My Family

This is straight from a post I wrote a year or so ago but it is perfect for this week's prompt. So, I'm going to go ahead and use it.

Our first picture together.
While growing up, I found that there are advantages to being an only child.  This is especially true when there is doting to be carried out because you are the only receiver of said doting.  And, for the first twelve years of my life I was doted on to the point of embarrassment.  Of course, there are down sides.  The obvious one being if someone broke the lamp, forgot to feed or water the dog or didn't take out the trash, there was very little detective work needed to identify the guilty party.  There is also the loneliness of being an only child.  When it's raining outside and everyone is stuck inside, you are stuck inside alone.  Well, your parents might be around but what fun are they?  Mine weren't really the type to be playing with their kid.  (Hubs and I are much cooler parents than ours were..shhhh.) My dad's only sister lived just across the street and down a couple of houses from us and she had four children- two girls and two boys.  The third child in my aunt's brood was my cousin Diane and there was but a mere six months difference in our ages and we played all the time.  I loved to go over to their house or have Diane over playing at my house.  When we all got together we would play football or softball; hide and seek or freeze tag; all the fun, active outside greatest games of all time!  They had a big family and it was FUN!  But, when the weather was bad or it was time to go inside for the evening, they got to go in together.  I had to go home alone.  I was always so jealous of my cousins and their big family.  Oh and, adding insult to injury, at lunch time during the summer?  They got to have Kool-Aid.  Oh yeah.  Even my best friend during those years (CM) had three younger brothers.  I thought that I was, perhaps, the only girl in America without siblings.  But, in the fall of 1970, all of that changed.

My parents had considered adopting a boy-- a brother for me, a son for themselves.  We had been through the countless interviews with DSS and, finally, our caseworker called and to tell my parents they had a boy for them to adopt.  I went to stay with CM while the parents went to meet the boy.  CM and I spent a good portion of that afternoon discussing brothers.  All I really knew was how to be a spoiled only child.  A role I not only took seriously, but also portrayed quite well (let's be honest- I relished it).  Even so, I was, actually, very excited that there would be someone around to spend time with when the other kids weren’t around.   Late that afternoon, my parents called to say they were on their way with my brothers.  Wait. What?  BrotherS?  I couldn't believe their words.  They were bringing home THREE brothers instead of one.  We had grown from a family of three to a family of six in only one afternoon.  
Our first Christmas together

My brothers were three actual, biological brothers, ages 9, 10, and 11, in need of a home and our parents decided that we could give them just that.  Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be much of an adjustment period…or maybe I just don’t remember.  I do remember that I went right up to each of them on that very first day and gave them great big hugs and it was like they had always been with me.  When I look back on my childhood, I can remember things I did before the boys came to live with us, but only spurts here and there and most of those memories involve my grandparents.  However, I have tons of memories with my brothers.  TONS!  And they are good memories.  When the neighborhood kids got together to play, my brothers and I joined in the fun. And, when it was time to go home?  My brothers and I went home together.  If something was broken, or forgot to feed or water the dog, or a chore remained undone—the parents had to play the guessing game or interrogate all four of us!  Rainy days?  No problem. We played inside! Together.  

Oh, and that thing about being a spoiled only child?  The only thing that changed there was my only child status.  My brothers swooped in and made the spoiled trait of mine worse than ever!  And protective?  Oh yes!  I never had to worry about anybody doing anything to me EVER.  By the same token, I was extremely protective of them as well.  I never cared what anyone said or did to me but, if they messed with one of my brothers?  Jump back Jack!  We had our fair share of  fights  disagreements but nothing that ever lasted very long. Mostly, we just had a great time being a family.   





19 comments:

  1. Oh, how I love this story! What generous parents to bring home three sons and how wonderful that you were so accepting and now had brothers to share and give the doting! Just love it!

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    1. Thank you! It was so great having brothers...finally! Two of them are off in their own little worlds now but the oldest one and I remain closer than ever.

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  2. What a great story, going from being an only child to being one of a family of six, overnight! Love it. Since my own brother was 9 years older than me, and left home at age 17, I was lonely a lot, too.

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    1. It was great. I'm glad we are all so close in age. I think that was a huge help. Being lonely as a child is not that much fun, is it?

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  3. I have an adopted nephew and my first grandchild is also adopted. We have enough love to go around. Thanks for joining in.

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  4. I LOVE this story!! We weren't connected when you posted it before, I guess, because I don't remember reading this. This post makes me love your parents, your brothers, and you all the more! My heart is happy and my eyes just a bit teary. Thanks for sharing this!

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    1. Aw, thanks! Yes, I posted this a couple of years ago. But it seemed right for this post. :)

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  5. What a wonderful thing your parents did in taking those 3 precious boys into your home. And how well it all worked out for all of you too -- so amazing that they also touched your life! I did gain some step siblings when I was in my 20s... but I fear I was the only child for far too long before that. Ha. I am definitely spoiled. But I like to add that I am NOT rotten. :)

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    1. I wish I could add that I am not rotten, but I am. Well, not so much these days but still...LOL Thanks!

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  6. This one brought tears to my eyes. What an amazing story. What an amazing family. How wonderful for all of you to find each other. I'm delighted to have found your blog and delighted to be following. This is beautiful.

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    1. Thank you! That's so sweet! I do love my family. They are the reason I wanted to have a large family. There's just so much love!

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  7. Pam, this is a wonderful family story!! I had no idea you had been an only child, and of course had no idea that you suddenly gained 3 brothers overnight! It brings back memories of when our youngest daughter and we went to pick up our two little boy brothers whom we adopted. I just loved your story and so glad you shared it with us. And so glad the brothers rescued you from that 'only child spoiled rotten' syndrome. ;-) lol

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    1. Are you saying you never picked up on my princess status? LOL I'm not sure they saved me from the spoiled rotten syndrome. In fact, they made it worse! Haha! Thank you!

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  8. Now as an adult (occasionally I try to act like a kid) I truly appreciate my parents have more than me. I'm on the younger side of the four of us. We are all still close but are our hometowns are spread apart. That was a big big change for everyone when 3 brothers showed up. I imagine there might have been some issues but the good memories are the best ones refresh. Great story and memory.

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    1. My best friend at the time had three younger brothers so she was instrumental in helpIng me know what to expect. I forgot to mention that the oldest of the three took my parents aside and said, "Don't worry about me. But if you could just take my brothers so they can have a family, that would be great." He's still like that. And that was the deciding factor to bring them home. :)

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  9. Wow, that is some powerful living in this post! Seems you had a little bit of everything. I read your comment above about the oldest of the brothers looking out for the two younger ones. What a gem! I know that is how your heart is as well. Great post, Pam.

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  10. I am so happy to hear how wonderful that turned out for you! That was very nice of your parents to adopt them.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
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