Your life is different, but I do understand.

My life is different, but I do understand...

Oh beloved teenager, as we sit on my bed after another teen years mother-daughter quarrel that in the end we will never really remember the reason why we argued you spoke a sentence that struck a chord, it struck a chord because I remember saying it to my own mother, "My life is so much different than yours, you will never understand."

Yes, your life is different than mine, but not quite that much. I know we've moved you around a lot showing you the world. We have done this because it was a dream of ours to make you a citizen of the world. Let you experience as many different culture as possible. Growing up my life was great, but I always craved more. So, yes, your life is different but I do understand.

I know school is hard. Believe it or not I was there once upon a time as well. I know you have PSAT, Personal Project, eAssessments, plus all your regular work...but guess what when I was in high school we had all the same things, they were just spaced differently, graded differently. So, your life is different, but I do understand.

I know you have a lot on your plate this year and my immature jokes are annoying, but I only want to make you feel better. I know the kids can be crappy, teachers can be tough, and the workload may seem unbearable, but you are smart and organized...just like me, so I know you will get through it. School was the same in America as it is in The Netherlands. So, your life may be different, but I do understand.

So, dear teenager, as I wipe away your tears,that came as a result of my tickle attack to make you smile...know that I attacked my Dad the same way and burst in to tears every time he tried to tickle me to raise my spirits and let me know this isn't the worst day I will ever have. See there, your life is different, but I do understand.

Just know that every test I schedule you to take, every essay I proof read signal the days are winding down of you being a full time resident in our home. So, while you have the stress of completing papers, projects, and studying for impending examinations I do understand because as parents we are deal with the stress of you flying the coop and leaving us with an empty nest. So, right now our lives are very different, but they flow together, and I DO understand.

Compassion in the right place, at the right time #1000Speak

Compassion is something I have been thinking of a lot lately. This particular venture of #1000Speak has made it more prevalent in my mind, but my daughter goes to a school where many of the teachers tend to lack compassion for their students, this disturbs me. However, hearing how many of these teachers deal with students from my own child and other children and parents got me thinking about the times people have shown compassion to me in my life.

I have a story, it is a very personal story. It is about an event at the beginning of my marriage, of really my life as I will come to know it, where the compassion comes from two different sources. Part comes from my fabulous parents, the other from people who are total complete and utter strangers whom I feel were put at this exact spot, at this exact time just for me. Many of you have never heard this story, even if you are very close to me. I have kept this even somewhat secret mostly because once my mother reads this she will probably call and yell at me, but it is an event that occurred 15 years ago and I had to use instinct to determine if it was an okay situation to put myself in....so, enough with the mystery...read on.

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My husband and I were married when I was 18, he was 20. Fast forward, we have our daughter and in March of 2000 he gets stationed temporarily in California, not anywhere amazing like LA or San Diego, but Lompoc. Yes folks, Lompoc, California. Most of you probably don't even know where in the hell that is, nor should you. I didn't...and honestly, I didn't care.

Having spent 19 years of my life in the great state of Florida with little major traveling I was anxious to get out. I had always had a bit of wanderlust since Geography in the 7th grade and I knew that one day I would leave Florida and move to another part of the continent if not the world-I know, my poor mother.

So, as soon as this station happened I knew I wanted to go. This was for school for him so technically I wasn't "allowed" so we used our tax return to make the move and supplement our income. I knew I probably should have stayed back in Jacksonville, my home town, but I didn't know where the next station would take us. My entire life I had dreamed of seeing California, going to Disneyland, seeing many of the things I had seen on television and in magazines that had got my imagination going. So, come hell or high water, I.Was.Going.

My mom, she was sad. Not only had I married, moved out, and had a baby really young, but now I was literally moving across the country. But, she is a big person and even said her and my dad were really proud that they had raised children who weren't afraid to strike out on their own and make their dreams come true. So, mom showed me how to woman up and really helped me get ready. She helped me move out of my apartment, stored all of our household goods, and got me organized and ready to travel by train across the great US with a 4 month old.

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So, lets recap. I'm 19, not even married a year, have a 4 month old, traveling by train to California.

My mother really did it up for me and the kiddo. She bought me a nice carry on bag, she bought me plenty of formula, lots of bottled water, baby food, and tons of my favorite snacks and juice boxes (don't laugh, I was still 19 ;)). This was incredibly kind and is something I have never forgotten.

Once we are on the train (mind you I had to kick my father off haha), we traveled and I actually ran into a girl I went to high school with who had left years before. So funny where life brings you, so we traveled together until Texas. I then met a nice older couple that I had breakfast and dinner with whose story was somewhat similar to mine. She kept telling me what an adventure my life would be...she was right ;)

After arriving in Los Angeles, we were 8 hours behind schedule. This older couple helped me load my luggage and the gentleman ran ahead to let the next train know I was on my way over and not to pull out, I load up on that train and a couple of hours later get off at the Lompoc train stop.

I step out and I see behind me Pacific Ocean and in front of me...CORNFIELDS!!! The first serious WTF moment of my life. So, I start to load up on the bus to go into town and am told it is full and I need to call a cab. Stress level rising.

I go to the pay phone (it is 2000 people) and the cord to the phone is cut.

So, to recap I am in the middle of freaking no where, the last bus of the day to town is full and I can't call anyone. Oh yeah, and I have a 4 month old!

I start looking around quite panicked begging the bus driver to let me on or come back or give me a phone when a nice little old lady walks over and asks me what is wrong. I am half sobbing half yelling because I have no idea what I am going to do. All I could think of is what sort of mess have I managed to get myself in to.

So she takes me by the shoulders and brings me to meet her husband, they calm me down, get my story and tell me a bit about themselves. They were there because apparently, this was the best place in the city to see the sunset. After a bit they offered to take me to the base-my end destination.

The 80's child in me freaked. Millions of missing child posters flashed before my eyes; runaway train played through my head. All I could imagine is my mother screaming and yelling at me, but I was sort of out of options. Unless some other people with a cell phone or a taxi just happened to come out to see the ocean after the sunset I was going to sit at that train depot (with no attendant this was tracks and a platform, and a broken payphone) outside in the middle of cornfields by myself all night. So, I explained how hesitant I was. They understood and had a cell phone they said I could call a taxi or to save some money I could hold on to their cell phone while they drove me to the base. I called a phone number to make sure the phone worked and graciously took their sweet offer to drive me to the base. After talking with them for nearly an hour I felt no fear, no bad vibes.

Off we went and they gave me a tour of the area around the base and when we pulled up turns out this guy was well known on the base they let us on through and he dropped us right in front of the dormitory my husband was living in and let me use the phone to call inside and let him know I was there.

I was such a mess, those people did not have to help me, but they did. I have always remember the love and compassion I felt that day. The only thing they wanted in return was for me to pay it forward someday. I still haven't done my pay it forward deed, but someday it will come and I know I will know that moment, until they I try to be compassionate to everyone I meet and know they are fighting some sort of battle and know a little compassion can go a long way to help them through their tough times.

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September Blogging Challenge: Memory

This is the final post to finish up the September Blogging Challenge! I can't believe I covered every single one (almost) lol. 

Today's prompt asks us for a special memory. There are so many to choose from; there are smaller "insignificant" memories that really have a big impact to more significant ones such as the day I got engaged to my wedding to the day my daughter was born. The one I am going to share though I think is more of a "neutral" memory and really incorporates how much people cared about me and really signifies my growing up. It also made me realize just how small the world is! 

I don't have any digital pictures to go with this memory, although it takes up a good majority of one of my scrapbooks. I was 19, my daughter was 3 or 4 months old, hubby had just graduated from boot camp and was in California. We had not even been married a year yet so I didn't want to have to live apart from him any longer than necessary. Plus, I'd always wanted to live in California, so we decided to use what little money we had for me to get on a train with our 4 month old and come on our to Cali. Now mind you I'd never left my home state without a parent, so this was a HUGE deal! My mom and I had quite a fun time organizing everything I would need for four days of non-stop travel with an infant. My mom was a basket case (obviously, what mother wouldn't be lol) so my dad took me to the train station. I remember feeling like something out of a 1950's movie getting on the train. I also remember having to kick my father off as I was pretty sure the train was going to take off with him on it and not that I would have minded, but I was scared he'd be arrested for not having a ticket! LOL Oh the joy of being naive lol!

The train takes off and I spent a few hours just enjoying watching the scenery go by and exploring the train. I had never been on a train so that was super fun. There were a lot of interesting people to meet and talk to. At dinner I sat with an older couple in there 70's who had been married like 40 years or something insane and had quite a bit in common with them so that was really nice. After that evening I was walking through the train and saw a girl I had gone to high school with! She was going to Texas to meet up with her husband at the time. I was flabbergasted! I could not believe that was happening. I was grateful though because after 24 hours on a train with an infant I needed a small break so she kindly watched my daughter for me while I took a washroom break and cleaned up and reorganized my bag. We then met back up within the hour for breakfast together. It was so nice to see her and visit and catch-up. We were just acquaintances in school, but it still meant a lot. 

After a few days of travel and spending hours in the scenery car I arrived in Los Angeles, 8 hours behind schedule! I was so stressed out, but quickly learned that the train that went from Los Angeles to Lompoc was a commuter train so I got on one no problem. The older gentleman from the couple I had met lived in Los Angeles so they helped me gather my belongings and helped me to my next train. That was such a relief to have some help like that! I arrived in Lompoc and found my way to the AF Base. It was quite an experience and one that really helped me grow up. It also helped me realize the importance of community and how many different types of communities there are, permanent and temporary!

This sure was a fun month sharing quite a few things with my readers that I normally would not think to share! What is one of your fondest memories??

My Life Story in 292 words

So, today's challenge topic is: Your life story in 300 words or less. 

This was hard for me! I have a lot I want to say about my life!!! But, this is about the gist of my life in a nutshell. It wound up being 292 words in total. I can't wait to read everyone else's!!!

Mi Familia

I was born and raised in 1980 in Jacksonville, FL to two amazing parents and a great brother who was 8 years older than me. When I was 4 my parents had a home built and we moved in there, which is where I met my best friend of 28 years. I went through life like any other child, we played outside until the street lights came on, sometimes later as we would get the flashlights out and play flashlight tag. I grew up and changed into a teenager. I met my first real boyfriend in 9^th grade and went to prom, and then in 10^th grade I went to a rival high schools prom where I actually met a guy that would be my future husband.  My next year of high school, my 11^th grad year, I worked my butt off and graduated early after doing some dual enrollment at the local college. That is where I met (again) that guy from 10^th grade prom. We moved quickly and were married within 6 months of dating. That December we welcomed a beautiful baby girl into our family and he joined the military which took us on a crazy journey around the country. We lived in Lompoc, CA, Denver, Co, Satellite Beach, FL, and Orlando, FL. After we both graduated from University we moved to Topeka, KS where I began teaching and found a career field I love. After the hubs finished law school we moved back “home” to FL but it wasn't really where our hearts were so hubby changed career fields and we've since moved to Austin, TX, Santa Monica, CA, and now Vancouver, BC. I am currently a keeper of my home and starting a blog and Etsy Business.