My Girl Story -

My Girl Story

When I was a young girl of 5 or 6 I wasn't anything like my sisters. They loved frilly dresses and playing with Barbie Dolls. They were neat and clean and pretty with their naturally curly hair. I was the opposite. I liked wearing pants and shorts and getting dirty while climbing trees, playing in the mud with the neighbor boys or playing ball. I didn't like pink, frills or much to do with dolls, and I was a slob. My dad and brother loved football and I loved to watch football with them. By the time I was 11 years old I wanted to be this guy.

Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus. The #3 draft pick in 1965 and one of the best linebackers who ever played the game. He played for the Chicago Bears and I wanted more than anything to be like him. He was my hero. But then, I was only 10, 11 and 12 years old. I was as rough and tumble as I could be, even breaking the neighbor boy's arm in a game of King of the Hill. He was a year older than me and a foot taller, but I was tougher. 

My wonderful parents, Charlotte and John

I had such a wonderful childhood. My parents did not push me to be girly. I liked getting a pretty new church dress, just as long as when I played I could wear britches. After all, I was the girl who always wore shorts under her skirt or dress and who was chosen first for class kickball games and Red Rover and tag. I was the girl who was a real Tomboy, one of the guys. But then something happened when I was 12, that most inconvenient thing called my period. Oh, it didn't slow me down much, but changes were happening. Physically, all of the sudden I had hair in private places and breasts that required a "training" bra, (which seemed to rapidly grow into a B Cup). It didn't stop me from playing ball with the boys, but one day I noticed that some of these guys were kind of cute. When did that happen? I also noticed how cute the boys were in school too. All of sudden I started to care about how my hair looked and how I looked in a short skirt. I even shaved my legs and wore hose to school a couple of days a week. 

I was becoming a woman, and now I realize how blessed I was to be allowed to do it on my own terms. No helicopter parents to change my name to match my tomboy, or boyish behavior. No buying me a suit and tie for church because I never "sat like a lady", I had parents who taught me proper behavior and then just let me grow and develop as God intended. I pray everyday that this madness stops soon so that children today can know the true joy of childhood like I had. A childhood that made me who I am, Cindy Sue. A loving daughter, playful sister and friend, devoted wife, caring mother and grandmother.

Our wedding in July of 1976

Still in love after 40 wonderful years of marriage!

Our family of "Skittles" -