back in time: my mother & sister
Remember when I said I would get better about blogging? That was about 2 months ago. If WPS COO Mary Harvey can blog several times per week, then I say to myself 'self... we MUST blog more if the COO finds time to blog!!!'.
So the irony of this post is that I'm going to eventually incorporate a link to someone else's words.
I grew up in a pocket-neighborhood called South Clinton in Clinton, Iowa. We were a 'pocket' because we were surrounded by either the Mississippi River, or train tracks. Or, well, both. I was born at 623 18th Avenue South, with my Aunt Therese as my mother's midwife. Across the street from our home is where my great-grandparents, Romanian immigrants, settled and built their home. From the stories I was raised on, I can still imagine my great-grandmother in the back with her chickens. My own grandparents were down the street from me, as was their establishment, Walker's Tavern. I grew up around river-rats and bar-dwellers and I won't pretend it didn't have a stunning effect on me. I listened to CCR, The Doors, and Patsy Cline on the jukebox. Drank bottles of blue cream soda. And watched all summer as people came and went between the tavern and the river. But unfortunately, no one will be going to these shrines to pay homage, as our neighborhood was demolished to make way for corporate growth, also known as a corn-sweetener factory. We did not leave our homes willingly, but this is a story for another day and at least 2 pots of coffee and some kleenex.
Right now, I am simply thinking about my childhood and the way my sister/brother and I were raised by our mother and my grandmother. I am very proud of our little neighborhood that was built by immigrants and passed down through generations. The images will never leave me, and South Clinton will always be true home to me, even if I cannot physically return to the space it was built on.
That being said, I got a call from an old friend of my grandmothers, George Kampling, a few weeks ago. He has been a long time writer for our local newspaper, the Clinton Herald. I had an inkling that he was going to feature me as a former 'Clintonian' piece... as in a 'small' piece. So we spoke a little about my days in the Catholic school system and playing sports. So I won't pretend I wasn't a little shocked when I return from a staff meeting yesterday and Red Stars President Peter Wilt has already emailed our entire staff an article about me from the newspaper! I noticed Mr. Kampling pulled several of my 'quotes' from my Red Stars bio, which is totally fine ;)
My grandmother helped raise me and she truly is one of the most remarkable things I have ever come across in my life. I just regret that George did not mention my Mother in the article. She worked tirelessly to provide for me and my siblings and give me the opportunity to remain in a small school and pursue any activity I wanted. It started with dance lessons at age 6. Swear upon you I had a tutu, tights, and ballet slippers. After one class of that, I was totally bored and turned my slipper box into a Matchbox car ramp (that should have been a sign of things to come).
But I also got a chance to take art lessons (still have the barn I painted), go to summer camps for golf (so boring, although I almost decapitated a fellow student when I swung and the golf-club power launched out of my hands), and attend a million other things.
She really created in me a great capacity for dreaming. As cliche as it may sound, she really did ingrain in me that 'You can do whatever you want to do, it doesn't matter where you come from'. I have never forgotten those words through my entire life and I know I will continue to carry them with me.
She supported me to study abroad in Ireland. She hid notes inside things in my luggage with little quotes on them so I would find them at various times throughout my Ireland stay. I'll never forget one that she wrote: "Surround yourself with honest, happy people". I still carry that one with me, even though the puppy sticker is falling off of it.
My mother was one of the first to complete the MBA program at St. Ambrose University (she was even in their first ever commercial for the program :), so when I chose to do the same some of the professors remembered my mother because of our unique last name. I am positive she was a better student than me, and this was while working, creating a new school lunch program for us at Mater Dei High School, and still managing to make every one of my high school volleyball, soccer, softball and basketball games.
She is truly an inspiration to me. She taught me to love plants and flowers, gardens and trees. She taught me how to bake (even though I still can't make fudge, never know the temperature for the yeast, and get in her way at the holidays when I'm trying to make some veggie thing that only I will eat). She taught me to find solutions to things before deferring to someone else (like mechanical issues with a car, something wrong with a sink, etc).
She is the total DIY mom, and I hope I have half of her initiative in my adult life, because if I do, I know my kids will be rockin'!
And someone else who deserves mention in that article is my sister, Noele. Without her I wouldn't be working this dream job of mine.
I moved to Chicago with nothing in my pockets and set up shop on her living room floor as I was chasing down Chicago Professional Women's Soccer. I wore through 2 air mattresses and have mashed the couch cushions during a stay that she probably thought was going to be temporary. I still sleep in her living room 14 months later!
I have upgraded to a twin bed, which is behind the couch, just in case you were still feeling sorry for me. Yes, we both live in a small 1 bedroom apartment. If you would have told me at 27, this is where I'd be, I would have laughed at you. :)
But without my sister putting up with me living in her space, literally, feeding me, giving me her clothes to wear (this is getting embarassing typing all this out), paying for me everytime we go out, (seriously, I could go on....), I wouldn't have been able to stay with the Red Stars. Even though we have totally different personalities, she is the best big sister anyone could have ever asked for.
So even though George forgot to put your names in that article, know that you are both in there.
Because without you both, I am not me.
I hope I make you proud.
[Link to Clinton Herald article: http://www.clintonherald.com/sports/local_story_085094610.html?keyword=topstory]
So the irony of this post is that I'm going to eventually incorporate a link to someone else's words.
I grew up in a pocket-neighborhood called South Clinton in Clinton, Iowa. We were a 'pocket' because we were surrounded by either the Mississippi River, or train tracks. Or, well, both. I was born at 623 18th Avenue South, with my Aunt Therese as my mother's midwife. Across the street from our home is where my great-grandparents, Romanian immigrants, settled and built their home. From the stories I was raised on, I can still imagine my great-grandmother in the back with her chickens. My own grandparents were down the street from me, as was their establishment, Walker's Tavern. I grew up around river-rats and bar-dwellers and I won't pretend it didn't have a stunning effect on me. I listened to CCR, The Doors, and Patsy Cline on the jukebox. Drank bottles of blue cream soda. And watched all summer as people came and went between the tavern and the river. But unfortunately, no one will be going to these shrines to pay homage, as our neighborhood was demolished to make way for corporate growth, also known as a corn-sweetener factory. We did not leave our homes willingly, but this is a story for another day and at least 2 pots of coffee and some kleenex.
Right now, I am simply thinking about my childhood and the way my sister/brother and I were raised by our mother and my grandmother. I am very proud of our little neighborhood that was built by immigrants and passed down through generations. The images will never leave me, and South Clinton will always be true home to me, even if I cannot physically return to the space it was built on.
That being said, I got a call from an old friend of my grandmothers, George Kampling, a few weeks ago. He has been a long time writer for our local newspaper, the Clinton Herald. I had an inkling that he was going to feature me as a former 'Clintonian' piece... as in a 'small' piece. So we spoke a little about my days in the Catholic school system and playing sports. So I won't pretend I wasn't a little shocked when I return from a staff meeting yesterday and Red Stars President Peter Wilt has already emailed our entire staff an article about me from the newspaper! I noticed Mr. Kampling pulled several of my 'quotes' from my Red Stars bio, which is totally fine ;)
My grandmother helped raise me and she truly is one of the most remarkable things I have ever come across in my life. I just regret that George did not mention my Mother in the article. She worked tirelessly to provide for me and my siblings and give me the opportunity to remain in a small school and pursue any activity I wanted. It started with dance lessons at age 6. Swear upon you I had a tutu, tights, and ballet slippers. After one class of that, I was totally bored and turned my slipper box into a Matchbox car ramp (that should have been a sign of things to come).
But I also got a chance to take art lessons (still have the barn I painted), go to summer camps for golf (so boring, although I almost decapitated a fellow student when I swung and the golf-club power launched out of my hands), and attend a million other things.
She really created in me a great capacity for dreaming. As cliche as it may sound, she really did ingrain in me that 'You can do whatever you want to do, it doesn't matter where you come from'. I have never forgotten those words through my entire life and I know I will continue to carry them with me.
She supported me to study abroad in Ireland. She hid notes inside things in my luggage with little quotes on them so I would find them at various times throughout my Ireland stay. I'll never forget one that she wrote: "Surround yourself with honest, happy people". I still carry that one with me, even though the puppy sticker is falling off of it.
My mother was one of the first to complete the MBA program at St. Ambrose University (she was even in their first ever commercial for the program :), so when I chose to do the same some of the professors remembered my mother because of our unique last name. I am positive she was a better student than me, and this was while working, creating a new school lunch program for us at Mater Dei High School, and still managing to make every one of my high school volleyball, soccer, softball and basketball games.
She is truly an inspiration to me. She taught me to love plants and flowers, gardens and trees. She taught me how to bake (even though I still can't make fudge, never know the temperature for the yeast, and get in her way at the holidays when I'm trying to make some veggie thing that only I will eat). She taught me to find solutions to things before deferring to someone else (like mechanical issues with a car, something wrong with a sink, etc).
She is the total DIY mom, and I hope I have half of her initiative in my adult life, because if I do, I know my kids will be rockin'!
And someone else who deserves mention in that article is my sister, Noele. Without her I wouldn't be working this dream job of mine.
I moved to Chicago with nothing in my pockets and set up shop on her living room floor as I was chasing down Chicago Professional Women's Soccer. I wore through 2 air mattresses and have mashed the couch cushions during a stay that she probably thought was going to be temporary. I still sleep in her living room 14 months later!
I have upgraded to a twin bed, which is behind the couch, just in case you were still feeling sorry for me. Yes, we both live in a small 1 bedroom apartment. If you would have told me at 27, this is where I'd be, I would have laughed at you. :)
But without my sister putting up with me living in her space, literally, feeding me, giving me her clothes to wear (this is getting embarassing typing all this out), paying for me everytime we go out, (seriously, I could go on....), I wouldn't have been able to stay with the Red Stars. Even though we have totally different personalities, she is the best big sister anyone could have ever asked for.
So even though George forgot to put your names in that article, know that you are both in there.
Because without you both, I am not me.
I hope I make you proud.
[Link to Clinton Herald article: http://www.clintonherald.com/sports/local_story_085094610.html?keyword=topstory]
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