Theresa Schmidt

Page two actually page one

Growing up we had a mysterious room upstairs off of our bedroom (and by my me I mean 6 sisters).  It was the idea that we had a place to store jars, winter clothes and other things we didn’t need at the moment.  The door was small, about 4 foot tall, there was only one small light in the room that you turned on with a pull chain.  It was so full of — well, we didn’t know what was in the back.  No one ever went more than half way back.

  I don’t remember when, exactly, but it was after I moved out that a large portrait of mom’s dad, my grandpa, turned up in the house.  I mean it was 24” by 36” in a beautifully framed portrait.  Probably a drawing of him in his early years.  We are all going, where did this come from?  Mom had it in the attic. Unable to look at it or talk about it, she kept it hidden in the back of the room.  I wondered what else was back there, and where it all went.  Are there other secrets our family holds.

Here comes Julie

Promise me you’ll always remember:

“You’re braver than you believe, 

 stronger you seem and smarter than you think”

September 12.   ,

After 2 weeks of waiting I thought this was the day..  Saturday morning  I woke up with pains,  Bill was at work.  I called the neighbor and good friend Lori to see if she would watch Lizy while we went to the hospital.  Then called your dad home and we went.  After getting examined, they sent me home, it wasn’t our time for you.

September 19, 1975

We were expecting you to arrive 3 weeks ago.  The doctor decided we would induce labor today.  It was strange to go in the hospital, I was feeling fine.  But after we were there I felt that this was a good day.  It was a sunny day and we had waited such a long time to see you.  After 3 1/2 hours of waiting  you were here..   A little less dramatic, and you were so cute with your red hair.  You were quiet..  Then, after you arrived we found out that Doug was born just the day before.  Maybe you two would be good friends.   we already had your name picked out, but we also had a boys name of Anthony, just in case.  I had always liked the name Julie.  It was my cousin’s name and she was very nice.  You were finally here,  we had planned on you being a playmate for Lizy   I can’t wait.

When I met my first baby Elizabeth

April 15th was a nice sunny spring day.  Bill and I had gone down to mom and dad’s, on the farm in Deerfield, from home in Brooklyn just for a visit. Mar had just got there with the minibike.  Dad had just bought it and I hadn’t seen it before.

I wanted to ride.  I was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Mom said no.  So naturally I had to go. It was spring and there were lots of potholes on the dirt roads making it a very rough ride. But no problem.  I took it down to Remy’s (1st neighbor to the right, 1/4 mile).  See mom, I’m fine.  We drove home, 45 minutes.  Bill had to work so he dropped me off at the trailer and went on to work.

terI was making myself a ham and cheese sandwich when I had a pain.  Indegestion I thought.  I started to eat and had another weird pain.  It was too early and I never expected I might be in labor.  But, I called a friend/ neighbor in the trailer park.  Judy and Rod.  They were a young couple we had been hanging out with, they had a 2 abyear old. I asked Judy what labor pains felt like.  It really didn’t feel much but Irythought I should find out what they felt like.  They were excited to come right over.  I said I think they went away.  Then all of a sudden I had to sit down.  I thought I was  ajust hungry, but Judy said not to eat in case it is labor,  or I would throw up.  They stayed with me awhile.  I had a couple more episodes /pains.  Nothing big.  They wanted me to go to the hospital to get checked out. 

Rod drove me because Judy had to go home to take care of Wendy their daughter.  On the way I told him a when I had a pain and he kept track of it,  7 minutes apart.  No bid deal.  He was getting me a little nervous though.  When we got to the hospital I seemed fine.  They took me to the OB floor to see if I was in labor.  Rod called Budd Company and left a message for Bill.  It was about 4 pm.  Bill didn’t get there till about 7pm. .No one else was allowed in.  Pains off and on all night getting closer and closer.  I was just so tired….

At about 3 am we went to the delivery room and even though we hadn’t had any classes they told Bill he could come in. I kept making small talk but he said “keep your mind on what you’re doing.

The next thing I knew I heard a little cry and they said it’s a girl.  We had already decided on a girl name of Elizabeth. The nurse put her beside me and I said, hi Lizy.  You didn’t cry much.  The nurse said you were healthy and took you off to get weighed.  I heard you cry when they took you.  I said she is probably cold, could you give her a blanket?  It was 3:14 am.

I couldn’t believe you were my baby!  That I even have a baby.  The nurse brought you down to my room for a few minutes and then you went back to the nursery to be with the other babies.   You were the first of 16 babies born that day,  April 16, 1973.  Dad slept in the fathers room, I didn’t want to sleep, I missed you. They told me I would have you all day, so I should get some sleep.

my hs english teacher was Miss Gabriel.  She always said, try to be original.  Change things up and don’t be boring. I think she meant in our writing, but. . . .  At first, I didn’t know how to do that.  I only knew what I knew, it was safe.  Now being on my own for really the first time in my life, I am getting know myself and what I enjoy.  

It seems now that life is just starting for me.  I have worked and did what was expected,  school, earn money and stay out of trouble.  OK  that’s done.  After staying under the radar for most of my life, I am learning and understanding what it means to be alive.  Standing still is so hard for me to do.   After 3 failed marriages, it’s time to get moving.

Yay,  I get to see my family more often.  Whenever I want- well whenever they want me.  It is the most important thing to me.  So many milestones to experience.  Staying up to date with technology, music, slang, their friends, interests, activities and whatever is new in their life is a challenge I willingly accept.  It’s important to be a cool and interesting grandparent

 

Your grandma did most of these things

A little history about grandma and her apron

The principle use of Grandma’s apron was to protect the dress underneath, but along with that, it served as a holder for removing hot pans from the oven, it was wonderful for crying children’s tears.

From the chicken-coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When copay came those aprons were hiding places for shy kids, and when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.  Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.  From the garden, it carried all sort of vegetables. 

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time from the fields for dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace the old time apron that served so many purposes.

 

OK …here goes

Name: Elizabeth Patrice Schmidt

Nickname: Lizard in GR, Lizzie in Wichita, Lizy when you were young

Birthplace: Adrian, Michigan

Current Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Croutons or bacon bits: bacon bits

Favorite salad dressing: Fat free ranch

Do you drink:  often but not regularly

Shampoo or conditioner: shampoo

Have you ever gone skinny dipping:  No

Do you make fun of people: yes

Favorite color; green

Have you ever been convicted of a crime;  No

One pillow or 2;  5

Pets; just when I have guests

Favorite types of music;  everything but heavy metal and opera

Dream car; Saturn not with a V6

What was your first car;  Chevy Caprice Classic

Toothpaste:  baking soda, any brand

Favorite food;  TexMex and Dad’s mashed potatoes

Favorite outfit;  anything comfortable

Get along with your parents;  pretty well

Favorite town to chill in;  Boston, I hear

Favorite ice cream;  cookies and cream with vanilla

Favorite soft drink;  sprite, especially for a hangover

Favorite type of family game to play;  Scategories

What is a bad time of day for you:  getting out of bed

Favorite time of year;  fall

Adidas, Nike or Reebok;  Reebok, most comfortable

Favorite website;  www.hotmail.com, of course

Favorite subject in school;  lunch

Least favorite subject;  history

Favorite TV show;  Ally McBeal, 90210

Favorite movie you have seen recently ;  Great Expectations

Favorite movie of all time;  Stand by Me

Favorite alcoholic drink;  margarita, frozen, no salt

 

Your name: mom

My name: Kele

Where did you meet: in the delivery room

Take a stab at my middle name:  Jane

How long have you known me? 22 + years.

How well do you know me:  not as well as I’d like

Do I smoke?  I hope not

Do I believe in God?  Yes

When you first saw me what was ur impression:  she as good lungs, she is cold

she wants someone to hold her

My age:  22 years and 2 months

Birthday: 3/14/78

Color of my hair:  Blonde

Do I have any siblings? Yes

Color of my eyes: blue

Have you ever had a crush on me?  Yes, all my life

Have you ever been jealous of me?  Lots of times

What’s one of my favorite things to do: QPs 

Do you remember one of the first things I said to You?  It must have been da-da, but I 

remember you used big words (i.e. consistent) very early and I didn’t know

where you knew them from.  When you were 6 or so)

What’s my favorite kind of music?  Oldies

What is the best character trait about me?   Your energy and fearlessness

Am I shy or outgoing?  Out going most of the time

Would you say I am funny?  Very

Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules?  Rules mostly, but a rebel when needed

Do I have any special talents?  Where do I start.  Patience, caring, tolerance, rubber 

bones, able to cheer up anyone, being a leader, etc.,etc.,etc.

Would you consider me as a friend?  I hope so.

Would you call me preppie, homie, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam,nerdy, snobby or something else?  Obviously sporty 

Have you ever seen me cry?  Sadly yes

If there were one good nickname for me what would it be?  Fearless Fred

What are the 3 best words to describe me?  Beautiful, loving, young

Do I have a bf or gf?  Prob lots of them

Would you ever go out with me?  In a heartbeat

Have you ever made me cry?  Yes, but I will try to treat you like an adult from now on.

Do you love me?  Wow, saving the big ones for last, huh. Every second.

Have you ever loved me?  Is this to be answered it the last ? Is no?

What is one nice thing you can say about me?  She cares about people and is inspired 

to make the world a better place.

One thing I remember about mom was that whenever she talked on the phone for business, she always said that she was “Mrs. Carl Forche”.  I bet no one knew she had a first name. 

 I saw dad write these things called checks.  Evidently they were just like money.  Why didn’t he just write one for a million dollars.  My dad was so honest he only took what we needed.

A vivid memory of winter I have is one night we were having a blizzard.  It was really coming down fast and for some reason the chickens were not in the chicken coop.  

You could hardly see anything and it was freezing,  but we were out there running around trying to get the stupid chickens to go in the coop. we couldn’t go in until all 20 of they were accounted for.  That is the coldest I have ever been and to this day when I am out in really cold weather I still think of that night.

When we were growing up, I don’t remember ever talking about finances.  We always knew we would have a home, food, clothing and work to do.  All summer we spent every day in the field hoeing the sugar beets.  Dad kept track of the number of rows we completed and right before the county fair he would pay us – 50 cents a row.  I remember doing this until we were in high school.  

We went to Grama Forche’s lake every Sunday. Mom cooked chicken and potato salad to take with us.  All the cousins were there and we played all day in the lake.  Dad had the only boat and we ski-ed and wake boarded.  He made a wake board out of a painted 1/2 sheet of plywood. Grampa was a very quiet person, he listed to the baseball game in his chair next to the radio.  When we were finished at the lake, Grama got out her purse and gave us each a couple pennies or a nickel to walk down to the corner store to but candy or ice cream.  At supper time Grama broiled hot dogs and made Koolaid for everyone. After we were all packed up in the car we would all yell “bye” as we left.  She really like that.  We usually stopped 1/2 way home somewhere and got ice cream.  By the time we got home most of us (7 or 8) were sleeping.  It was a rare occasion that mom and dad got in the lake and a rarer occasion for Grama & Grampa. 

When I was 7 and just finished 2nd grade I had my appendix out.  It was the first day of summer vacation.  I felt sick and laid on the couch all morning, (which was unusual- we always had to be outside) we finally went to the doctor’s office and then right to the hospital.  I had surgery right away.  I remember crying that night “I wanted my mom”, but they wouldn’t call her, I was so sad.  I remember Grama and Grampa Forche coming to visit me with some presents the next day,  and I had jello and ice cream.  I think there were 5 or 6 kids my age in the same room.  We didn’t talk or anything I just knew they were there.  Then after a few days I got my own room.  I didn’t know why.  Then only dad came to visit and he wore a gown, hat and mask.   I heard someone say , “German measles”.  I didn’t know what that meant only the measles part.  After a week I went home.   It was weird at home- dark and I had to sleep in mom and dad’s bed with the shades down and in the living room.  Someone said it had to be dark or I could go blind.  Who knows if that was true. Ronald teased me about being sick.  He was always mean to us, the Shithead.

In reality – mom was pregnant with Sharon and she had to stay away from me because of the measles.   It was a really hard time for this little kid.

1.

Brenda Sometime while I was sick,  some new people moved in across the street. The Kapnicks. The dad was the son of the old people ( Mr and Mrs Kapnick) who lived there before.  Evidently they traded houses.  Mr & Mrs K had just opened a new business, a farm store,  in Tecumseh. Brenda’s mom and dad already lived in Tecumseh.  It was more convenient for the older K’s to live close to the business.

Anyway, by the time I was able to come out of the house Mar had already made friends with Brenda.  I felt leftout. 

The accident  September 1970. The day of Michael Baird’s baptism.  I don’t know why we didn’t have to go the baptism at church but somehow we- and I don’t know who- stayed home to get ready for his party at home.  Pat and I were on our way to get a couple things from the grocery store- it must have been in Blissfield.  I don’t know what car we drove but I remember it was blue.   I remember turning the knob on the radio and the next thing I remember was walking home in the rain.  Everyone said it was a beautiful sunny day and what I thought was rain was really blood on my face.  The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital 3 days later.  I could feel my face was kind of crusty and asked for a mirror to see what was on it but the  nurses wouldn’t give me one.  I didn’t know why I was there, I didn’t feel sick.  Mom and Dad  were there and mom told me that Pat and I had been in an accident.  Huh?  I didn’t think so.  When?  Where’s Pat? I don’t remember much else from the hospital.  I remember pulling little shards of glass from under my nose for a couple months.  

  The story as explained to me:   Pat and I were driving somewhere and ran into a ditch on Deerfield Road, close to Janice’s house. ( she didn’t live there yet). My head went through the windshield and came back through, almost cutting off my nose.  We started walking home and  An older couple saw us walking and took us home, then seeing no one was home, took us to the emergency room.

  (It was before the new shatterproof windshields) The only thing that saved my eye was I was wearing glasses.  That is why I have scars above my left eye and under my nose.

 We went over to meet the people that picked us up.  They were glad we were ok.  I don’t remember what happened to Pat.  Nobody ever really talked about it and I don’t remember anything else. 

We were living on Macon Road in Tecumseh when  you were born.  Finally settled in to our house and made a few friends.  Aunt Glor was getting married in April and we were having a shower for her.  I was in charge of the invitations.  Tuesday, March 14,  early rise and making out the last ones,  suddenly having a few pains and I was realizing today would be Kele’s birthday.  Better hurry up and get them done.

I had picked out your name and your dad said ok to the name Kelly.  In the news at that time there was a soccer star named Pele and I thought that would be a great way to spell your name.  You would be the only Kele with a cool spelling.  As for Jane, I like that for a simple second name. We could the call you KJ.  In those days it wasn’t the best time for women and If we called you KJ you could go more places if people thought you were a man. People were biased back then about women – hiring, colleges, etc. I wanted you to have all the possibilities.

I called a good Jaycee friend to see if she could watch Lizy and Julie while I went to my scheduled Dr. appointment.  When I got to her house, I was having more pains and she didn’t want me to drive.  I think she was afraid I would have you at her house.  She called dad at work and he came to take me to Onsted for the appt.  Dr. Armovit said to go to the hospital and he would meet us there.

It was about 12:30 by then.  While we were there,  Janice came in to visit me,  she had just finished her shift and saw that I had come in.  I remember I had a window room and it was a little cloudy outside, a good day to stay inside with a new baby.  All of a sudden the pains came faster and we went right to the delivery room.  Dad came in too.  When we first saw you,  there was a lot of crying, you and me.  I was happy to see you.  I thought you were probably cold or needed to be snuggled. So the nurse hurried up so I could hold you.  I know dad was hoping for a boy, but you were so cute,  we loved you so much.  It was 3:27 in the afternoon and our family was complete.  

Dad brought Lizy and Julie up to see you the next day.  They could only see you through the nursery window and they just wanted

to touch you.  We will love you forever!

love you,   mom

Julie’s birth day