Day 25 of 30: What are the 10 most significant events in your life?

I feel like this is going to turn into a novel...

1. When I was in kindergarten, I was in a classroom that had 2 combined classrooms and 2 teachers, one black female (Ms. Beasley, loved her) and Ms. Griffith (Vomit noise). During the spring of that year, Ms. Beasly was out sick one day. We had been talking about the different make ups of families. So after a short video we were to draw our family. Ms. G passed out boxes of crayons, filled with black and peach ones. Baffled I raised my hand and asked how I was supposed to draw my family, She got in my face and asked what I was, with pride my 6-year-old self said "You say you're White, but you passed out peach crayons. I need a brown one." Pissed, you threatened to snatch my treat and told me to be quiet and draw. Knowing that I wasn't crazy and not giving a damn about ONE stanking ass pretzel, I asked again for a brown crayon. She told me I was disruptive and made me sit by myself. When my mom came she gave this whole embellished story. In true Beverly fashion, she told me to get in the car, shut my mouth and my dad was going to hear about this as soon as we got home. Now, I was confused. What did I do wrong? Was my skin not brown? After dinner and her going on and on and on about me embarrassing her, we had the TALK. She started to go off again and I started crying. My dad interrupted her and asked me what happened. After I told them through sobs, she went into another rage. Why didn't I tell her what happened? She was sorry and she would pack me an extra snack tomorrow, so I wouldn't have to worry about that funky pretzel. The next day, their was a ruckus in the hallway. Involved me darting my eyes back in forth, the principal apologizing, Ms. G trying to explain her method and my mom asking for a transfer. Needless to say, I went to Byck the next year.

2. Advanced placement test, more work and another transfer because Byck was a traditional school. AP to me meant, classrooms where I was either the only Black in the classroom or the only female and again... MORE WORK! It kind of felt like punishment for being smart. Shouldn't the kids who didn't excel as well as us, have more work? That excuse about challenging us because we get bored easily was foolishness!

3. Debutante Ball! A formal introduction of young ladies to society, also known as a "cotillion." SHE, HER, ME was Miss Congeniality... got a lot of flack from "so-called" friends that had they been in it, it would have been them. (Another AH HA moment, why did I stay friends with them?) The practices were hysterical. The night was priceless and I loved being in that dress!!! The aftermath in between the Galt House and Hyatt, all of us partying and acting a fool... priceless as well!

4. When I was 8, I went to a summer camp in Park DuValle. One morning, I was playing hide-n-seek in the main hallway. One of the teachers had just said "no running inside" and we laughed it off. One of the boys, Brett or was his name Brent, called my name. I turned towards the direction his voice came from but was still running. When I turned around

Ran into one the buildings support beams. Another teacher helped me to my room and they decided that my parents should be called. I was in pain. I'm positive my brain did a 360! I just didn't want to miss the Frito Lay field trip. Seeing how I couldn't stand up, lights hurt my eyes and I was vomiting... the emergency room won. Concussion #1. I literally crawled for a week. Everything hurt my head. 

5. Attending the University of Kentucky, I got my degree, but probably should have left with an arrest record! Enough said! I had a great time!!!

6. The birth of all of my nieces. You know how mothers have a hard time becoming grandmothers, I was that way with becoming an aunt. At the tender age of 14, I wasn't ready to be responsible. Bouncing baby #1 came April 15, 1998, #2 August 1, 1999, #3 July 8, 2002 and October 29, 2007!! Jealous or not, baby #1 stole my heart as well as the others! I see a piece of me in all of them! Joy!

7. Rekindling friendships that mean a lot to me and even mending fences of those I had previously only been cordial with. Jean most of all. Glad to see her happily be a wife and mom. Can't wait to do the same things  and share those experiences with her. Didn't realize how much I missed hearing Britt yell "Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuu" and laughing with her. This has been a huge source of growth!! 

I'll reserve 8, 9 and 10 for later....... Don't think they have happened yet!