Tag Archives: memories

It ain't easy being 6

I enjoyed sharing those pages from my 6-year-old journal so much last week . . . that I’m sharing more!

The day I made the original post, my cousin June commented: “I remember the Christmas of ’89 (I think) – the year we were all at Mama Kitty and Big Jake’s house for Christmas. You received a journal for Christmas, and were SOOOOOO excited. You ran to the stairs, sat down about halfway up the stairs, and started writing excitedly. I remember being impressed even then with your writing prowess.”

It was that Christmas that Mama Kitty donned a white teddy and all of us grandkids, dressed as little elves, posed with her for a picture.

So inspired by June to return to the very beginnings of my journaling life, this time, we’re taking it from the top. Starting on page 1. Get ready for an unedited barrage of emotion, exclamation points, and family angst. I even rooted through my old photo albums and I’m tossing in a couple pictures of the actual events I’m talking about. Get ready, get set . . . GO!

Hi I am Jenna, it is Dec. 25 1989. It is Christmas. Mon. There were lots of presents. It was real fun. I am at Big Jakes & Mama Kittys, Combo the cat to!

Dec 25, 1989. Monday. Vacaton it is grate great! I learnd how to talk on a walky talky! I was great! There was a party in the evening it was fun and I felt real real real real real good!

Mon., Dec. 25, 1989! I felt good that day, REALY GOOD!

The Christmas morning in question--can you spot me?

(Page 1)

I had to get up w  verey early Today. We were going to the nutckracker. Today is Tue. Dec. 26, 1989. I love love love love love the Nutckracker and we are going today!!!! I felt good. I am six. Heidi & Dad went to Emilys house Heidi was not going to the nutckracker. It is verey long. It keeps going till 12 O CLOCK at least. We will stay up up late! It will be fun! Dad is leaving after the nutckracker! I felt good!!!!

At the Nutcracker, in order from the front: Mom, Aunt Jacquie, Aunt Jessie, Mama Kitty. Wowza!

June and me at the ‘Nutckracker’ with Eleanor lurking in the background

(Page 2)

Today is Wed. Dec. 27, 1989. I hate Charlie. I got up late I loved it! We got to go sleding it was fun. There was a tobogan & a flying suaser, it was neet becouase mom tole toled a story about them it was neeter!!!!!!!!! My birthday is May 29, birthday’s are funfunfun!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got to see the Ambalangs new House and the Boys new fort! It was so neet! Oh Oh Oh. Jenna. POOPOOPOO! I felt good.

Is this the 'flying suaser'?

The hated Charlie right in front, with my Mom and the rest of the 'Ambalangs' behind.

(Page 1)

Today is Thurs., Dec. 28, 1989. I got up very very very very very verey vevey early. & I Hate geting up early. I ate very early to! I got up earlyer than I do for Shool! For Shool I get up at 7:15 or 7:00 or 7:100. We visited Viroqua it was great. I played with Aurora! We ate candy I feel bad, I am sory Twinky! Realy sorry! Jenna means little bird! I never knew that! Christmas is over I am sad! But not with all the toys!

Me, Aurora, Erica and Henry, making Christmas cookies. Erica is maneuvering a very tiny rolling pin.

(Page 2)

Today is Fri. Dec. 29, 1989. We are going sleding agan. I think it will be fun! Christmas is almoste ovor, it is sad. I mean Chrismas Vacactcon is ovor. We are going to go skateing sometime. I hav never gon  . . . skateing before. I hope it will be fun fun! OOps! I forgot Chrsmas vacatcon is’int all moste ovor I still have a weeck to go! It will I garenty be fun fun fun fun. I feel good.

(Page 1)

Today is is Sat. Dec. 30, 1989. Today we are going skateing it will be fun!! We snugeled in bed today, just mom & me! It was fun! Sometimes I just hate mom & DaD! I blew it! Sometimes every one is stupede & I hate! It is fun to be alive & not dead real fun! We got to wach a thousand shows it seemed like! I know a song that will GO fero – fero, O, baby let my pepol go! I felt good!

‘Skateing’!

(Page 2)

Today, is SUN. Dec. 31, 1989. I am at CHURCH!!!!!! I learned how to write like that from SCHOOL!!!! Thees !!!!!! from me!!! This ? from mom it is called ex question mark I now that is a verey long word! We went ice skateing yesterday I can’t belieave it! There is a honted House at Hallaween that is so scary! I got a real real star fish it was so neat, but it is not alive!!!! We got to see Fr. Frankinstine I no

I feell good!!!!!!!!

(Page 1)

Today is Mon. Jan 1, 1990. Yesterday wached littel Mermaid! It was SCARY! BUT NOT TO SCARY! I thought it would be scary and sad but it’s it’s end was happy! It is fun!

We are seeing a neet show! I have a special DOLL nameed EMILY!! NO!! YES EMILY! I want the Dolls KRISTIN, SAMANTHA, & MOLLY! Ther GOOD Girls! I REALYLY LIKE Them!!! I feel GOOD!!!

(Page 2)

Today is Jan. 2, 1989. It is hard to be a kid I wish I were 8, or, 9. I have to sisters, there names are, Erica & Heidi. W are 6, 4, & 2. My hole Faily in ORDER is Richard, Katherine, Jem Jenna, Erica, Heidi. We have fun together! I am sorry, OH I made a tent my self!!!!! It was easy meber Jan 2. I felt GOOD!!

(Page 1)

Today is Friday, Jan. 5, 1990. We left MaMa Kittys and, Big Jakes, & & COMBO KITTYs. I miss every thing. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, just think ing about it makes me sad. Oh Oh Oh how sad. Poo poo poo. I can play 4 songs on the piano, Which means soft. SORRY DARK OOOOO. I feel, Bad.

This is what I was missing: undivided attention!

(Page 2)

Today is SAT. Jan. 6, 1990 We got home today we went to Aunty Jacquia and Uncle Loo’s! It was fun. There name’s are Jacquia, Loo, Eleanor, June, & Will. There is a stuped song. I hat dos as I’m justa rag dolley! It’s so stuped it is a baby song. I feel Good–and God love eth me.

Feeling medeom: pages from my weird little 6-year-old brain

Good morning everyone!

Today I’d like to jump into one of the funniest books on the shelf: my 6-year-old journal (sorry Terry Pratchett–your status has been demoted to 2nd funniest author in the house).

I alluded to the nature of my entries in this post, when I shared a fantastic little poem written about my younger sister Erica:

“Erica is stupid, Erica I hate/Erica is nothing but a little bit of bait.”

And if that doesn’t sum up our relationship as children in a wonderfully concise and precise way, I don’t know what does.

In my defense, we got off to a rocky start when (years prior) she wore this adorable little bear suit–I guess I couldn’t stand living in the shadow of all that cuteness.

I think it’s fascinating to get this unedited insight into a child’s brain–my brain–my obsession with lists (of names, of books, of songs, etc.), my strong emotional love/hate language, my focus on how I felt each day, my need to make an entry every single day that filled exactly one page (on desperate days, this space could be filled with anything from a big heart with a list of animals inside, to a list of songs, to the lyrics of whatever we were singing in church at the time).

One of the things that always strikes me is that for at least a year, I felt compelled to share a one-sentence summary of my feelings at the end of almost every entry. The choices were (apparently) three:

“I feel good”

“I feel bad”

“I feel medeom”

Medeom. Heh heh. Hunh hunh. Someone didn’t know how to spell.

I’d be writing about something completely random, like how much I hated my parents, and suddenly end with “I feel good.” It makes no sense unless you see this pattern of strict self-evaluation played through the entire journal. Because at the end of the day, it was all about how I felt. Yeah. And it . . . um . . . still is? Yeah.

I was a little hedonist. And I (maybe, perhaps, who knows) still am a little hedonist.

What can I say in my defense? Is it a crime to have fun? Is it wrong to want to feel good? Is it??

Anyway, for your reading pleasure I am inserting some pages from this journal. I will translate them below (with the original spelling) in case you have trouble interpreting my somewhat unskilled penmanship–I was in the throes of first grade and I didn’t have time to shape all my letters with utmost care. The pages I picked are right before our move from Indianapolis, Indiana to Madrid, Spain. Mom, Dad, Erica, Heidi–I hope you are not too shocked at my sometimes violent feelings of love and hate towards all y’all.

(Page 1)

Today is  Friday Jan. 10, no Jan. 11, 1990. Heidi is the littlelest is so very very very very very cute. I prably said but just is case I am moveing to Spain. I am not exited. but I heard that they are cleanig the place. Hear is my hole clas first, School #84 1990 5 girls 10 boys, Girls Jenna Leslie Kimmy Emily Sarah, boys David Ben Allen Brian Cory Alex Rob Ryan O Mrs Detzler But 10 Boys, Jonathan John

(Page 2)

Today is Saturday Jan. 12 1990. Specal Books, Anne of Green Gabeles, Black Butey, Shakespeare, Tales from the Arabian nithts, those are good books & A Littel prinsess, I love that book. I want my own room When we are in Spain. Dad is a softy Mom is a hardy! I fell Good.

(Page 1)

Today is Friday, Feb. 9, 1990. Friday is the favorite day in the world for me. Erica is gon like always. When I was in kindergarten I thought I was so great just beacouse I was in shool. Also when I was in kindergarten I saw a note it said, Jennifer no Jenna go to the Jahn’s house there family is, Mr. & Mrs. Janh Tim Amy & Rachel

I hate mom today

I feel medeom.

(Page 2)

Today is Sat. Feb. 10, 1990. I hate mom today. today Jennifer came ovor to my house. I found out that Mrs. Stumt nows the Lord. it was enberessing. I may have menchend this But When we go to Spain I want my own room with a key cous I could put the key in the room and put one key in my pocket then my sisters could’nt get in. I would alsoe want a harp. I feel medeom.

And that’s it for today. If you want to see my very early attempts at novel-writing and maybe squeeze out a guffaw or two, I refer you to this post–it’s a good ‘un.