♫ Life is like Duct Tape on a Trampoline

Once upon a time there was a girl. A girl that lived in a lot of houses across paradise, taking in new siblings, new surroundings, new schools, new friends, new foster siblings, new experiences. Steps of life. A past with no regrets. It’s fun to look back sometimes at some of the trials and think "man, if I made it through that, this is nothing!".

I read this blog the other day that said "people don’t want to hear about you. If you want to be successful, don’t talk about yourself." Well Im sorry readers, but lately, I’ve had bloggers-block, and this is what you get. Take it or leave it.

Things I remember as tribulations, that I actually survived:

#1. Special Olympics. Ok, don’t get me wrong, I LOVED those kids. I say kids, and I shouldn’t. Most of them were older than me. Helping autistic, paralyzed, or somehow handicapped people by teaching them to dance (if you’ve never danced with a handsome guy in a wheelchair, do it. Once the awkward wears off, it’s a life experience you’ll never forget), teaching them to bowl, and teaching them to ski. I learned more life lessons from them, probably than from anyone. Things like, no matter how hard life gets, someone else always has it harder. Things like, no matter where you go in life, friendships built are forever, but only stay as strong as you make them. My heart warms every time I think of them. I miss them. I miss the challenges they provided, the frustrations, and the laughs. You can learn a lot from somebody, especially those you assume know less.

#2. Foster Siblings. Ugh. When I lived in the most beautiful town in Wyoming, my parents decided it’d be a fun adventure to start taking in foster kids. You know, a temporary home for "troubled kids". Lordy. I wont mention names, but in a 1200 ft square house with an already family of five, adding one to two more people my age (you know, the grumpy early teen, early hormone stage of life) to the house, is torture for everyone involved. As in...my bed got lit on fire. We got in physical fights. Screaming competitions. One of them got arrested. One of them had the gall to get in my cop daddy’s face, etc. It wasn’t an all bad experience. I still have three foster sisters that I talk to regularly and miss sorely. Lesson learned? EVALUATE the people that sleep have an opportunity to sleep in your bed CAREFULLY! Seriously. Life lesson right there. That, and no matter how bad people seem, they could potentially turn out pretty dang cool. To quote one of my favorite people "even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while."

#3. Getting duct taped to my sister. Not even kidding. My mom thought it was the most creative, excellent, punishment ever. Back off folks, she wasn’t cruel and unusual about it. But it was torture. If the sisters were fighting, they got taped. Until we agreed to touch noses and get along. Creative? Yes. Excellent? No. Quite disturbing. At least I thought so. But everyone I tell that to, says they’re stealing the idea and using it on their kids. I blame my unusually large personal bubble on the duct tape. Especially, the duct tape and trampoline. In the summer. With shorts on. Life Lesson? Put the stubbornness aside and touch noses already. Amazing how that lesson right there can work absolute miracles in today’s day and age, relationship wise. Touch your beloved on the nose next time she’s screaming at you. She’ll love you for it.

#4. Chased by a grizzly bear. Also not kidding. Hunting with my daddy for the first time, the most amazing trip. The scenery unbeatable, the company unstoppable, the conversations heart melting, the smells enchanting, and of course the hunt, adrenaline-inducing. There is something luring about the smell of a bloody elk though, that brings the most feared animal by this mostly tough chick a running. And we were stalked. Ferociously. Thank God for big guns, tough men, and fast horses. Life lesson? Keep God, big guns, tough men, and fast horses, with you, everywhere you go. Or at least readily available.

A glimpse really, in to my horrible childhood. Ha. Of course Im kidding. I rarely had it rough, and Im glad for the times it was. It showed me that I’ll live through things that seem life threatening at the moment, only to go on, write about it, make people laugh about it, and come out a stronger person.

Love,
Nomz