The theme of this column is to how I became, not just the mother of two daughters (by the time I was only 21) but also grandmother, and now a great-grandmother of 5.
I was a “World War II baby” raised in London, England by my seamstress mother. My dad was “doing his duty as a member of the Combined Ops – Britian’s version of the U.S. Green Beret.
Like many little girls growing up without siblings to play with, I spent my free time playing mum to my dolls and my “nana” dog, a Chow Chow. I think it was then that I decided to have a big family.
It seemed like the blink of an eye when suddenly my world seemed to change. Suddenly it was 1953 and my parents told me we were going to leave England.
They told me it was my choice between Australia or the United States for our new home. I could not pick either, so my dad flipped a coin and America it was to be.
One of these days I’ll have to finish my book I started writing years ago, but for now, I’d like to skip ahead and tell you how I “floated” into the grown-up part of my life.
I graduated from Las Vegas High School and headed to Los Angeles for college. My then dream? To become a fashion designer and (don’t laugh) show the famous Edit Head how it was done!
To earn spending money, I got a job as a model in a trade show. All I had to do was smile pretty and hand out flyers of the boss’ products.
One day, my best friend said she was going to introduce me to someone she thought I’d like. She would send him to my job to meet me when I got off work. There he stood, tall – well to me he was since I have never grown past 5’1 ½ inches.
Blonde hair, blue eyes and a big smile. Three months later we were married. Nine months after that daughter number one, Andi, followed 16 months later, by daughter number two, Michelle were born.
I promised myself two more would follow. Unfortunately that never happened, but it seemed in a blink of an eye, Michelle told me she was getting married.
I happily inherited, a son-in-law and two beautiful grandchildren. A few years later, another baby boy.
I was living my dream of a huge family – my mother and father, two, a son-in-law. And soon thereafter, my eldest granddaughter added three children, my middle grandson, two children while my youngest grandson married just two years ago…… I’m waiting for additions!I wish you all a WODERFUL MOTHER’S DAY and I will gladly enjoy my incredibly funny, huge family. My dream has come true – and I hope yours has too.
