SWEET MAGNOLIAS' OWN BLOOM

Here I am! giggles! A sixties picture. Used it for both high school and college. Yes, I went to both and finshed both. Went to Highlands High School in North Highlands, California--*Go Scots*! Graduated 84 out of 674. Did the typical school things; debate club (love to agrue), Future Nurses (didn't go there),GAA (Girls Athletic Association-swimming, volleyball and fast pitch softball), Rally Squad, Drama Club (was the body in the window seat in the play Harvey),football palyer admirer, Thunderbird Drinker (that stuff will eat you alive) and back seat movie buff! giggles! Belonged to a Masonic Organizaton called The International Order of Job's Daughters and yes that is me the queen, or Prez for six months! Belonged to Bethel 296, Rio Linda, California. College days were so much fun. Regualer hippie there, trying to keep up with the homework even at work. Went to Seattle Pacific College (now University) in of course Seattle, Washington and then transferred to Sacrmento State College (now University of California-Sacramento) Oh, the music before disco; Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, the Jefferson Airplane, the Greatful Dead, the Doors and Country Joe and the Fish! Oh the frat parties oh, my head! Transfrred again to University of South Carolina, Columbia, to get sourthern history classes for my major (BA in history) and fell hard for a sweet thing! Love is blind and the uniform was out of this world! So ends my care free single life! If I had only known!

Mike and I got married August 10, 1973, at Marine Barracks-Charleston Navel Base, Charleston, South Carolina. It was a very unique garden wedding.The Marines at the barracks gave me crossed swords and tolled a ships bell (USS BEAVER, sheeeze-the bell was moved to Goose Creek Navel Weapons Station after Charleston Navel Base was closed)and helped me step into the world of the Marine Corps without having to enlist. THANK GOD! We had a wonderful two years in Charleston, great friends, good softball, and lots of parties! The Marine Corps Birthday Ball was always the biggest and most special party of the whole year. Mike got orders to go to Okinawa for thirteen months, un-accompied of course, that's the Corps way. My father had just passed away and we decided that I should go back to California while he was overseas. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!Family, friends and party animals helped the thirteen months go by, along with alot of letters, cards and pictures. Wish they had had phone cards back then, ugh! The phone bills!!! Mike was sent to Camp Pendleton and ten months after his return, our first blessed baby arrives. WINKS!! On December 14, 1976, (day before payday) Clinton Spencer came into our lives. He was such a good baby that we thought why not another? So Mike goes away to play on a ship just after New Years 1978 and when he gets back his Valentines gift is we are having another baby. UUrraahh!! So in October of 1978, and Mike pleading all the way to the hospital, please wait two more days, PLEASSSE!( Mikes' birthday is October 12) Amanda Elizebeth picks October 10, 1978, (my parent wedding anniversary) for her enterance into our lives. I decided that two is enough, was not going to go through this wonder four more times just so Mike could have an infield for softball. We had a great two more years at Camp Pendleton and Mike re-enlisted and went to recruiters school and got orders to Omaha, Nebraska.We bought our first home there and lived there for a year. Surprise! Off to Parris Island, South Carolina. Great year there and back again to Camp Pendleton and off Mike goes for six months to revisit Okinawa. The three of us make the best of it with t-ball and dance lessons and school activities. Home for eighteen months and gone again. This was the hardest deployment of all. The children were older and off here and there so, it really got to me. So when Mike got back I went to work at the Military Clothing Store right down from where Mike finally planted himself. We had great friends and wonderful Christmas'and other holidays but Christmas was the best. Time marches on and the children grow and enjoy the beach and California life style. The last big event before we left California was my high school 20 year reunion. So up to Sacramento we went and poor Mike gets to meet all those crazy people yours truly made it through teenagehood with.

Mike retired from the Marine Corps in October of 1990. The children and I came out to South Carolina in August of that year to buy a house get ready for the school year and try and get settled in. It all went smoothly. Mike came home and we stared retirement, almost. In February of 1991, Mike was invited to return to the Corps to re-train reserviest from the fleet for Desert Storm. Gone again and not even retired a year. Sheeeeze and he got to go back to California, not fair, not fair at all!! But in April he got to come home and we settled in at last.

Here is my bestest buddy, Sydney Cool! I love puppets and made them for a long time. Syd and I have fun with the children around the neighborhood and my grandchildren think he is great. He can be a little devil at adult outings also! giggles I said that I made puppets amongest other things and have a small at hove quilt business and love making rag dolls. Just hate to sell my dolls cause they become my babies while creating and dressing them. These two darlins are on this page because I can no longer get the forms to retail so, they will not be on the quilt link. Just love them!Can not forget my good buddy, Gypsie, if it sleeps with you you have to remember it!(Well not all the time) giggles She is a Shetland collie or Sheltie and really thinks she is human; pizza, chips, Pepsi, chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter sandwiches. She doen't have to watch her waist line!Here we have last summer out in California. Mike and I decided that after 25years we would re-tie the knott! It was great! Clint and Marilyn, my parents, my aunts and uncles and frinds from all over came and partied with us. There were watergun fights, I had the super soaker until Clint and Mike tackled me, then I got supersoaked. We had the re-newal of vows right on the beach and as in our first wedding had visitors that just dropped in! It was great! It was a neat time and I wished tha all the un-natives would goo home so I could stay, but RIGHT. There is nothing better than children than grand children! Here are grandmas favorites

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