Beginnings: Our New Home

The First Glimpse

It’s moving day! Our new forever home, just a few houses down from the one we have been renting. We arrive, and this is the first time I am seeing it. There is a big driveway leading to our house, nestled on top of this massive hill. It looks like a castle!

Exploring Unfamiliar Spaces

I run in and get to see the room my parents picked out for me upstairs, and I love it. It’s bigger than my last one and has a window seat too. My brother Kyler is right across the hall from me; his room isn’t as big as mine. We share a bathroom that has beautiful black and white square linoleum and a big tub shower. This house is nice. Bob gets the basement all to himself. I begin exploring more and find that the basement has a playhouse built-in under the stairs; this will make a good second room for me and my stuff.

Encountering Neighbors

I stand in our front yard, looking all over; I can see a lot since this house is nestled on top of this hill. I hear some commotion behind the tall bushes; I peek over, and there are kids running around. Running to Kyler and Bob, I let them know we have neighbors that we can play with. We all decide to say hello and make our way through a sliver of open bush; it’s like a doorway, a gap put there on purpose. It feels like destiny.

Destiny?

Bob starts with “hello” as we emerge. The 3 boys stop playing; I butt in and say “we just moved into this house next door.” It’s silent and awkward. Finally, the oldest introduces himself: “I’m Sam, this is Cole, and that’s Connor. We are the Hendersons.” Connor is my age, maybe he wants to play. We introduce ourselves, and it’s still a bit awkward. Connor runs inside, and Bob says “well, I guess we’ll see ya around.”

Early School Days

Adventures in Kindergarten

School is starting, and I’m so excited. I go to a private school that is out of someone’s home hosting K-6. I’m in Kindergarten and I got a new haircut, trimmed with bangs. I love my hair; it’s so long, blonde, and shiny like my Barbie’s hair. Every morning my mom drops me off before going to work; we do a lot of fun crafts every day, and I love playing outside with everyone.

The Quest for Friendship

I don’t really have any friends, but I still join in on other people’s games or swing by myself. I see the 6th graders go outside during lunchtime, and I think they are so cool; they are loud and sound like they have the best conversations. I want to be in 6th grade and dress like them. I bet when I am older, I’ll have friends like that. Or if I stop wearing overalls, someone would want to be friends with me.

Home and Family Moments

Emotional Turmoil

Going home every day is the best. My brothers come home and are asking to go to friends’ houses that live in our neighborhood; occasionally, one of them has to take me with them, and I’d rather not. It’s usually time that is filled with my brothers telling me to go away or laughing at me with their friends.

A Hurtful Incident

Bob and I are starting to get closer; I can tell when I agree with him about Kyler being adopted, joining in on teasing him, or messing with his stuff. It’s nice to get along with Bob; he brings his friends over, and I get to go in the basement with them, and they are starting to love my jokes. Bob, his friend Dean, and Melissa, Dean’s girlfriend, say how funny it would be if I went up to my Dad and pinched the back of his arm really hard.

I find my dad in his usual spot, in the large cold storage room messing with his fishing gear; I pinch him hard, and he screams in pain, he is extremely angry. “Uh oh,” I say in my head, tears begin welling in my eyes when I see his face. He yells and asks “why would you f*ing do that?” Instantly I stutter “Bob and his friends said it would be funny, I didn’t mean to.” He yells at me to go upstairs, getting angrier. As I go to the 3rd floor, I can hear him shouting at Bob.

Celebrations and Milestones

Turning Seven

It’s my birthday! I am turning 7; we all gather near the kitchen island, I sit on my dad’s lap. My mom puts a big cake box in front of me; she pulls the top off, and it is the best cake I have ever seen! Barbie! A real Barbie wearing a pink gown made of frosting and cake. The cake isn’t that good; I never have liked it, but it looks delicious!

I open my gifts, and I got a business Barbie PC game disc and a huge rockstar Barbie tour bus equipped with every instrument and any gear needed for a huge tour. I ask my mom to get me set up on the PC so I can play my new game, but she said she is way too tired to try and get that thing to work tonight, maybe tomorrow.

My dad has already retired to the living room for the night. I’m not sure where my brothers are in the house, but I usually don’t think about what they are up to or where they are.

Graduation Day

Shortly after my birthday celebration, it’s my Kindergarten graduation! My mom and dad are here while I’m on stage singing with my peers.

We each had to bring our favorite stuffed animal and tell everyone about our stuffed animal. I get up on stage with my woofy (a wolf stuffy) and tell everyone he is my best friend; he helps me sleep and is so soft. Then I show them his bark. I am adorable, and I know it! The applause was going while I exit stage left, oh no right, go right!