Middle Child

It's well known that the first born baby in a family is a major event.  The parents fill out a baby book, take hundreds and hundreds of pictures, record every second of the child's life and fawn over that child for a very long time.  As the couple has more children the excitement starts to wear off.  But in a family if you're not the first born and you're not the baby don't you seem to get lost somewhere in the middle??  From personal experience I know this is the truth.  I was the baby for 10 years and then came my little brother.   A few years later I had another brother.  Now I had a older brother, an older sister and 2 younger brothers.  Here I was stuck in the middle.

I was the only child to live with my mother.  We all have the same dad but different mothers.  So at moms I was like an only child.  But me and mom were not as well off as my 3 brothers and sister who lived with my dad.  Growing up I was the average kid.  I didn't wear fancy name brand clothes, I didn't get a car on my 16th birthday and I started working when I was 15.  I got good grades in school and stayed out of trouble.  Here comes the dilemma, at 16 my little brother and older sister both got cars for their birthday.  If my brothers ask for it they get it.  If my sister asks for it she gets it plus some.  If I ask for something.......... I get a look, a lecture and then a hesitant yes or a fast no.  OK OK I know I sound like a spoiled brat but what is it with parents?  Why must parents treat their kids differently?  They are always saying that they won't play favorites yet their actions are different from their words.  Sometimes I wish I had a different child hood and I was the oldest, the baby or just an only child.  

Then there are the middle children like myself who not only have their parents in their lives but also their step parents.  I have had a stepmother since I was 7 years old.  My two little brothers are the product of my father and stepmother.  Now we have the issues of stepparents.   The original parent wants to do for their child from a previous marriage but the new parent has to be consulted first.  This tends to cause problems because the new parent thinks that their children from this marriage should come first before anything.  So the stepmother that I have known damn near my whole life still thinks of me as "his daughter:"  I think that a mandatory class should be taken by women or men that are going to marry someone who has children from a previous relationship.  If you cannot except this child as your own then you have no business being in that child's life.  

I guess this issue can also be applied to life in general.  You can be the first born: the one that everyone remembers first, the one that set the precedent for everyone after them and the one that is spoiled beyond belief.  You can be the baby:  the one that is always right now matter if they're wrong, the one that does whatever he/she wants and the one that gets everything they have ever asked for.  Or you can be the middle child:  the one that gets lost in the crowd, the one that isn't the first and isn't last but is just there, the one that could be exceptional but no one notices.  The only difference is in life we can choose what child we want to be but in family, you are what you are.  

Extraordinary Women Vol. 1

After Joining the Army

Aunt Artie and Uncle Dale Cairo, Egypt

Aunt Artie in Italy

This classic beauty is none other than my Great Aunt Artemisa Gomez-Hughes.  Now in her late 80's or early 90's (depending on who you ask) this women is still one of the most inspirational people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Artie has lived a phenomenal life.  She has survived hardships and enjoyed bliss.  Not only did she sing and dance for royalty in Egypt, but she also found love there.  I have never known her to be an old woman no matter her age.  When she used to watch me as a child, she cleaned the church everyday, taught the ballet folklorico and went to jazzercise.  Recently she was hit by a car while crossing the street and just a few short months later she is back to normal.  There is no keeping this woman down.  She was part of the army during WWII and no matter the time she lived in she remained well educated.  I don't like to play favorites but she is by far my favorite Great Aunt and one of my favorite people in the entire world.  I think that we all could take a lesson from her and never stop doing what we love.  She has not stopped living just because she has gotten older.  She has never separated herself from the family and what I find most significant is that she is still sharp as a tack!  I only hope that when I get older I will share the same qualities as her.  Her love story is one that should have movies written about it.  My Aunt and her husband Dale met in Cairo, Egypt.  They were both in the army at the time and while watching a movie he leaned over to his friend and said "See that woman down there?  That's the woman I am going to marry."  Just think, this was even before they knew each other.  That is a story that fairy tales are made of.  About 60 years later they are still married.  Due to the fabulous life she has lead there have been numerous stories written about her in newspapers.  There was even a television program that aired last year on Univision about her life.  She appeared on the cover of a local book called "They Opened Their Hearts: Tucson Elders Tell Stories of WWII to the Youth."  If we learn anything at all from this woman we should learn that we need to live more, love more and strive to be the best person we can.  Love you Tia Artemisa.

Here is a link to an article that was written about her in 2008.  The story starts on page 10.  I hope you enjoy!
http://assets.mediaspanonline.com/prod/1181189/dln_07042008A24.pdf

My Sissy's First Blog Post

Birds Eye View: First day of the rest of my life....: "I'm one of the lucky ones. I have to admit. I have had a great life. Im 33 years old, have a good job, in excellent health (other than this ..."

I think I may have sparked a new trend in my family. LOL make sure to check out my big sister's blog. She just started it but I assure you that it is definitely going to be something you want to explore steadily. Show her love guys!