On May 26, 1979, I became a mother. At the age of 10. Not really, but it was a great age to become a big sister. I had three other younger siblings, but I was old enough to really be excited about her birth. And to remember it now. I remember my Grandma Smith and I would race to the phone all day whenever it rang, each of us hoping we would be the first to hear the good news. It was a Saturday, so I was home all day. Okay, I googled it; I didn't actually remember the day of the week. Sometimes I would get to the phone first, other times she would. As fate would have it she got to the phone first when it really counted.
Renee was jaundiced, so she and my mom stayed in the hospital for a long week. In those days there were fewer hospital visits. I think we got to peak at Renee in the nursery and visit my mom once during that time. Then I remember my mom being very sick after she got home. Another long week. But in no time at all we settled into our new rolls in life. One of my favorite things to do was to stand at the back of the chapel with her when she cried during Sacrament Meeting, what ten year old wouldn't love that? I'm sure I would beam at all of the "Ah how cute, or Look how grown up you are, or What a good mommy you'll be," comments I would get as people passed by. By the time she was two she started calling me "Honey." That became the name we would call each other for many years to come.
Whenever she was scared in the night, she would climb into bed with me and whenever Kent was up to some sort of mischief I would call to her for help, not that she was physically capable of saving me from a headlock, or half Nelson, or some other such wrestling nonsense. But she was great moral support and if she cried as she tried to save me that sometimes helped.
I think that the only times she was mad at me was the times I left home for other endeavors. When I was nineteen, I went to be a nanny. While I anticipated being gone for a year, it only ended up being about five months. Another story. She was upset that I had left her then, but it took her weeks to recover from my going on a mission. I got the cold shoulder for a very long time after I returned. I even remember talking to Sherrie Bird, her Young Women's leader, about it. In time she warmed back up to me.
When I got married, it was David, not Renee who gave Destry the cold shoulder. By then I had been out of the house for a while and she had matured. There were, however, tears on my wedding day because she could not attend the temple. There were more tears when she found out I would be having a baby, Taylor, while she was on her mission.
Renee attended Utah State University and met Adam Morrill. He is a kind, gently tease and has been a great addition to the Smith family, along with Abby, Ella, and Lydia. I love those girls and sadly, for now, I have to love them from a distance because they live in Alaska. Until about a year ago I was Ella's first favorite mom. The physical distance, I guess, caused me to take second place. My girls and hers are good friends and I love that they have relationships with their cousins. For now we will have to foster our relationships both online and through summer visits.
Renee was jaundiced, so she and my mom stayed in the hospital for a long week. In those days there were fewer hospital visits. I think we got to peak at Renee in the nursery and visit my mom once during that time. Then I remember my mom being very sick after she got home. Another long week. But in no time at all we settled into our new rolls in life. One of my favorite things to do was to stand at the back of the chapel with her when she cried during Sacrament Meeting, what ten year old wouldn't love that? I'm sure I would beam at all of the "Ah how cute, or Look how grown up you are, or What a good mommy you'll be," comments I would get as people passed by. By the time she was two she started calling me "Honey." That became the name we would call each other for many years to come.
Whenever she was scared in the night, she would climb into bed with me and whenever Kent was up to some sort of mischief I would call to her for help, not that she was physically capable of saving me from a headlock, or half Nelson, or some other such wrestling nonsense. But she was great moral support and if she cried as she tried to save me that sometimes helped.
I think that the only times she was mad at me was the times I left home for other endeavors. When I was nineteen, I went to be a nanny. While I anticipated being gone for a year, it only ended up being about five months. Another story. She was upset that I had left her then, but it took her weeks to recover from my going on a mission. I got the cold shoulder for a very long time after I returned. I even remember talking to Sherrie Bird, her Young Women's leader, about it. In time she warmed back up to me.
When I got married, it was David, not Renee who gave Destry the cold shoulder. By then I had been out of the house for a while and she had matured. There were, however, tears on my wedding day because she could not attend the temple. There were more tears when she found out I would be having a baby, Taylor, while she was on her mission.
Renee attended Utah State University and met Adam Morrill. He is a kind, gently tease and has been a great addition to the Smith family, along with Abby, Ella, and Lydia. I love those girls and sadly, for now, I have to love them from a distance because they live in Alaska. Until about a year ago I was Ella's first favorite mom. The physical distance, I guess, caused me to take second place. My girls and hers are good friends and I love that they have relationships with their cousins. For now we will have to foster our relationships both online and through summer visits.
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