Personal Childhood Web

There were several people who have mentored and raised me throughout my childhood and have contributed to the person that I have become today. Listed below are a few of those important people in my life and description of how they are related to me and the impact that they have had in my life. I hope that by reading this post you will be able to learn a little more about my background and see where my personality comes from.

• My mother, Lynn, has always been a strong role model for me. Up until the birth of my younger sister, she was a stay at home mother. She was always there to provide the love and support that my siblings and I needed. She was the one who helped us with homework whenever we needed it and she was always in the stands for all of our sporting events. I can only think of one basketball game (I was a cheerleader) that she missed and it was because she was ill. She regretted it terribly, but I reminded her that she has been there for me whenever I have needed her. When she did start working again, she started teaching preschool. As I entered college and decided to pursue education for a career, she simply told me to follow my heart and do what I was passionate about. She is still my biggest fan!
• My father, Vaughn, has always been the main breadwinner of the family. Even when my mother started working full-time when I was in elementary school, my father continued to work two jobs to make sure that the bills were paid and we had everything that we needed. My father would attend my sporting events when he could, but most of the time he was working whenever I had a game or competition. My parents divorced when I was in my Sophomore year of college and that is when I actually became closer to my dad. We started a yearly ritual where we would have a father-daughter outing when just the two of us would go out and explore something new. I cherished that one-on-one time with my father because I rarely had it growing up. Now that I am married, my father gives my family space, but is always there for me whenever I need him. He loves my daughter dearly and she looks up to him with love and respect.
• My maternal grandmother, Eileen, was such a loving and caring person. Whenever we went to grandma's house, it was her house that we went to. She was the person who introduced me to God and I loved attending church with her when I stayed the night at her house on a weekend. I felt so special sitting in the pew next to her during the service and she would always share her Certs mints with me. My grandma's house always felt like a refuge where I could turn to whenever I needed someone to listen. I lived with her for a while when I attended Ohio State and it was one of the best decisions I could have made. During my stay with her, her dementia began to develop and she was always repeating herself. As crazy as it was to listen to the same stories again and again, I loved those moments sitting at the kitchen table with her. Her dementia took a turn for the worse literally the day that my daughter was born and I always joke saying that my grandmother checked out because she knew that she couldn't handle my daughter, but I know deep down that my grandmother loved each and every moment that she was able to spend with my daughter, even though she didn't know who she was. My grandmother passed away this past December and I miss her dearly. Whenever I am feeling down, my mind always wanders to the moments that I shared with her and I can feel her presence with me.
• My paternal grandmother, Frances, is a very strong, loving woman. She was always a homemaker who did all of the cooking and cleaning around the home. For the longest time, I thought that she was soft spoken until recently. She always followed my grandfather's orders and did not do otherwise. She has outlived two of her children and her husband. She is definitely a person who is set in her ways and does not like a change in routine. When my grandfather passed away (by his own hand), she found the note, called the people that she needed to call, and then proceeded to make herself breakfast. She sat at the table and ate while everyone was working around her. She is 98 and living in an nursing home now, but she is still very independent. She refuses to be late to church or a meal and don't even think about pulling her out of Bingo for a visit. She is never afraid to tell me that she doesn't like how I have let the curl go out of my hair or let me know that I've gained weight. That's what I love about her. She notices the details in life and doesn't let life get in her way. I see a lot of her in myself. I am a perfectionist and very determined. Once I set a goal, I do everything that I can to make sure that I reach that goal to the fullest potential. Simply meeting the goal isn't good enough. I have to do my best work at all times.
• My brother, Steven, is my older sibling. Growing up, he had a lot of behavioral issues and I learned what not to do by watching him. However, he was always the big brother that I needed him to be. He has always been very protective of my and he let me know if he didn't like somebody that I was dating. I was able to turn to him for advice when I entered high school. When I entered high school, he and I became more like friends. He is very independent and goal-oriented like I am. He is also a very loving father to my nephew. There have been times when he has turned to me for advice, which in turn showed me that I have gained his respect as an adult. As I continue to pursue my education career, he asks me questions about school and expresses interest in my life. He may be my big brother, but he has become one of my best friends.

Below are some pictures of the people that I listed above, plus a description of the photo. Enjoy!

 

Here is a picture of my maternal Grandmother, Eileen, during one of my visits to the nursing home after her dementia set in. My mother, Lynn, is also pictured holding my daughter.

 

 

Here is a picture of my paternal Grandmother, Frances, at her 98th birthday party just last month. My husband, daughter, and I are also pictured here.

 

 

This is a picture of my mother, Lynn, holding my daughter one week after she was born.

 

 

This is a picture of my brother, Steven, holding my nephew during a family gathering.

 

 

Here is a picture of my father, Vaughn, and I when we attended my sister's high school graduation.

 

Tiffany Booze