Friday, April 29, 2011

"Y" is for Youth...

A to Z Challenge:
ABC's of My Life...


Facts of Five….and youth~


If you are a new follower let me give details of Facts of Five. It was a model I used when I taught students with special needs in a self contained classroom. I presented a category such as ‘Five Cartoons’ or ‘Five flavors of Kool-aid’ and the students had to consider an idea that fit the group. It was fun and thought generating yet in the meantime, I was able to get to know what was important to my students.

So our category for today is youth; more specifically, memories from youth. Okay, class, I will begin~

1.) My spiritual upbringing besides being present at church each Sunday sitting in the 6th or 7th pew back on the left side of the sanctuary took place at Camp Mowana; a church camp affiliated with the Lutheran Church outside of Mansfield, Ohio. I attended one week each summer from first grade until I graduated from high school.


2.) Speaking of which, I began Kindergarten and graduated from the same school; Hopewell-Loudon School in Bascom, Ohio. It was and still is a K-12 grade building surrounded by cow pastures and corn fields. We graduated with 63 in our class. I really am a country girl at heart!


3.) I was in 4-H but got kicked out for teasing a girl in our troop. I also got kicked out of Sunday school by our Pastor’s wife who was the teacher. I think I was just a goody-two-shoes kid who wanted to ‘try-out’ what it was like to be a Bad-A--! I didn’t tell my mom I had gotten kicked out until I graduated from college…and obviously, I didn’t like it!


4.) My most embarrassing moment in life occurred when I was a freshman cheerleader. During a time-out we had to ascend a set of six or so stairs to step onto the stage. We were all putting our hands in the air clapping, trying to get the crowd into the game when CRASH! I tripped and fell on my hands and knees. Being stunned, I didn’t know whether to lay there and feign injury or get up and laugh! I did the latter!


5.) Inner qualities I’ve carried with me from my youth is I’m practical, sensitive to criticism, creative and an observer. Traits I’ve outgrown are clinging to people in my life, negative thoughts about me and my strong need to stay angry.



“In youth we learn; in age we understand.”

Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach

22 comments:

Donnie said...

Those were some great facts about you. I really enjoyed getting to know you better. Lovely photos.

TexWisGirl said...

oh, you are such a good soul-bearer. :)

Ginny Hartzler said...

You are very honest with your five facts. I love the five facts, it is a cool forum for many things!! You were a cutie pie! So serious looking, I have to think you got really great grades!

Teresa Evangeline said...

Thank you so much for sharing these parts of your life, your self. I was in 4-H,too, as well as Bible camp. I didn't fare any better at camp than you did in Sunday School. :) I'm so glad you let us see more of You. Very nice.

Unknown said...

What a lovely heart felt honest share. Enjoyed learning more of you.

Have a beautiful PS weekend.
TTFN ~
Marydon

Nancy said...

Love the photos! I think my Mom still has all of mine. Why, I don't know.

Sounds like you had a pretty good childhood, Tracy. Explains why you are such a great person now. :)

Alexandra MacVean said...

Ha! It was fun to learn a little more about you. Hee :)

Wanda's Wings said...

You speak the truth. Lovely photos.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tracy, Love the pictures and learning more about your early years. I was too bashful to be in 4-H!

Old Kitty said...

I love that you were a rebel (no. 3)!!! Oh youth!!! I don't miss mine but I admire the qualities it brings - audacity, fearlessness, yearning and the ability to stay up late and not feel tired!

I love your pics too, thanks for sharing!

Take care
x

Tiggeriffic said...

No 4-H in my area. But I was a Girl Scout..I spent many summers at Camp Ledgewood near Hudson, Ohio.
I love it when people talk about what they did in their growing up years. Lovely pictures of you.
Enjoy your blog~! Have a Tiggeriffic Day~! ta ta for now from Iowa:)

Jeanie said...

I love the memories you shared, especially the ones about a good girl gone bad :)

Author Joshua Hoyt said...

Nice photos it was fun getting to know you better.

Julie Harward said...

You sound like a wonderful person to me! ;D

Catherine said...

It's amazing the lessons we learn about ourselves as we grow up and what makes us who we are today.

Sweet post Tracy!
xo Catherine

Lin said...

You must have been a good kid if you still remember getting kicked out of 4-H. I was mean to a girl on our bus when I was a kid--I was bullied myself, but that didn't make it right. Anyway, I STILL feel bad about it!!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Trac, I love this post... I always enjoy learning more about my friends... The pictures are great... I love your inner qualities and am glad you have put away the anger....

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy

T. Powell Coltrin said...

How cute are YOU! Thanks for letting me get to know you better.

Out on the prairie said...

Very nice share. I think we all have some similarity in our lives such as what you shared.I enjoyed the one time I went to camp so well I became a volunteer helper until I was hired as a counselor. It was the highlight of my life for many years.

Bossy Betty said...

Wow! This was a great post. I had 27 in my graduating class. I was in 4-H too, but was not the rebel you were! I loved seeing these pictures!

Kea said...

I wanted to thank you for the prayers for my mom and Harry--it's appreciated more than I can express.

I've blocked a lot of my youth out, I think, as it wasn't a happy time. Except when I was wandering through the woods, down to the river behind our house, or keeping company with my ponies and later, our neighbour's work horse (my first soulmate). Those times I remember with joy.

Inger said...

I like that Facts of Five concept and I have used it in one of my blog posts. Of course, I can't remember when or where. It has been fun to read your A to Z Challenge.