Whether we like it or not our lives are full of labels. I’m not talking about the kind you find stuck on cans, jars, toys, etc. I mean the labels others create for you or you for others. Some are earned, respected. Other labels are slapped upon us meant to be derogatory.
Reina. That’s the first label I can recollect. I’m the oldest grandchild on my father’s side of the family. My grandfather, Avi, called me his reina, his little queen, as I’d stand on his feet and we’d dance across the floor while he sang in Catalan. It’s one of my earliest prized memories.
School Nerd. This label was in the works when my parents taught me to read at the age of three. Its fate was sealed when I asked for a dictionary for my fifth birthday. I recall sitting on the bottom step of our staircase and crying because I didn’t know how to use it. My dad laughed when he found me, then patiently taught me how to look up words even if I didn’t know how to spell them. The first word I ever looked up was elephant. The label didn’t really stick until second grade when I had to wear the dreaded glasses with lenses as thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle. The fact that I also have huge teeth didn’t help either.
Oreo. This could be good or bad. At the time it was awful but I laugh about it now. We moved to Georgia when I was eleven. I am half Mexican and inherited the tan skin. My first day of school was spent answering whether I was black or white. Those were the two labels my peers were familiar with. Until someone came up with Oreo, a mix between black and white. My attempts to explain my heritage were lost on them. Finally, someone saw both my mom and my dad together and was kind enough to back up my ‘half Mexican’ explanation.
Motts. My sister still calls me this. It was my nickname during eighth grade when I played on the middle school basketball team and danced on the drill team.
Homeschooled. The year I was supposed to start high school my parents made the monumental decision to keep us all home. I moped, fussed, tried to ‘out stubborn’ my parents to no avail. I was home to stay. I laid around the house for half the school year not doing a thing. Then something happened. I realized I could go through my classes as quickly as I wanted to. I wasn’t going to be held back by anybody. I finished high school in one and half whirlwind years. Which leads to my next label.
Youngest Student at Ricks College. I applied and was accepted to both BYU and Ricks (now BYU-Idaho). I was fifteen. I loved it. I didn’t let others know my age. My roommates knew of course. And so did my professors. I thought that would be all until the school newspaper The Scroll printed a facts sheet with the birthdays of the oldest and youngest students, statistics on the number of girls versus boys, which state had the most students attending, etc. I was still safe. No names were attached to the birthdays. But in my Chemistry 105 course a student asked the professor if it was really true that someone just fifteen was at Ricks. Professor Smith replied, “Sure as shooting. She’s sitting right there and beating all but three of you for the top grade in class.” Talk about being embarrassed!
Wife. This is by far one of my favorite labels. I just happened to acquire it earlier than most. You see, my parents decided to ask someone to keep an eye on me while at college. And I guess he took it literally. Mr. Ferrero Rocher and I were married on December 20, 1994 in the Salt Lake Temple, one month after I turned seventeen. After Ricks we moved to the family farm. It was quite a change in lifestyle going from a doctor’s daughter to a farmer’s wife. There was a lot to learn but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Mother. My other favorite label. I never did like to babysit as a teenager. I just couldn’t stand watching kids, changing diapers, wiping snotty noses. And now here I am the mother of seven children. It has brought so much joy. Each child is so unique, brings different talents and varying abilities to contribute to our family and others. I didn’t realize there could be so many variations coming from the same gene pool!
Today I’ve gained another label, thirty. Is that old? It sounds better now to be able to answer “I’m in my thirties” when I’m stopped at the store with seven children in tow and a stranger comments, “Are they all yours? You look too young to have seven kids. How old are you?” I usually hem and haw and answer with “Oh, I must have good genes.” How do you explain to someone you were twenty-eight when you had your seventh child?
I know other labels will come. I haven’t talked about some I have – seamstress, pianist, amateur photographer, shorty. But they’re there constantly changing, morphing, trying to define who I am.
I guess people would be surprised to see you with so many kids at so young. But at least you’ll be younger than most when your kids move out. It sounds like you have a wonderful family & life.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I’m 34 so I HOPE 30 isn’t “old”. 🙂
We began our family when I was 18 and am often getting asked the same questions about my own seven children, so I can relate.
You look wonderful!
great post! happy birthday!
That is a beautiful post. Happy 30th…from someone who is quite a few years into the “thirtysomething” label 🙂
Happy Birthday! Paul turned 30 this year too, and I tease him all the time about being over the hill now.
I have always loved your engagement picture with your hubby, its so sweet, & you both look so happy.
Eat some cake for me…I’m guessing it’s…chocolate?
Happy Birthday,
love the post you forgot to mention the label of NIECE. I love you and am glad that you were born into our family.
Love Aunt Nancy
yes, thirty is old. very old. but happy birthday anyway 🙂
love,
your 21-year-old-sister boo 🙂
Happy Birthday!! That is a great tribute to the wonderful woman that you are.
What a fun post! I love the pictures!
Happy Birthday!
I loved reading this. It was great getting to know you better, though I think I knew most of these things. I love the photos! I like how shiny and dark your hair looks in the last one.
Happy Birthday! I think you have great genes for keeping young.
I don’t think I knew that you were the youngest student at Ricks, but it doesn’t surprise me (I mean that in the most complimentary way)
I remember answering the door to salesmen who would ask me if my mom was at home. Too funny, but it gave me an easy out.
happy birthday montse!
Happy Birthday! Even at 31, I know that the 30s are going to be so much better than the 20s!!!
Wonderful story! You have another label you didn’t mention – writer.
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday! I loved this post. You clearly are one remarkable woman! You inspire me to be a better person.
Happy 30th!! I loved 30. It was great to feel that I finally arrived somewhere. It was 31 that sent me into a panic as I found myself on the other side of 30. Your family is beautiful. They all have such sweet smiles.
Well congratulations!!!
Wow, you were so very young when you got married (I bet you heard that alot).
That sucks. Seriously you are just down right old. REALLY OLD. Happy Birthday
And why was your first nickname reina? Mine was Gordita and frankly I don’t think that’s very fair.
Ok, you make me feel so much better. I had 4 when I turned 27 and most of my friends were just starting or having there second at that age. Right after I hit 30 I will have 5 and every time I get an odd look or comment I will just think of you and smile. I love your homeschooling story and would love to hear more about it. I’m hoping I will have the guts to do that when my kids are older. We homeschool them till they are 8 and then put them in public school when they seem ready but I want them to homeschool again when they are older.
Me encanta! Gracias por compartirlo conmigo. Feliz cumpleanos.
Oh, what a collection of great photo’s! It’s fun to read more about you–what an interesting and exciting life you lead!
Another label should be HOT MAMMA!
Hope you had a great 30th! That sounds really young to me now! (I hit 40 this year, blech!)
Love this post, great writing and fun pictures.
Fabulous post. Happy, Happy Birthday and welcome to the 30 club. I’m giving you a few more lables: Beautiful, poetic, courageous, faithful. I just greatly esteem you and want you to know it!
May the very most you wish for this year be the very least you receive!
That was an awesome post! I so enjoyed learning a bit more about you! I went to Ricks too! How fun is that? anyway, LOVE your blog!!!
What a fun way to do a birthday post!
Happy 30th!!
Wow, I was 17 at Ricks and thought that was young! I’m almost 36 so we weren’t there at the same time. I love it that you were mad about home schooling and then you took off with it! My kids love it and don’t know any different but I can’t wait for the day they realize their potential and really get going on their education.
Love the post!
just wanted to say the flannel board stories are great for the little younger kids (4 and 5 year olds)They need pictures to keep their attention.