I Remember

So I found a blog I wrote back in October of 2008.  I never published it. Not sure why.  Anyway - I took a friend's advice for a good way to hone your writing skills.  Just write for 15 minutes, start with the phrase "I remember" and then just go, every time you get to a stopping point start with a new I remember phrase.  Here's what I came up with in 15 minutes (it's long, you don't have to read it if you don't want to) 

I remember when I was in kindergarten and fell on my bike. Ryan was with me and was so kind to me. I remember that I had to go in the hospital and didn’t know what was going on. I remember my siblings brought me a Bernstein Bears Book and strawberries to lift my spirits. I remember when I was in 3rd grade and I scored a goal playing soccer against all the boys. I remember when I was in 5th grade and I had to pick up trash because I put a sandwich on a girls head. This was so unusual for me to be punished publicly, I was such a quiet and good girl, I was humiliated. I remember when my brothers and sisters and I used to play Swiss Family Robinson and Submarine in our house on Craig Lane. I remember building a tree house with 3 different levels and how I hated when Ryan put a lock on one of the doors he built onto the tree house. I remember I wanted to be a boy and be allowed to go to my brothers club. I remember when we were camping and Sarah fell in the fire ring and cut her forehead and when she stood up she was covered in blood and I screamed at the top of my lungs. I remember being sad and not liking the way I looked. I remember my first boyfriend, Drew Janovick, and how 3 different boys asked me to the Valentine’s Day dance and I chose Drew. I remember how he kissed me (it was just a peck, I was in 7th grade) after the dance and I was so happy. I remember going to Yosemite and loving it there. I remember my first swim meet, I was terrified, I had never done it before and I was so intimidated. I remember I was actually good at swimming and decided to join the water polo team the next year. I remember having such a love hate relationship with water polo. I remember my coaches being so hard on me, but how good it felt to score my first goal in a varsity game and be on a team that won league every year. I remember Grad Night and winning a half a dozen prizes, including $100 to South Coast Plaza, $100 to Bruno’s Surf Shop and a wet suit top, A beauty gift basket and a date night package. I remember moving into my sister’s house in San Mateo and how excited I was to be away from home. I remember picking up the phone on September 11, 2001 and having my brother-in-law Aaron telling me, we were under attack, and how I needed to turn on the TV. I remember Dylan and Mckay and Elli from Tiny Tots and teaching these preschoolers with my sister and being done with work every day by 3 pm and loving life. I remember when I left San Mateo, how Julie and I cried at the air port because I was off to BYU and our fun times living together was up. I remember getting to BYU and feeling so alone and so ugly. I remember when Julie Gunnell knocked on my door and greeted me with a smile, we formed a friendship that will never end, no matter how far apart we are. I remember asking Dustin Patrick to Preference and having Bishop Pulley do it for me. I remember having Jamaba Juice everyday my freshman year and how Jarom and I used to race to see who could drink it faster. I remember when Jarom left BYU, I was sad and lonely, I miss him, I still do. I remember being so excited to go back to San Mateo that summer and helping my sister with her new baby Mia Pauline. I remember my first Giants baseball game and how I met my future husband and that Barry Bonds hit 2 splash hit home runs that day. I remember going to Santa Cruz and enjoying the day with Adam and going to San Francisco to go to the museums and Golden Gate Park. I remember never wanting the summer of 2002 to end, it was spectacular and I felt special and loved.

It was fun reading through this over a year and a half after I wrote it.  I think I'll do it again sometime.  I do need to practice my writing skills more!  Sorry it is a bit rough, I didn't want to edit it, but rather just let it be in its raw form.  So many good memories - this just scratched the surface.