Salt and Pepper

Melinda and I were 13 months apart. She is older. We were like salt and pepper. She had dark hair and brown eyes and I was a toe head with light blue eyes. People couldn't believe that we were sisters because I was taller and she looked Mexican with her tan. Now as sisters we played a lot together, and we also fought together. One day I remember us trying to share a half of watermelon. Even though that is a lot of watermelon for two kids, I remember her trying to eat fast so she could get the most. When I realized what she was doing it made me mad, so I tried to eat the most. We must have been arguing enough to get a reaction from my mother. Now you have to know that my mom wasn't a yeller. My mom was so annoyed with us that she said, " Fight, go ahead and fight!" She was making us fight. We were so surprised that our mom would make us fight that we both started laughing, I mean bent over laughing and that ended the argument. I still remember that day and feel like laughing.

BYU or Bust

I had never owned a car until I was 24 and married to my husband who owned a car. I just drove the junkers that my parents didn't care if they got scratched. My Grandparents had an old, little rust colored car that was about to die and allowed Melinda and I to drive to BYU. I was a Freshman and Melinda was a Sophmore. We lived in Heritage Halls, which was a cooking dorm room that housed 6 girls. this particular hall had older students as well, not just Freshman, so Melinda and I were to be roomates.

We tried to pack the little car and found that all of our clothes didn't fit. So, we put our stuff in black garbage bags and layed all the clothes on top of each other until it was full to the ceiling of the car. Then we said a prayer and got into our little car and drove. On the way, we stopped for gas close to the border of Utah in the desert. A transient came up to us asking for a ride. He was a fairly good looking guy, who looked he needed a bath. Then he looked into my eyes and said I know where to get some money." I should have said, "You mean like a job?" It was nuts. Anyone could see that there was not room for even a child, was he hoping to sit .....on top of the car? It was pretty easy to say no.

Besides that we made it safe and sound to our dorm where we were room roomates. It was so fun because the summer before Melinda and I made matching comforters. We peiced together quilts that were burgundy and forest green, which were very "in" colors for that day. You should have seen our cool room.

Back to the car. I don't even remember using it at BYU because we lived in the closest dorm to campus, which is Bowen Hall. If anyone is interested it is on the c0rner and crosses the street to campus and you walk right up to the Wilkinson Center. Our apartment was on the main floor and the window faced the sidewalk. You could watch people walk to the corner. Melinda took that car on a trip to SL and it broke down. I'm not sure how she got a ride without cell phones, but she left it there and we never drove it again.

I Caught Myself Singing

Last week I was going through life like normal and caught myself singing. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. It's always a good sign because it tell me that my life is in balance. I actually forget that I do that until it's back. It's a great place to be. I associate singing with so many memories from my past. During family night we sang either "Down By the Old Mill Stream," or We're From Nairobi." Sitting around the piano singing church and secular songs is a part of my life as well. My mom taught us the State Show which was a show that she did when she worked at Bryce Canyon and performed at a BYU assembly. Then my Dad, who sang in a quartet at BYU loved to teach us parts. Susie, Melinda and I sang "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," for a talent show at Dos Palos High School when I was a Freshman, Melinda was a Sophmore and Susie was a Senior. We dressed up like the Andrew Sisters. We won and went on to the regional Talent Competition. We also sang, 'Breakin up is Hard to Do." for our Stake talent show. "Comma, Comma Down Dooby Do Down Down, will never leave me. The memory that is most dear to my heart is how I used to go outside in the field and sing my heart out. Growing up, our property was 10 acres, which was mostly field. I would go out at sunset because the skies were so beautiful all pink and purple or orange and red and make up songs about how I felt. Sometimes I actually came up with some pretty good ones, but couldn't remember them by the time I got in. I actually wrote down one called, " The Sky is Blue." I even took friends with me sometimes. I wonder what they were thinking, because it was such a part of me I thought it was normal. When I wrote my first song,"Arise and Shine Forth," It felt like that, like I was in the field just singing whatever came to me.

Grandad

When mom called last night way past

the time that she would normally call, I had that nervous feeling like,"What happened!" Since we had just seen Dad at there house that night and he had explained his symptoms and cheerfully said something like, "This too will pass. " He really didn't look himself, very tired. We have been praying and thinking of him ever since. I saw him today in the ICU and he was sleeping the whole time. Natalie was a little surprised because she has never seen Grandad sleeping before. He said a split second, " Hi." Then back to sleep. Jeff said he didn't remember us being there. Jeff said he was awake for about 15 minutes when he was there. Mom seems good, but I know it was a long worried night for she and Jeff at the hospital. They are still waiting on the ultrasound. 

Since Grandad is on my mind I thought I'd write about first meeting him. Jeff and I were dating at BYU and we were barely engaged. His Dad took us to lunch I think and we were looking at houses because he was considering buying a house there to rent out. I remember thinking how they don't even look related in appearance. They are both handsome, but in different ways. Dad was cheerful, kind and very gentlemanly.  I remember him giving us some advice and it was a nice day.
Now that I know him better, he is still cheerful, kind and gentlemanly. I can think of a few times when I feel like he has rescued me. He's good at that. Mostly when I'm having a hard time he gives me a compliment, makes me feel better or tells me he loves me. It's the nicest way to rescue someone.

Snow

Picture taken August 1970

Don't ask me where I was in this picture, but this must have been the first time I saw snow. I grew up in a place where it never snowed. It is Dos Palos, California. We do get slightly cooler Falls and frost on the ground for Christmas if we're lucky. Spring is great with a few showers and summer got up to the 100's. I spent a lot of time outside. We ran around in next to nothing and didn't care because we lived on 10 acres in the country. My hair stayed white blond until I was 10 because it just bleached out from playing and swimming.

When I went to BYU, I heard that it snowed in Dos Palos. They actually closed school and it just melted on the ground. The closest we got to a snow day was Foggy Day Schedule, which meant that school started a few hours late.

My freshman year at BYU, I was walking back to Bowen Hall in Heritage halls. I was in front of the Bookstore and these huge snowflakes were coming out of the sky. They were all lacey and gorgeously perfect. I didn't know that they got like that, I mean I guess that's where they got the idea of making the paper snowflakes. I wanted to dance around like Gene Kelly, I think I did a little. I felt like a kid letting them land on my tongue. It sounds weird that an 18 year old didn't know that, but I didn't. I had seen snow, but not coming down in big beautiful, intricate snowflakes.

Red, white and Blue Baby!

There don't seem to be many memories of my birth, it could be the mom is tired by the time she gets to number 4. I know my mom was on bed rest for part of the pregnancy because she had a blood clot in her leg. The Doctors actually suggested that she quit having children after that. She did take a break after me for 4 1/2 years, then had 6 more. She's a super woman.

When I was born my mom said that the nurses couldn't believe all that white blond hair. Usually blonds are bald and dark haired babies have all the hair. They would tease about one of the nurses putting peroxide on that babies hair.

My mom also said that they called me the red, white and blue baby. I had white hair, blue eyes and red lips. I have a few red white and blue babies myself, so I know what she means. 

the other question that I get a lot is why do you go by Mary when your name is Kristen Mary. I did not make this decision. My parents did and don't remember any details, but I remember my Dad telling me that they wanted Mary, but didn't want my name to sound like Merry Christmas. On my first few pictures they called me Kristen. So, maybe they started out one way and ended up the other. 

Picture taken Christmas 1966

"So live that your memories will be part of your happiness."

My life began in a house full of sisters. I was the fourth girl born October 21, 1966 to Robert W. Miller and Janet Miner Miller. I will never know what it's like to not have a sister around. I was surrounded by them. One of my favorite memories was when we had four girls in one room. We had two bunkbeds and tall white shelves/desks made by my Dad. Laurie had her own room as long as I can remember. But Susie was stuck with us, Melinda, Me and Heidi Jo. when my parents would put us to bed, it seemed pretty early like 7:00pm. Now as a mother I understand why. We would play Blind Mans Bluff. This is how you play. One person is it and has to wear a blindfold. Then they would spin three times and try to run around and touch someone. If you were touched, you didn't make a sound. Then the "it" person would guess who they touched. If they got it right then that person was it. It's hard not to laugh when you get tagged. Bunk beds were great for hiding and sometimes we would hide in the shelves. Mostly it was fun to tempt fate and get close without being caught. This memory is so dear to me. It feels like we did it for years.

"A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."

~Marion C. Garretty