(On our way west to California to fly to Japan in 1965. Nancy, Susan, me and Jimmy in the front.)
Nancy had a nickname - Peanut. I never had a nickname other than my Grandmother McGhee calling me Caroline. Does that mean that your parents love someone more when they give one of their children a nickname?
Nancy was a hula dancer. She would perform on cue when requested by Mom to "dance" the hula and sing "Oh, Let The Sunshine In" for anyone who happened to stop by the house for coffee and brownies. It was nauseating and irritating for me - especially after performance 1,025.
At one of the Christensen's daughters birthday party in Japan. (That's me on the left front, Susan is behind me, Mom is in the middle back and Nancy is front right).
Nancy was always perfect. Good grades. Never gave anyone any trouble. I don't remember her ever getting a spanking unless it was because I'd forced her to do something wrong and then she got in trouble. Always did what she was supposed to do. Because Nancy was such a "goody two shoes", my only revenge was to terrorize her at night. Susan and I would crawl up on opposite sides of her bed and share the snot out of her. For some reason that still brings a smile to my face.
(After a day at the beauty shop here are four lovely ladies).
Nancy never lived on her own. Never shared an apartment with me, never moved away from home until she got married and never bought her own car. I remember when she ordered pizza and had it delivered to her home for the first time while Donald was away in the Navy.
(Donald, Nancy and Dale and Susan and me and Rudy LaMonaco one Sunday after church. Susan was married, Nancy was still dating Donald and I was dating Rudy at the time).
I taught Nancy how to cook her first Thanksgiving turkey. She and Donald were living in Tennessee and I went to visit them. I remember it was so cold that my door handle froze and there was icicles hanging from my side mirrors.
(This picture was taken shortly after Susan was engaged, if I remember).
Nancy used to take me on dates with her and Donald until they introduced me to Rudy LaMonaco. Now that was a good thing, but that's a whole nuther story.
Nancy asked me to be her Lamaze coach when she was expecting Helen. Donald was in Bermuda and would not make it back in time for the birth. I had tried for several years to get pregnant and she came to me one day and asked it I would be her coach. She said that maybe that way I would be able to experience and share in being a mother. What a kind and loving gesture that was for me. I remember getting the phone call to hurry to the hospital - she was in labor and I had to hurry the 45 miles to Moody AFB to get there. Nancy was like a wild animal. Though I did as I had been taught in Lamaze classes - offering ice chips, soothing her forehead with a cool washcloth, helping her hee-hee-who; hee-hee-who; hee-hee-who, she grabbed my hand and told me that if I touched her again she would break my fingers. I believed her and so I shifted my attention and watched the birth of Helen. What a wonderful experience that was for me, especially when they put her in my arms after wrapping her in a blanket.
(This picture was taken the day Corey was brought home from the hospital. Helen is helping Nancy hold him).
I took Nancy to Washington, D.C. so that she could apply for her marriage license to be married in the Washington Temple. That's the trip when Mom and Aunt Rachel came with us. Refer to blog dated March 8, 2010 entitled "It'll Be A Cold Day In Hell...
(Nancy, Mom and Aunt Rachel at the White House).
One of the most loving things that Nancy ever did was ask me to participate in the birth/death of Timothy. That was all written about in a previous blog so I won't write about it again. (See May 31, 2008 blog).
Happy birthday Nancy and many, many more. I love you.
Such great memories!! Sounds like we have a real sadistic relationship. Thanks for all the life experiences you have given me through the years. Those have been the best presents.
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