The Chase

     It was the summer of 1991.  I was between my eighth grade and ninth grade year of high school.  There was one thing I enjoyed doing and that was spending my summers at the cabin up at Houghton Lake.  It was my playground.  If I wasn't swimming or boating then I was biking or walking up and down the road.  There was always putt putt golf, The Pines Movie Theater or Playland with the famous "Haunted House" to keep us occupied.  Neighbors knew neighbors and everyone knew each other's children.  It was a time where children were safe to be children.  But sometimes we are a little naive to the dangers in life.

     My mother just had a hysterectomy and needed a little relaxation.  My brother was entering college and my sister was already out on her own.  It was just mom and I in the household.  She decided to head up to Houghton Lake for some rest.  She said I could bring a friend and I decided to bring Amy, a close friend at the time.  We did all the normal young teen things.  We swam.  We tanned at the "premium sun time" which was 3pm, so she told me.  She tanned, I burned.  We took long walks up and down M-55 browsing in the different stores set up for tourists.  At night we would talk about music and boys.  It was normally fun. 

     On one particular day my mom needed some extra rest.  She was having her friend and her friends boyfriend coming up later on that day and she wanted to rest up before they arrived.  Amy and I decided to go for another walk.  As we walked we came upon the troll bridge.  As a child my grandpa would tell us that trolls lived under the bridge like in the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff.  The small bridge went over a small canal that connected Houghton Lake to smaller channels of water for the vacationers that wanted to live on water in a small subdivision.  We knew trolls really didn't live under the bridge but it was fun pretending with grandpa.  The name stuck.  From then on we always called it the troll bridge. 

     As we approached there was a young man fishing.  It wasn't anything out of the ordinary to see people fishing from the troll bridge.  It was a good fishing spot.  It has deep water so boats can get through but it is very weedy.  You knew that area was off limits to swimming but great for fish.  As we passed by we gave a smiling head-nod greeting to the young man.  It was just a passing greeting.  Amy and I didn't even stop.  We just casually continued on our way talking about whatever it was we were discussing. 

     We walked past more houses and around a small bend.  We started to get an uneasy feeling but we didn't know why.  As we walked we slowly glanced behind us and noticed that young man was walking behind us a few houses back.  He was not holding fishing equipment that he had at the troll bridge.  We gave a nervous smile, still acting casual, and returned facing forward.  I think our hearts started working at a faster pace.  We were uneasy.  We tried to tell ourselves that perhaps he ran out of bait and was on his way to the gas station up the road.  Lots of people walk up and down this road so maybe we were making a big deal out of nothing.  We didn't want to falsely accuse. 

     There was a small dirt road that went left.  The gas station was straight ahead.  We decided to take the road to the left.  If this young man was going to the gas station he would go straight and our fears would be proved false.  Walking a bit down the road, after we made the left, we looked back to check.  He was there.  He made the left too.  We faced forward again.  There was a resort hotel nearby.  Perhaps, we thought, he is a tourist and needed to run back to the hotel for something.  Deep down we knew this young man was stalking us but we felt some comfort lying to each other hoping our lies would become true.  We stepped up a walking pace a bit faster.  We wanted to pass the resort quickly in hopes that he was just heading back to his room. 

     We decided to cross to the south side of M-55.  We started walking east a little bit and looked behind us.  The young man was waiting for traffic to clear so he can cross the road.  Finally Amy revealed what I didn't want to hear.  "Jill, He is following us."

     A numbing feeling came across me.  I could tell from Amy's words that she was scared too.  "Come on," I said.  "There is a Dairy Queen just a bit up the road.  Let's hide behind the building.  Maybe we can lose him."  We didn't walk this time.  We ran and we ran hard.  Neither of us were much of runners but on that day we both could of broke some records with our speed.  We ran past the Dairy Queen and came around the other side of the building and angled ourselves so we can see M-55.  We didn't see anything for a moment.  Our hearts were pounding out of our bodies.  We waited.  "Maybe we lost him." I mumbled.

     We slowly came out from behind the building making our way to the front.  Standing there was the young man waiting.  It was like he knew we were hiding and he was waiting for us to reveal ourselves.  We took off.  I think we screamed or at least we thought we screamed.  I am not sure.  All I did know was that we were terrified.  We continued running east.  We needed help.   I knew Our Lady Of The Lake Catholic Church was just up the road.   I ran up to the doors and it was locked.  Drats!  Thinking fast, and wanting to be in the safety of home, I knew we had to head back in that direction.  We zigzagged around some more buildings with this young man still in hot pursuit a little bit behind us. 

     We crossed back to the north side of M-55 and ran into Oliver's Furniture.  The building was surrounded with tinted windows so we could see if the young man was coming.   We had to catch our breath.  We didn't even notice anyone else in the store.  We didn't want to take our eyes away from the road in case he would pop out at us from somewhere.  A lady in the store must of known we were in some kind of distress.  It isn't everyday where young teen girls want to check out a furniture store.  We told her our dilemma and she escorted us to the break room and gave us a glass of water.  We felt safe but we didn't know what to do next.  Neither of us wanted to leave that break room. 

     A short time later the same kind lady opens the door.  "We just seen him peeking in through the glass windows.  He does look creepy.  I have called the police."  We felt relieved of emotion.  We thanked her greatly.  We knew then things were going to be alright. 

     The police officer arrived and we told him the whole story.  He told us he looked around the area and didn't see the young man.  We did the right thing by coming into the store for safety and that he would take us home.  Those were the best sounding words I wanted to hear.  Take us home!  "Keep your eyes open in case you see him."  the officer told us.  We were both in the back seat, our first time in a police car. She was looking out her side of the window and I was looking out my side of the window.  Even though we didn't do anything wrong just sitting in the back seat of a police car made us feel guilty, like we did something wrong.  It was uncomfortable feeling but somehow knowing we were heading home made it a bit easier.

     We were coming up to the troll bridge when Amy and I noticed a young man standing near the top of the bridge with his fishing pole in the water.  "THAT'S HIM!  THAT'S HIM!"  we both shouted.   Our hearts started to beat faster with adrenaline. 

     The officer pulled over, got out and talked with the young man.  Feeling safe in the police car we were able to get a closer look at this young man.  He looked like he was in his early 20's.  He was a little unshaven, hat on, and unappealing.  He was denying everything the police officer was questioning him on.  We felt anger towards him for lying to the police officer.  There was nothing much more the police officer could do.  He told the guy to keep his nose clean and stay away from us.  The police officer started pulling away. 

     Suddenly, and without warning, the officer slams on the breaks and throws the car into reverse and speeds backwards.  It caught Amy and I by suprise.  The officer storms out of the car very angry.  He starts yelling at the young man.  "DO YOU FIND THIS FUNNY?!  THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER...." and on and on he yelled.  Amy and I looked at each other in shock.  The young man looked as if he was about to pee himself he was so scared.  The young man's eyes didn't want to make eye contact with the officer.  He just kept mumbling no and shaking his head.  After the officer was done chewing out this guy he gets back into the car and drives off.  Amy and I hid our excitment of the cop getting after the young man.  We didn't want the cop to go off on us like that.  Neither of us spoke a word until we pulled into the drive.

     "I want to talk with your mother to let her know what happened and to assure her you girls are safe."  the police officer told us.  I invited him up to the house.

     I motioned to him to wait outside because I knew my mom was resting.  I went into her bedroom and gently tried to wake her up.  "Mom," I lightly whispered, "there is a police officer here to talk with you."

     "Oh, it's just John.  Tell him I am resting and he can welcome himself into the living room" she mumbles.  My mom's friend, Patty's boyfriend, little did I know, was a police officer in another town and was meeting Patty there at the cabin. 

     I shook my mom's arm.  "No, mom, this is not John.  This is a real police officer here to talk with you."

     "Ma'am"  he entered her bedroom and jiggled her foot.  I don't know if it was his deep voice or him shaking her foot that made her suddenly wake up.  "I want to let you know the girls are okay." 

     My mom, fully awake now,  tried to utter a few words but could hardly speak.  "who....what....girls are okay?..."

     The officer filled her in on the whole story.  Amy and I just stood there at the foot of her bed with our heads down gazing at the floor.  The officer instructed my mom that we should probably stick close to home for the rest of the day.  No arguing with that one.  I think Amy and I already knew we didn't want to head back out for a walk.  That was too much excitment for us for one day.

     After the officer left, and my mom still in shock over the whole ordeal, wanted more details from us on what happened.  Over something to eat in the kitchen we shared everything that happened, again, with my mom.

     Looking back I realized that Amy and I probably did the right thing but it just took us longer to do it.  We should of went looking for help right away instead of running away in hopes of getting the young man off our trail. 

    

My Performance In GVSU's Renaissance Festival

     As a teen I fell in love with the theater.  I got my first taste of acting as a freshman in high school and embraced it.  I did a few plays in high school and performed in dinner theaters for the church I went to.  In my Senior year of high school I earned enough points to gain the rank of a lifetime thespian (an actor after the Greek actor and playwright Thespis), including a free one year subscription to some drama magazine.  There is something about stepping up on stage and putting a piece of yourself to make the character come to life.  I thought after high school my acting days were over even though I still had the love for the theater. 

My outfit for the ball scene

     Early in the summer of 1995, after I graduated, I got a call from the director of the Drama Department at Grand Valley State University.  She read my transcripts and was interested in having me be a part of the Shakespearean play Romeo and Juliet for the Renaissance festival.  I was more than thrilled to be part of a University production.  She told me practices were the following week and if I was interested in being a part of the play to show up.  I told her I would be happy to be there. 

     I walked along the buildings at Grand Valley State University realizing that in about 6 weeks I would be going from building to building hurrying myself along with a crowd of other people going from class to class.  The campus looked so big and I seemed so small.  I finally located the theater.  Older classmen were already there rehearsing part of their lines up on stage.  Incoming freshman were scattered along the front few rows of the seats watching the stage.  An older lady approached me and asked me who I was.  I gave her my name and she flips through a clipboard with several names on it.  She introduced herself as the head of the drama department.  For the life of me I cannot remember her name.  She told me the freshman are sitting up front and that as freshman we will be the extra's and a few will have small speaking parts.  I smiled and shook her hand as she passed me a copy of the play Romeo and Juliet and I made my way to sit among the other nervous looking incoming freshman.

     


I am the the second from the left.

Romeo with
the backstage director

     Over the summer the cast grew together as a family.  We would  share our frustrations, laugh about the guys wearing the cod piece, and tease a few of the ladies that had to dress like a harlot.  We would wrestle around the green room or stand just outside the doors talking and smoking.  When work was to be done, we did it but most of the time we just goofed off. 



     I did get a small speaking role as one of the watchmen.  It was only one or two lines which I forgot what they were but nonetheless I was happy as I can be about it.  I learned that play inside and out.  I read it once as a freshman in high school but I never let the story sink in.  Doing the play over and over it became a part of me and understanding the Elizabethan language.  We had a choreographer come in and teach us the dances in that time period for the ball scene.  I was one of the 8 couples up on stage dancing around and twilling.  It was a very graceful style of dance.  I stood in front of my partner.  Our right palms touched at face level as we spun around 3/4th of a circle.  Then we switched hand and were now palm to palm with our left hand and spun the other direction 3/4th of a circle.  I would lower my head in a curtsey and he would bow in my direction.  I loved it all. 

     There was a team of seamstresses that came in to fit us for our different costumes.  The gowns were beautiful.  There was a large room off the side of the theater that had sewing machines dotted over every table, pieces of cloth strung everywhere, a large closet filled with outfits and so much more.  These ladies did a great job at what they did.  At the time I never even touched a sewing machine and here these young ladies were designing these wonderful outfits.  I was impressed.

Prince of Verona

     One day we were told to wear our costumes and do some small skits at the over by the clock tower at GVSU.  I remember doing the dance scene outside feeling like I was in that time period.  People gathered around and watched us perform.  It was a fun experience walking around in costume playing the part.  The circle of people clapped for us as we bowed. 
     Soon it was show time.  We performed several shows throughout the week.  We even did one for local school children.  We had to edit some of the scenes, like the bedroom scene of Romeo and Juliet, for it to be child appropriate. I was in the opening scene as an extra.  I remember the curtain being raised, looking at my theater family with looks of excitement in their faces.  There was a moment of intense pause.  Then as if a magical moment happened we all came to life in character.  I was quietly chatting away with another extra, fawning over Benvolio and ooohing as Tybalt comes walking by.  Even now thinking about the lights shining down on us, the hush of the crowd and the words that were being said, I still get exciting chills about the whole thing.



One of the actors goofing off in the green room.
You can see the monitor and stage in the background.

     At one of the plays I forgot to go onstage during one of my scenes.  A few of us were goofing off in the green room.  There was a TV with sound in there so we can tell what scene the play is at.  We were not paying attention.  One of the directors pops her head into the green room to tell us to get ready for the next scene.  I looked over at her like a deer in headlights, then over to the monitor and realized I was supposed to be up on the balcony of the stage saying my one line!  I was so upset with myself.  The other two "watchmen" covered up for me but I felt horrible. 

Some of the actors

More extras in the play

Montague and an extra

Lounging out before a show.  I am sitting in the
middle and J.J. is laying across us.

A few of the actresses in the make-up room getting ready.



.

Some actresses before the show having fun.

    

A few of the actors showing off their tights.



Before a performance.  I am on the right.
 

Relaxing in the Green Room.



Juliet's Nurse ~ one of the paid actors for the play.



J.J. with one of the actors.

The Friar with an actor waiting to go on stage in the Green Room.



Another actress back in the Green Room waiting to go on stage.





JJ in the lower left.
We were signing advertising
posters during one performance.

     After the plays came the cast parties.  They realized I had never been drunk before.  It was their goal to see me wasted.  After the first show we went to someone's house and I was liquored up.  Yes, I was three sheets to the wind.  JJ, one of the extras, read out a 500 question purity test for everyone to take.  She was quite proud she had the lowest score.  There were some things that I didn't want to know about people that I learned that night.  The next morning we had an early practice for the next show later on that night.  Most of the cast and crew crawled in with hangovers.  I came skipping along.  They gave me looks of disgust.  "Don't you have a hangover?" they asked.

     "Nope!  I feel great!  On with the show!"  I would happily prance along. 

     In 1996, Hollywood remade the movie Romeo and Juliet staring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.  Right away I fell in love with the movie.  We own the movie and my children love watching it as well.  I like how Hollywood adapted it to modern times.  When I hear the words it takes me back to when I was 18 again, up on stage, seeing everyone from the cast saying the same lines and going through the motions. 

     That was the last time I was on stage.  I would love to get back into the theater but not at this time in my life.  Someday....someday. 

    



The Day The World Stopped

     Unless you are very young of age or have lived in a cave, everyone knows about the terrorist attacks on America on September 11, 2001.  It was a day that has changed the way American's look at things, the way American's feel about things, and the way American's live.  11 years later and American's still walk around looking over their shoulder's wondering when the next attack will take place.  We may not think about September 11 every day but no one can forget what happened.  I am not going into details of what happened in New York, Washington D.C., or Pennsylvania.  I am telling the story from my life.

     It was Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  The sun was shinning and it was going to be a beautiful day.  My oldest son, Christian (age 4) was taking speech therapy classes in the afternoon and they were taking a field trip to the Allegan County Fair that day.  Brian and I agreed to take all the kids to the fair later on that evening.  I was getting our daughters, Elizabeth (age 3) and Ashton (a month before her first birthday) ready for a playgroup with other mom's at a castle park in Plainwell, Mi.  Brian had a job interview at Sara Lee Bakery that morning (and he did get the job).  In the background Blue's Clue's was playing on the tv.   I was taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College but I didn't have class that day.  We were all happily busy.  It was just like any other morning.

     Brian ran to the corner store to get me a gallon of milk before he drove to Grand Rapids.  As he was approaching our house he kept beeping the horn to our van.  I was under the impression that he was running late and he wanted me to meet him in the driveway so he can take off quickly.  Brian flys out of the car with a look of urgency upon his face.  Our neighbor, Buzz, opens his front door and hollars out to Brian, "Did you hear about the World Trade Center?

     I was thinking this was an opening line to a funny joke.  Brian replies back, "Yes, I just heard about it on the radio.  I am going to go check out the tv."  and Brian heads inside.

     As he walks closer me I asked, "What is going on?"

     And as he passed by me without even glancing in my direction he states, "America is being attacked!"

     I stood there, outside, for a moment.  Did I hear that right?  America is under attack?  I went inside.

     We turned the channel to the news and it was already on that a plane struck one of the towers.  You can see smoke coming out from the towers but America was still confused.  At that time we didn't really know what kind of plane it was or if it was deliberate or by accident.  Brian was certain that this was not an accident.  This was done on purpose.  But no one really thought who would do something as awful as this.  It was hard to pull your eyes away from the tv.  Eventually Brian had to because of his job interview.  He kissed us all and was on his way.  The excitment of the interview somehow didn't seem to matter at this point. 

     I looked at our children, who were more upset because Blue's Clue's was interrupted, and thought that even though they do not realize what is happening their lives are about to change forever.  I didn't want them to see images of what was going on so I turned Blue's Clue's back on and called my friend, Deana.  She was watching the whole thing and we were trying to make heads or tails out of the whole situtation.  Suddenly I hear her shout, "Oh my God!  There's a plane!  That plane is gonna hit!  It just crashed into the building!"  There was a shakiness to her voice.

     "What?!" I was hoping the news was doing a recap of what was happening, "What happened?"

     "While on TV I seen another plane go into the other building!"  We were both silent for a moment.  I ran with the portable phone upstairs to the tv in our bedroom and turned it on.  There on the screen was a gapping hole in the building of where the plane entered the building.  We both watched on our own tv's, in silence, grasping tightly to the phone.  Neither one of us made it to playgroup that day.

     On the tv reports we heard about the Pentagon and the United Flight Airlines 93 that went down in Pennsylvania.  I just wondered how much more do we have to see!  What building will be next?!  We were certainly under attack.  You couldn't help but think of the people on board those flights.  You knew there had to be children, and there were.  Did the passengers know?  Could they see the buildings approaching?  Tears for those people and their families were unstoppable.

     Then the unthinkable happened.  The towers collaspe.  At 9:59am the south tower went down first.  It was very hard to watch.  At 10:28am the other town collasped.  All those people in a matter on seconds were gone.  The police, fire department and recuse teams were great at getting out many people.  So many more lives could of ended that day if not for the brave men and women who went into those towers.  I don't think people realized the towers would of collasped.  Most thought several floors would be damaged, obviously, but it did not cross anyone's mind that these towers were coming down.  All around the area soot, ash, rubble blanketed the earth.  It looked like the aftermath of a war scene after a volcano spewed it's ash.  Papers from people's desks fluttered down what looked like a mean spirited ticker tape festival.  This was not a festival.  Those papers were like tears falling from those who lost their lives.  American's were sad and we were getting upset. 

     It was hard being a parent that day.   All I wanted to do was scoop them up and hold them yet, with them being young, they didn't want to sit in my lap all day watching the horror that is unfolding in America right before our eyes.  They still wanted to play.  They still wanted lunch.  They still wanted to be read to.  I played out the roll of mommy threw my actions but my heart and my thoughts went to those suffering from these vicious attacks. 

     Later on that evening we debated on going to the fair.  Neither Brian or I were in the mood.  The kids were wanting to go and we did promise them.  The Allegan County Fair, one of the largest county fair's in the state is also known for it's largest county fair parade in the country, is normally a wonderful place to visit.  They have a historical village complete with a working blacksmith shop, a church, a school where the local schools even use it for a day and homes set in the 1800's time period.  The barns are full of animals you would expect to see at the fair and then the midway that is chock full of rides for all ages.  On this day it was very somber.  There were young kids and teens riding rides having fun.  The adults, however, looked sad.  I don't remember seeing a smile on anyone's faces, even the carnival workers.  Usually in the aisle of games the carnival workers push parents into playing a game.  It was quiet today.  Radio's were on all over the place with coverage of the attacks.  In the exhibition booths where people are showing off their wares and their small businesses it was quiet.  Some had tv's playing at their stations.  The Kalamazoo Gazette had a special edition paper already there for people to take.  I was impressed how quickly it was in the papers.  I still have my copy. 

     Eariler that day President Bush ordered all planes down for several days.  I remember looking up at the sky and just seeing traces of clouds.  No contrails left over for passing airplanes.  I kept my gaze upon the sky.  So this is how it looked before the invention of the airplace.  I tried hard to memorize what was in my vision.  I knew people haven't seen a sky like this in about 100 years and I may never see a sky again without airplanes.  Even at night looking at the stars above it was peacefully quiet.  No moving blinking lights from a passing plane.  Everything was still.  Everything needed to be. 

         The next day I went to college.  Our English class was a big group discussion about what happened the day before.  Everyone was still walking around in a daze.  The little things in life didn't matter.  People were hurting, people were missing, and a lot of people died that day.  Nothing else was on people's minds.  The world seemed like it stopped and the focus was on New York, Washington D.C., and the crash site in Pennsylvania.  People could not stop talking about it.  There was a blood donation site set up at the campus.  There was a long line for people wanted to give.  This was the least American's could do at this moment.  I stood in line waiting for my turn.  No one worried about how they would feel giving blood.  There were people who might need it desperately.  It was the American duty to give.

     A few days later there was a vigil at the Gerald Ford Museum in Grand Rapids, Mi. that my sister, our children and I went.  Some people gave speeches and prayers to those families affected by this terrorist attact.  We held candles and songs were sang.   I tried to tell my children the best I could about what was going on, that we were to remember those who died in the attacks.  We, as a city, all became like one.  As a nation we were as one during that time.  It didn't matter if you were rich or poor, republician or democrat, black or white, christian or athesist, young or old.  We all came untied as a country. 

      We found out al-Qaeda was responsible for planning and delivering out the attacks.  On tv you can see them jumping for joy and celebrating the collaspe of the towers.  These muslim terrorists, on this day, took away a bit of our freedom.  But as a country we united as a whole and didn't sit back for long.  On that day thousands were injured and 2,973 people have died.  There were only 20 people that were pulled out from the rubble from the World Trade Towers.  20!   There were 372 foreign fatalities that represented over 80 nations.  From the south tower (the one that collasped first) one 4 people above the 81st floor survived.  The fires from the towers burned for 99 days, finally being put out on December 19.  This didn't just effect a City.  This effected the world!

     Today when we watch movies, and if they are older, the kids point out the twin towers.  Just yesterday we watched the cartoon Ants and at the end the camera pans out to reveal Central Park in New York City.  The camera still pans out over the city.  Standing tall in the backgroud was the World Trade Towers.  They would be too young to remember the day but I am glad to know my children know about the terrorist attack and what the World Trade Towers are. 

    

A Unique Dining Experience.

     It was around the year of 1984.  I was 7 years old and we took a trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma to visit my Aunt.  I don't remember much of the trip.  I remember it was my first time out of Michigan and it was my first time flying on an airplane.  But one event I do remember and that was eating at Molly Murphy's House of Fine Repute. 

     Molly Murphy's House of Fine Repute was started in 1976 in Oklahoma City, Ok.  A second one was built in Tulsa a few years later.  The whole atmosphere was something out of the ordinary.  The waiter/waitress staff was dressed up in costume.  It looked like it was Halloween in this building.  It was such much fun watching different characters walking around, playing the part they dressed up as.  Our server was Raggedy Andy.  I used to have stuffed dolls of Raggedy Ann and Andy so seeing him walk around in person was a real treat. 



I was standing in front of our waiter. 
My brother is just behind me wearing the Bacchus Feast bib.





Here I am again with our server, Raggedy Andy, and my brother.


     In the middle was an old car that was transformed into a smorgasbord of wonderful tasty foods.  There was another salad car (that while doing background on the place I found out was a 1963 red Jaguar XKE) for diners who didn't get the Bacchus Feast could use.  The Bacchus Feast was the meal most people came to the restaurant for.  You had to have at least 4 people in your party to order it.  This wasn't just any regular trip to the buffet either.  You HAD to wear a plastic bib while you ate.  I don't remember exactly what foods they served but I don't remember complaining about anything either.  When you ordered the Bacchus Feast the server isn't quiet about it either.  He chants and yells out that another table ordered the Bacchus Feast and other servers will chime into the chants as well. 

     At one point I had to use the bathroom.  I asked my aunt where it is.  She laughed and said I had to ask the waiter.  The waiter came up and I mentioned I had to use the bathroom.  He shouts out as loud as he could, "POTTY TRAIN!!!!  POTTY TRAIN!!!" 

     Being a kid I thought it was thrilling.  As an adult I can see the embarrassment in it.  Raggedy Andy grabbed me by the hand and started walking me up and down every row of seats shouting out potty train.  Other servers fell in line behind us like a long locomotion all shouting, "POTTY TRAIN!!!!"  The bathrooms where in back of the restaurant so you couldn't use them unless you asked. 

     The restaurant made the top 100 resturants in America.  Sadly, on January 1, 1996 Molly Murphy's closed forever.  Poor managment with money and an arguement with a news reporter made Bob Tayar, the owner, decided to abruptly close. 

     I am glad to have the opportunity to experience a restaurant like this.  Never again have I been there, nor have I came close to a dining experience like this one.
    

A Labor Day Birth

     The year was 2002 and the world had changed since my last child was born 2 year prior.  There was a terrorist attack on American soil 5 months before I got the news that we were expecting our fourth child.  I was two weeks shy of turning 25.  American's were still glued to their tv sets learning more about why we were attacked and hearing about anthrax cases sweeping across the nation wondering what will happen next. The America we knew had changed in a moment's notice. America will never be the same again.  Our children will grow up in a different world from what we were used to as kids. 

     We lived in Allegan, Michigan.  Besides what was going on in the world we were doing good.  Brian was driving for Sara Lee Bakery and was home every night.  We were just starting to debate on buying our first truck and becoming an owner operator.  I was attending college part time at Kalamazoo Valley Communtiy College and our oldest was in Kindergarten.  Life was good and we were thrilled when we found out we were expecting another baby. 

     I was a part of a mom's playgroup that met once a week.  We averaged about 7 to 10 moms.  We would meet at different homes or at a park.  Sometimes we would have field trips to a pumpkin patch or the local fire house.  It was nice mingling with other stay at home mom's and talking about issues of raising children.  My doctor's wife, who has a young child, also joined in on our group.  She really is a sweet lady.  There were times when we would talk about mistakes doctors make or how awful the delivery went of a baby.  I would look over at her and smile and say in jest, "I can't say anything bad about my doctor.  If I did his wife would clobber me."   She took it with humor and really her husband was a fantastic doctor.  They were active in church, their older children attended the same christian school my son was attending and they were very pro-family.  But it did have its awkard moments.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I didn't like talking about it at playgroup.  I was uncomfortable talking about my appointments with his wife right there.  I would think in the back of my mind, her husband has seen me where the sun doesn't shine and she KNOWS it.  It was all for medical purposes but it still made it awkward.  She was a registered nurse before being a stay at home mom so she was all ready to question how I was doing physically and when I was overdue if I was dilating yet.  I hated to answer her.

      At college I was just taking general classes.  One class was Children's Literature.  I felt like the people in class never seen a pregnant woman before.  It was a summer class which ended a week before my due date of August 21.  I was certainly showing in that class.  Some of the younger girls even would ask to rub my belly and some wanted to feel the baby kick.  I let them.  They thought it was neat to feel the kicking but generally I do not like to be touched by people I don't know.  I was certainly outside my comfort zone. 

     We decided to let Brian name this baby.  We didn't have an ultrasound as the doctor didn't seen a need in one.  For a boy Brian picked out the name James Reagan.  James because it is the most used name for the presidents of the United States.  There is James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield and Jimmy Carter. The middle name Reagan was after our 40th president, Ronald Reagan.  I thought the reasons of the name were ridiculous but he picked out the name so I went with it.  He couldn't think of a girls name at all.  I couldn't either.  Brian said not to worry about it because he knew this one was going to be a boy. 

     Like my other children my due date came and went.  Time just ticked away laughing at me as I wait and wait for labor to begin.

     It was August 31, 2002.  Labor Day weekend came upon us.  My Aunt and Uncle came from Tulsa, Ok. to Michigan a year before and we decided to all get together, along with my mom, her husband, and my sister and her husband and children for a picnic at Little John Lake in Allegan.  The weather was beautiful.  We went swimming and the kids played on the playground equipment.  I even was swinging on the swings feeling the freedom of the wind in my face flying back and forth.  I was feeling good and having fun.  Labor at this point was the farthest thing from my mind.

     That night the excitment took a toll on me and I was exhausted.  I retired to bed a little earlier than normal.  Brian stayed awake watching tv.  About 3:30am I woke up from a deep sleep doing Lamaze style breathing.   Woo woo woo wooooo!  Woo woo woo woooo!  Woo woo woo woooo?   It took me a moment to realize what I was doing.  I had to think why I was breathing like that.  The answer to my question quickly arrived.  A heavy contraction shot around myself.  Fear quickly came upon me.  I let it pass.  I stood up and took a few steps to our bedroom door.  Another contraction.  I stopped to let it pass.  I looked at the stairs.  Can I make it down the stairs?  I called for Brian quietly as our three children were fast asleep in the room next to our room.  He couldn't hear me.  I had another contraction at the top of the stairs.  As soon as that contraction passed I dashed down the stairs.  Another contraction hit and I braced myself on the door to the stairway.  I managed to make it to the livingroom and found Brian just dozing off.  "BRIAN!  It's time!"

     He looks at me dazed and confused, "Time for what?"

     "I am in labor!  We need to call your mom and get to the hospital."

     "I was just falling asleep."  he said very sleepy.

     "Well it looks like you are about to pull an all-nighter."  I headed for the phone.

     We call Brian's mom to come keep an eye on the kids.  I called my mom to come from Grand Rapids to meet us at the hospital.  I wanted her to be there for the birth.  In all the commotion Beth woke up.  She caught me having a contraction and got scared and started to cry.  I, then, started to cry.  I quickly pulled myself together and told her a new sibiling was on its way and Grandma was coming over.

     We made it to Allegan General Hospital.  My doctor was moving to a new house that weekend.  I joked with him saying that I bet he was glad I pulled him away from the house so he doesn't have to move boxes today.  He laughed and said if everything goes right he would be back home in a few hours working on it.

     My mom and my sister showed up in time.  Labor wasn't too bad and I got my dose of stadol to take the edge out of the pain.  I was the only one on the delivery room floor that early morning.  At 7:43am on September 1, 2002 a new baby entered the world.  We were overly thrilled that it was a boy.  We still didn't have a girls name picked out.  The doctor hands James to Brian.  Brian looks down at James and says, "He looks just like a little bear cub."  Then his nicknamed formed - Cubby and it is still his nickname to this day.

     Right after James was delivered another mom-to-be came in.  The nurses told me they had to do an emergency c-section on this mom and they will be right back to assist me.  I told them I understood and no problem.  Brian left shortly to get back with our other children and my mom and sister left to head back to Grand Rapids.  It was just James and I.  I was told, from past deliveries, that when I first stand up they want the nurses there in case I get dizzy and fall or other medical reasons.  So I sat there - in the same sheets I gave birth in.   James was getting heavy in my arms.  I was getting very tired of sitting too, not to mention I wanted clean sheets.

     A few hours pass.  I thought about using the call nurse button but I didn't want to disturb them in case they were still helping that other mom.  I lay James between my legs and stretch way over to pull the hospital bassinet closer to me.  I placed James in there.  He was sleeping and happy.  I needed to use the bathroom.  I look over at the bathroom door.  I was sure I could walk over to it.  I stood up.  I stayed up.  All is good.  I didn't want to leave James in the room all by himself so I wheeled him in with me.  I came out of the bathroom and looked around.  It was nice standing up.  Still no nurse to come and check up on me.  I look through some of the cupboards in the room.  One cupboard had clean sheets in it.  Praise Jesus.  I took off the old bedding and made up the bed.  At least I didn't feel so totally gross anymore.  It wasn't until several hours later (and past lunch hour) that finally a nurse came to check on me.  In my passive aggressive sort of way I showed her the soiled sheets and told her I wasn't sure where to put them.  A look of shock came across her face.  She looked at my chart.  "Wasn't there anyone who came in here earlier?"

     "No" I said in a matter of fact tone.  I think she realized that they didn't even come in to check vitals or anything.  She apologized and said they were all sitting in the nurses station watching tv.  Somehow I didn't feel much better hearing that.

     The next day we were giving the all clear to go home and I was so glad to do so. When I talked about his birth at the playgroup my doctor's wife was upset that the nurses slacked off.  She said it was probably because of the Labor Day weekend and many of them probably didn't want to be there.  She said I should send in a letter of complaint.  I told her I wouldn't.  It was done and other with and no harm was done.  She said she would talk with her husband about it so he can talk with those working there that weekend.   Being in the hospital room I felt like a hampster in a cage.  No where to go to except from wall to wall.  James was my last hospital birth.

"Cubby" James Reagan (2 months old)

    

Beware! The Lava Monster

     I love being outdoors, especially when I was a child.  My imagination ran wild with crazy ideas and thoughts.  I would feel invincible and unstoppable.  When breakfast was over I quickly tossed on shorts and a t-shirt and spend the day outside in our fenced backyard. 

     We had a wonderful swingset with neat accesssories.  On one end was a swinging teeter-totter, followed by a swing.  Then it had a set of rings to swing on followed by another swing.  Just on the other side of that was a swinging bench then a metal slide.  The end of the slide can be raised up and when propped carefully it can be used as a level platform.  There was a small gap then there were a set of monkey bars.  There was a post that stuck out horizontally from each of the four corners of the monkey bars that each supported a swing.  At times we would stretch one of our swings chain links from one end of the monkey bars to the other side.  Creating such a long stretch raised the swing seat up very high but it didn't give much chain slack swing to it.  Nonetheless it was still fun to be sitting up high.  We even had a trapeese bar that we would hook up to another post of the monkey bars. 

     We had a strong tree that created a "V" shape near the base of the trunk.  From one of the posts that stick out you can swing yourself to the "V" of the tree.  In my imagination when I would pass through the "V" of the tree it turned into a porthole to take me to another world, a world of mystery and magic and adventures.  I would have to do some daring stunt in order to claim a lost soul and find my way back to the "V" and return to normal Earth.

     I was amazing at doing tricks on my swingset.  I could flip around using the rings or the trapeeze bar.  I could walk on top of the monkey bars from one side to the other and flip on down to the ground.  There was a bar that hung over the slide and it was nothing for me to twirl over the bar and hear the metal echoing sound of my feet hitting the slide.  I had no fear.  I was in my youth. When I fell I would brush myself off and get back up determined to master the trick I was trying to accomplish. 

     There was one game my sister, brother and I loved playing.  The Lava Monster!  One of us would be the Lava Monster.  Generally, since I was the youngest, I was usually picked to be the Lava Monster.  My other sibilings had to start at one end of the swingset.  Without placing a foot on the groud they had to shimmy their way across the swingset, jump from the slide to the monkeybars and make their way to safe, which was the "V" of the tree.  If a foot were to touch the ground then I was able to tag them and pull them into the lava (off the swingset) and they would become The Lava Monster.  Then it was my turn to skedaddle across.  I can still remember the burn and the blisters on my hand from gripping too hard on the top bar of the swingset making sure I didn't let go. 

     Unfortunally time took its toll and we grew up and moved away leaving behind our swingset and The Lava Monster.  That was a time before video games, before computers and cell phones.  This was a time in history where children relied on their imagination and creativity to pass the time.  Those where the good ol' days of summer. 

    

The Homebirth of Levi

     Almost exactly three years after we found out we were expecting our fifth child we realized we were expecting our sixth child.  Six was our magic number.  We both wanted six children yet none of them were planned.  It was a week before Thanksgiving in 2007and Brian noticed the same glow about me.  We took the pregnancy test and right away the double lines showed the truth.  I was pregnant. 

     We knew right away we wanted to homebirth.  We enjoyed the experience and comfort of having a baby at home.  There is nothing like the pleasures of having our children meet their sibiling under the roof of our home.  We waited until after the Thanksgiving holiday and made our call to Faithful Guardians Midwife Services to set up an appointment.

     We had three boys and two girls and I hoped for a little girl to tie up the score.  Emmaleigh Opal would of been her name.  Emma after my great grandmother on my dad's side, Leigh after the female spelling of Brian's middle name and Opal after my great grandmother on my mom's side.  Brian wanted the traditional spelling of Emily but using the spelling of Emmaleigh used a historical approach to it.  We couldn't agree on a boys name so that made me more hopeful for a girl. 

     My pregnancy went like clockwork.  Heavy morning sickness during the first trimester, feeling great during the second trimester and the normal aches and pains during the final trimester.  August 3rd was our due date.  I had a check-up with Laurie, my midwife.  She was feeling my round hard belly and a look of concern came across her face.  She palpated a bit more around my abdomen.  "I don't mean to alarm you," Laurie says, "but I think the baby may be breech."

     That was not something I wanted to hear on my due date.  I took a deep breath.  I didn't know what to say.  I was scared for the baby and for myself.  I never had a breech baby before.  Laurie continued on.  "There are some exercises you can try to flip the baby over if you are interested."  I nodded.  She went on to explain that by tilting the pelvis above the head the baby can rotate around and position the right way for birth.  She also wanted me to have an ultrasound so we can know for sure what position the baby is in. 

     I cried on the way home.  Brian was there with the other children.  He seen the distress on my face and inquired what happened.  I grabbed a newborn outfit and said, "Our baby is faced this way," and I held the outfit upright, "should be facing this way." and I held the outfit upside down.  I cried some more and Brian held me.  He insisted we have a Cesarean at the hospital.  I told him I insisted we have the baby at home and not at the hospital being hooked up on crazy monitors. 

     We tried doing those exercises which are not easy when a person is 9 months pregnant.  We stacked all the pillows under my hips to elevate them over my head.  I must of looked like a sight but Brian kept encouraging me to keep it up for the best of the baby. 

     A few days later we were on our way to have the ultrasound.  I was more concerned with what position the baby was in over what sex our baby is.  She spreads the cold gel over my abdomen and rubbed her machine around me.  We heard the heartbeat sounding strong and watched it flutter on the screen pumping away doing its job.  We were confirmed that the head was facing down in the correct position.  We were so overjoyed with the great news.  Perhaps those exercises did work.  She looked further around to make sure everythng else was okay.  "Do you want to know if you are having a boy or a girl?" she asked.

     Relief set in knowing that all physically is okay with our little one and we welcomed in knowing if we were going to have a boy or a girl.  She scans the machine around.  "It looks like you are having a boy!"  she says happily.

     A boy?  I wanted my Emmaleigh Opal!  I was a little disappointed but God knows what he is doing and he wanted us to have 4 boys and 2 girls in our family.  Now here we are after our due date and we don't have a boy's name picked out.  The last thing I would need at that moment would be to go into labor.  We stopped by a cemetery on the way home and walked around.  Maybe an interesting name would pop out at us.  A few names we came across we would put it with our last name to see how it sounded.  Nothing was sounding good.  We spent the next few nights looking over the computer and looking in the phonebooks for names that would work.  My biggest fear now was going into labor and not being able to name our son. 

     Going over the genealogy again we came across Opal's father's name.  Levi.  I liked it and it still gave me Opal's connection.  Now we needed a middle name.  We looked over the family tree again.  We seen the name August.  We already were in the month of August and I thought since I knew our baby was going to be born in August and I have a great grandfather named August there would be a funny twist to his name.  So for a few days we were set on it.  It wasn't until a few days before Levi was born that my mom told us about how my grandpa, her dad, got his middle name Edwin from his Uncle Ted who fought in the WWI.  We debated between August and Edwin.  Edwin was our final decision for the middle name.

Halvor's 3rd Birthday and Levi 2 days overdue

     August 5th rolls around and I was 2 days overdue.  It was Halvor's 3rd birthday.  We were wondering all day if Halvor was going to have a brother for his birthday.  The night settled upon the Earth and no baby brother for Halvor.  So we still waited.  We waited and waited. 


     It was the wee morning hours of August 14th.  Brian and I were up late watching Con-Air when Braxton Hicks contractions started hitting real bad.  Perhaps it was the onset of labor but it was too early to know.  Eleven days overdue and any pain could be the one to start labor.  I couldn't get comfortable and it was too sparce to start timing them.  I called my mom to come up so she can be here for the labor.  Something was starting to happen and if not then it would be soon.  I had an appointment with Laurie later on that day so I didn't want to call her unless something was really progressing. 

     If it was labor then it stalled out by the time my appointment with Laurie happened.  I was starting to dialate but nothing to get excited about.  We talked about home remedies we could try.  One treatment that was mentioned was to eat pineapple.  We figured we would give it a try.  We stopped by Foster's Grocery Store on the way home and picked up a fresh pineapple.  This would be our first fresh pineapple we every ate.  We brought it home and the kids were impressed.  My mom sat with us around the table and cut it up.  It was so sweet tasting.  We ate so much that all of our tounges felt fuzzy.  We retired into the livingroom to watch tv and I took a small afternoon nap. 

     I awoke and stood up.  My mom was awake visiting with the kids.  Then a contraction hit.  I knew it was time.  I told my mom I needed to call Laurie.  I woke Brian up to help get ready.  We informed the kids that they would soon have a baby brother and if they needed anything to ask Nonna.  Aunt Bay, my sister, was on her way up from Grand Rapids.  We got everything ready and I was full of adrenaline in anticipation of a new baby.  Laurie comes in happy as can be saying, "This shouldn't take long.  We have a pro-birther here."  I had to agree.  My labors are all quick and easy.  I knew I would be holding our son by dinnertime. 

     I laid back in bed feeling the different stages of labor come across me.  I would lay on one side then rotate to the other side.  My mom would come in and try to pat my head but I had to shoo her away as I don't like to be touched while in labor.  She meant well but at the time it was like nails on a chalk board.  All I could do was hold a hand.  Things were going smoothly and I was calm the whole way through. 

    Looking out my bedroom window I could tell the sun was setting.  I knew something wasn't going right.  I should of had the baby by now.  I asked Laurie to check my dialation.  I was stuck at an 8.  I tried changing positions from one side to the other to help speed up dialation.  That didn't work.  I rolled up on all fours.  It helped with the pain but it my dialation wasn't improving.  I kept trying to keep myself relaxed but I couldn't figure out why I can't get past an 8 dialation.  I had pain like I never felt before and it lasted what seemed like forever.  I was quickly growing tired and felt like I couldn't go on.  I told Laurie that I needed to sleep and we can carry on in the morning.  She laughed and said the baby will be here by then and to keep patient.  Laurie brought in a birthing chair.  I looked at it and it scared me.  It looked like walker and uncomfortable.  Some women who have used it say it is very comfortable but I wasn't willing to give it a try.  I was determined to do whatever it takes not to use it.   Little did I know that my mom, who wasn't too comfortable about my decision on homebirthing, was very close in dialing 911.  My sister was holding her back saying being at home was my decision and to let me be. 

Levi Edwin

     Laurie decided to check the dialation again.  She learned the baby's arm was wedged up by the cheek which is what caused the stall in dialation.  It was as if he was wedged in there.  Laurie tried to pull the arm back so he can be birthed with ease.  Things happened so fast or that I was so out of it that I don't remember what happened.  But I do know at August 15, at 12:35am Levi Edwin entered the world weighing 8 pounds and 14 ounces and 21 inches long.  Right away I looked at his ears.  They were small and tiny.  He was a blue-eyed bald baby boy.   Even now, 4 years later, when Levi is sleeping his arm will lift up by his cheek.  For Levi it is his comfort.

Picture of Levi, Beth and I in Countryside Magazine
March/April 2009 issue pg 96

     Baby cries filled the house.  In a short time Beth and Ashton entered the bedroom to meet their new baby brother.  The rest of the children early in the evening fell asleep while waiting for their brother Levi to arrive.  Beth sat on my bed and watched Levi being weighed and measured.  She seen the placenta and Laurie showed her how the placenta works.  Most of all she seen me okay and knew I wasn't hurting anymore.  I told her all of that pain was forgotten about and it was replaced with love.  Brian comes in and gives me my "victory bar".  It was a nutragous that he bought for me at the onset of labor for me to enjoy afterwards.  My mom and my sister enter the room to meet the new memeber of the family. 

     Thirteen years prior when Brian and I were out for a date we both talked about wanting 6 children.  Our dream of wanting a larger family has been fulfilled with Levi.  Six is our magic number and 6 children is what God has blessed our family with.  I look back at the thought of wanting a girl.  I look at my younger boys and realized that God gave me a boy so his other brothers close to his age had someone to play with.  With the girls age difference it would of been hard for them to be close sibilings.  Perhaps a granddaughter will carry that name of Emmaleigh Opal.  Only time will tell.  In the mean time I am going to enjoy our family blessing.

The Family