My name is Shirl McElyea. I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 30, 1997. Thirty-five years later, I am still a resident of Tulsa. With various episodes of having lived in California, I have lived in the Tulsa area the majority of my life.

One might say, I am a country girl at heart. When I was ten years old, my family moved to a rural country town called Leach. The first week of attending school the 4-H had an essay contest and I was a grand prize winner. Winner of what, you might ask... A PIG. Yes, you read it right, a pig. After that win, my family and I went on to be the proud owners of 100+ pigs. I became quite competent at training, feeding and getting them ready to show. As I got older, it was more fun to check out the cowboys than walk a pig around a pen. About the closest I get to pigs anymore are the stuffed ones and an occassional pork chop.

After high school, it was off to Hollywood. I wanted to be in the movies. I wanted to be a star. Actually, the closest I got to being a star, was working for a star. I became a secretary/nanny for my aunt and uncle. My aunt, Brenda Benet was an actress on the popular soap opera, Days of our Lives. My uncle, Bill Bixby, was the actor David Banner of the Incredible Hulk. This was a great time of my life. I got a real taste of freedom. I lived with my aunt for about a year until the tragic death of their little boy Christopher. He died while we were on Holiday in Mammoth. This was a devastating event in my life which took a great emotional turmoil.

When I returned to Tulsa, the glitz and glamour was a faint, but joyful memory with sadness intermingled within. I had grown up while in California and had experienced first hand how quickly ones life can be changed.

I worked in the busines field for about ten years. Nothing exciting really. I then decided to go to Cosmetoogy School. While in school, I entered into a serious relationship with John. He had a baby boy. His little boy became my life. I became his mother heart and soul. His mother had abandoned him and he was mine. My relationship with his father was rockly and we had a child ten years later together. Her name is Lauren, she is 4 and she is beautiful. I am now separated from their father and am raising them both. It is sometimes a difficult task but also the most rewarding.

Three years ago my mother died. She was my closest and dearest friend. I miss her everyday. She died from cancer at the age of 54. I urge everyone to love their parents and tell them so everyday. You never know when they may no longer be there.

I am now going to school to obtain my degree in Business Administration. I go to school full-time and I also work. Things are very busy in my life. So busy in fact, I don't have time to write anything else right now. I will however finish this story at a later dated.