~Love~

Love is the butterflies that you get in your stomach when you are around that certain person, not the nervous kind though.  Everyone has probably heard from some sort of adult figure in their life thus far, that being in high school you cannot understand love or don’t know what love is since you are so young.  Being in love doesn’t mean “having the Sunday church giggles” or having “googely eyes”.  “Googely eyes” is when you get that twinkle in your eye whenever you see that person or hear their voice. That special person must treat you the same way in front of your friends, his friends, your family, and his family and when you are alone; and you should do the same.  There was a quote I saw on a social Internet site, “If the person you are with can’t love you at your best than he sure doesn’t deserve you at your worst.”   This statement say it all plain and simple, and you know that person loves you when you are in tears and they will do anything and everything in their power to cheer you up.

            In having a relationship you will have your fair share of arguments that will hurt you and make you upset, but a good relationship will have open communication and you both have to be willing to listen, sometimes that is very hard because in reality it honestly doesn’t matter who is right and who is wrong.  When having and an argument that can make you break up or even not want to talk for a few hours, and sometimes days it isn’t how many disputes you have had as a couple it is how you learn to listen and deal with them and to be able to forgive. 

There will be times when you don’t want to look at the special person not because of something that they have done but because you are frustrated and you know if you look at them you will break down and you are trying to be strong, but being strong isn’t always best.  In being strong all the time, you both need to tale turns and always be strong for each other.  An example of not being strong all of the time would be taking some “you” time and just relaxing, not always taking care of someone.  There will be days when you need someone to lean on and that will help you through the roughest and the best days. 

You and your partner do not have to have every single thing in common but you do have to dislike the same things, and that is a good thing to have in common.   Although there can be some hobbies that you have in common and that you like to go and do together.

The most important thing in any relationship is for the man to have chivalry; the normal of opening the doors for you, fixing your necklace so that the clasp isn’t showing, or not caring if you do your make-up he will think that you look beautiful no matter what you are wearing.   If the guy you are with doesn’t think you are “drop-dead-gorgeous” in your sweatpants, your hair all messy, and no make up then he does not deserve to see you in your wedding dress. 

Somebody pinch me this can not be happening

            Somebody pinch me, this cannot be happening! Is the last thought I have as we load the final box and miscellaneous items into the extra large U-Haul truck.

            “Go and hug grandma good-bye.” Mom says choking back tears.  My grandma is one a amazing woman and I strive to be like her everyday, but I know we have to leave because mom got a new job and we had to get away from her abusive ex-husband. I think that was the worst day of my life.

            “Bye grandma, I will miss you so much! I promise I will come back and visit real soon.” I sobbed uncontrollably.  We all climbed into the car and truck after we all say our goodbyes. I looked over at my younger sister who is riding with my mom and grandpa in the truck, cracking jokes like she always does. I guess it is how she deals with pain. I on the other hand prefer to cry it all out now and move on… well at least try and move on.

“On the road again.” Grammy exclaims. (My mother’s mom). I shake my in agreement with her, but inside I just want to scream, I am leaving all of my family behind to go and live in Portland, Oregon; and this is a gigantic change from Deer Lodge, Montana.

            “We made it!” Mom exclaimed. I don’t really remember the trip, but she means that we had made it half way and we had pulled over in Idaho somewhere to stay at a hotel and get some rest for the next day.   My morning begins at 5:30 a.m.; mom went in to the grocery story and got us all donuts and chocolate milk- Nesquik of course- and then we are on the road again.  It has been an extremely long trip; almost 26 hours, not including bathroom and food breaks.

            We stayed in Gresham for about a week, and my mom got the call; my grandma had to have heart surgery and she died from an infection in her heart from the emergency surgery.  Since the move to Gresham we didn’t have a lot of money and we couldn’t go back for her funeral saying goodbye was the last time I saw her.

            It has been nine years almost to the day since she has passed and with my graduation, drawing close, I miss her more and more because she was there for my kindergarten graduation.  I know that she will be proud of me and even though she is gone.  She is still a very big part of me and I will never forget her.

            

Memoir/Narrative

I remember reading a memoir in the 7th grade it was about a little girl in China and I really like how it was written and it was called Chinese Cinderella.  This book was very well written and I enjoyed it immensely.  (That was just a thought I had:)


I think that having a true and something that the readers especially can connect with it.  For example I think a good memoir is about someones life and even why someone is so important to you.  For example the Glass Castle keeps you drawn in and doesn't seem extremely dry and or boring like many memoirs can be.  My freshman year I wrote a narrative about my Uncle and how he almost died, I didn't like the fact that it had to go in chronological order I would have preferred to start in the middle of the story, or even at the end and work my way backwards and keep the reader drawn in! 


Brainstorm:

• Christmas Experiences
• Predicaments in Life
• A specific time and problem that happened
• A death even, because almost everyone has lost someone and it would help the reader connect with the narrative. 

The Family with a Dark Secret.

“Megan I have to tell you something very important, but you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone.” Maddie began sobbing, streams of tears running down her cheeks.

“ I promise!”

“I mean it Megan, you can’t tell anyone, not even your mom, or write it in your diary, nothing.”

“Maddie, I won’t. How long have we been friends? I’ve never told a secret of yours and I never will.”

My step dad is abusing my mom he is beating her and cheating on her! The other night I came home to find my mom unconscious on the kitchen floor and her lip had been busted up real bad. Thankfully McKenzie was at our neighbors house, and Alan had gone out to spend more of the money my dad left us.”

“How long has this been going on?” hissed Megan.

“I’m not sure, but I think that it has been going on long enough… He needs to go!”

“Are you going to tell the police? I mean you have to. He’s a danger to all of you and if finds out you told, that might trigger him to seriously hurt your mom even more, maybe even you and Kenzie.”

“I can’t, they won’t believe me. He used to be a cop, so they will just take his side and let it slide!” Maddie turned her face away and began sobbing into her hands.

“Girls, hush!” the old wrinkly librarian hissed.

“Look, if you don’t tell someone, something even worse is going to happen!” The bell rang and seventh period was let out.

“ I’ve got to go Maddie, I’ll call you tonight.”

“O.K.” Maddie walked out to her car to find her sister there waiting for her, which was very odd. Usually Maddie had to call her and tell her she leaving without her if she wasn’t in the car in two minutes.  She hit the unlock button on her key, they got in and didn’t speak the whole twenty minute drive home, as soon as they pulled in the driveway Maddie bolted out of the car, to go in and make sure her mom was still alive.  It’s a good thing that Alan - her step-dad - was at work right now. Her mom was all right, face still swollen, looking almost as if someone had glued a purple baseball to her left eye.

“Mom, why do you continue to let this happen to you? Why can’t you leave him?” Maddie began crying again.

“Alan didn’t do this hunny, I tripped over one of the pillows in my room and smacked my head on the corner of the night stand!”

“STOP LYING!” screamed McKenzie “ I even know that he is hitting you mom, I’m not stupid!”

“ Girls, I can’t leave him he will take all the money I have left from your father and then what will we do? Huh?”

“Maddie and I both have our college funds and dad’s retirement funds we can do that we need to leave mom. What if he starts hurting us? Will that be enough for you to leave that pathetic man?” McKenzie began hyperventilating after all of that yelling and crying at the same time.

“He promised me he would never hit the two of you.”

“Mom, come on! You really believe that pathetic loser?”Maddie questioned her mother with intensity.

“Well… I…” her mom began shaking. BANG! The front door slammed shut.

“Woman!” bellowed Alan. He cocked the shotgun and fired three times… silence; dead silence rang throughout the neighborhood.

For Better or for Worse.

          Rodney Faber sat alone on a long, darkly stained wooden, bench, with thousands of scratches each one with their own story.  The social services offices was loud with many voices chattering, arguing and some were crying.
          A very tall woman walked out of the small office, containing stacks of papers and dust particles that had been collecting over a period of many years.  This woman was very familiar to Rodney; she was his social worker and was in charge of finding him a new home.  Her name was Gladys Turnpike; she was wearing the usual bright almost neon purple and black shirt, black dress pants, and a pair of bright white Nike sneakers.  Rodney and Gladys had become very regular in each other's lives.  Rodney had been passed from a foster home to an orphanage and back again.  Rodney had lost his parents in a horrific car accident four years ago, when Rodney was just two years old. so he doesn't really remember them. 
          Gladys had good news for Rodney today.
"Hey there, Rodney! How have you been?" she said with an ear to ear grin on her face.
"Hi, miss Gladys; I am okay." Rodney said as a tear ran down his cheek.
"Well I sure hope the news I have for you certainly cheers you up! I found a couple that wants to adopt you really badly.  They have a son that is just a few weeks older than you and they tell me that they have always wanted to have 'twin boys'" She said with so much excitement she began to tear up.
"Are you serious? Someone actually wants to adopt me?" he questioned.
"Absolutely! I have arranged for your foster parents to have you to be ready tomorrow morning, and I will come and pick you up!Their son's name is Brandon, and I think that you two will get along wonderfully." Gladys said.
"O.K." said Rodney his eyes gleaming with hope.
          The very next morning Rodney was picked up by Gladys and taken to the fair.  Rodney was very nervous, so nervous that he began doubting himself that they actually wanted to adopt him; but indeed he had nothing to worry about.  Their son was really nice and enjoyed many of the same things that Rodney does.  After several meetings with the Wilkerson family, over the course of about seven months, they all agreed that this would be the best for Rodney.  So, within a year, Rodney finally had a place that he belonged and yes it would be for the better. 

Showing, not telling

One day as I walked into the gym after school, I could feel the tension, and frustrations as soon as I stepped through the bright blue door.  All of the girls on the team were bickering about the littlest things you could hardly hear what they were saying, because they were all talking at the same time and seemed like it was as loud as they could!!! I just kept off to the side, not involving myself, with all of that DRAMA!!!!
"You need to lock your knees!" said on of the flyer's.
"Well you're fat!" Said the girl going to catch the flyer.
Finally the cioach showed up ten minutes by then I was tired of hearing what they had to say!!! She didn't even ask what the problem was she walked in with her high heels and hair all done, as if she had just walked out the salon! Instead of actually warming fro the game that was in about 2 hours, we had to have a "chat".  The coach only listened to the girls that were the returning girls, and basically snubbed the other girls.  She stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms as if she were disappointed in us!