The Good Times

I’ve often spoken of my difficult childhood – one plagued with drama, chaos, pain, and difficulties. But…something I often like to do when my mind wants to wander back to those days is to remember the GOOD times, those times when I smiled…a lot! And, those times that continue to bring smiles to my face, even now, as I remember. No matter the pain…no matter the gloom…God still sent many rainbows, many expressions of His hope! Sometimes we have to look hard to find them, but I promise you – it’s worth the effort!

Some of my favorite childhood memories:

1. Visiting Disneyworld and getting on the monorail headed the wrong direction (I still don’t know how *that* happened). Our mistake led to getting to ride in the very front with the conductor! Fun!
2. Camping!
3. Visiting my grandparents in Kansas. My brother, sister, and I were their only grandchildren, so we were a tad bit spoiled when we visited. 🙂
4. Getting haircuts with my granddaddy at the barber shop on Saturday mornings and then getting to go shopping or out to lunch with him.
5. Christmas Eve open houses at a neighbor’s home.
6. My 5-year-old birthday party at the Pizza Hut!
7. Learning to swim and dive in our neighborhood pool!
8. Playing in the woods. All. The. Time. (I grew up in the woods from age 7 on…)
9. Getting to ride on the back of a motorcycle with our neighbor (the one and only time I did it in my 41 years).
10. My best friend and I having appendectomies at the same time. While having an appendix removed wasn’t all that great of a memory…I thought it was pretty cool that we both had to have it done at the same time. We were 8 and spent nearly a week in the hospital (those were the days before “day surgery”).
11. Spelling bees! Yes – I was a word nerd even then. 🙂
12. Getting to interview one of my favorite childhood authors, Beverly Cleary!
13. Watching Star Wars at the drive-in theater!
14. Pretending my baby sister was a doll, by rolling her around in my doll carriage.
15. My peekapoo, Susie, who would answer to ANY name! 🙂

Enjoy your Saturday – make some fun memories today!