WHERE I’M FROM

I am from jelly shoes of the cheapest kind, from homemade dinners at the table and My Little Ponies at my side.

I am from the trailers to the dream home with garland covered staircases and a balcony overlooking the aged furniture in the warm living room.  A natural fire burning in the handmade fireplace inspired by my grandpa.

I am from the enormous Elephant Ears that outlined the back of the gardens, from the Calendulas that shined brightly at their base.  From stripping the Cattails and feeling the flutter of their soft smooth linings on our face.  I am from the Willow Trees whose long limbs sheltered our childhood dreams and enclosed our play.


I am from family dinners at the island and chubby, Flinstoned feet, from Hope and William and Tionna and Billy.

I am from gathering together when things get tough and calling each other when we need to fill a void.  I am from escaping into the natural beauty of my childhood home to think, reconnect, and teach my boys.  From countless trips for softball games and wrestling meets.


From overcoming the past no matter how difficult it was and stopping a cycle of destruction.

I am from knowing God and getting there on my own and where my strength and confidence lies.  From knowing how to go on because of the fact that there is something out there that has control and a promise of something much better to come. 

I’m from Kansas City and a mixture of all the good blood, where my grandpa smoked brisket and my father followed.  Of homemade potato salad and BBQ beans on the side.

From the hole in the closet wall where my temper got the best of me, the driveway where my parents met my sister and me as we broke curfew.  I am from the little room with perfectly placed books on the bed where I taught my students dreaming of my life ahead.  I am from the pond where we spent our summers diving like professional divers off of the dock and where fish nibbled at my brother's bare chest.

I am from our front porch surrounded by rock outlined flower beds.  From my senior book which overflowed with too many great high school memories, from my wedding dress that melted much faster than my marriage will, from my grandpa's wedding ring and vinyl Chipmunk records.  From Barbie dolls and doll houses where I spent dreaming and house designing. 

From anger, but love, and righting our wrongs.  From things that should have been better, but at the time were all we knew.  From sacrifices and working hard.   From hurt and resentment to forgiveness and the know how to move on. 

This is where I'm from.

I wrote this post inspired by Mamakat's Writer's Workshop.


The Prompts:
1.) Your crazy in laws.
2.) Where I’m From poem. Copy this template and fill in the blanks. (inspired by our Bloggy Boot Camp Writer’s Workshop)
3.) Share a family favorite childhood recipe.
4.) A time you felt wronged by a teacher.
5.) Your top ten Fall Fashion favorites.