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| When I was a little girl, I thought I had the perfect family. It wasn't until I was about 12 or 13 years old that my life changed forever. My father had suffered heart problems since a young age, and it was now discovered that those problems were due to cocaine abuse. My parents divorced, and my mom was left to care for her 3 children alone. She worked nights in order to make enough money to pay the bills - my mother would NEVER go on welfare or beg anyone for help. She managed to keep us all together and she never once said a negative thing about my father. Of course, I was old enough to form my own opinions, and they were not good ones. Even as a kid, I couldn't believe a man could go from being "daddy" to just not caring about his kids. However, now I realize that is what drugs do to a person. My father died in 1993, when I was pregnant with my first child. He died at the age of 44 looking like an 80-year-old man. He had been on cocaine for years, and had recently become addicted to heroin. My mom re-married a wonderful man named Paul. Paul is the only grandfather my 2 children have ever known, and I think of him as my father. My sister, brother, and I were all teenagers when he joined our family, he was a BRAVE man! hee hee This is a poem I wrote for Paul for Christmas, 2001. |
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| My Family |
| BEST FRIENDS FOREVER! Cassidy says this looks like me and my sister, Michelle! :o) I am one year & 3 days older than her! (Me: 8/6/71 - Michelle: 8/9/72) |
| MY DAD You were not there when I was born, you didn't get to see The haircut I gave my sister when she was just about three... You missed a lot of milestones - birthdays, boo-boos and such, But as for what's important, you really didn't miss much. You came into my life when I was feeling confused and sad, It took a while to adjust, but you soon became my dad. It couldn't have been easy, teenagers never are, We stayed out late, we got in trouble, we pushed you way too far. We never thought you'd stick around, you certainly didn't have to, If our own father couldn't do it, we thought, then why would you? It may have taken a little time for us to get things right, But luckily we all decided to try with all our might. You gave me away at my wedding, which meant the world to me You are #1 Papa to my kids, which you will always be! You are very much my "real dad", biological or not - For all the things that make a dad are all the things you've got! A poem cannot begin to express all that we've been through - But I want you to know that with all my heart, I love you! Dedicated to Paul/Dad/Papa December 24, 2001 Jennifere Blakeney Borjeson |
| Did you ever hear this saying, "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my dear mother" ? That is how I feel about my mom - she made me what I am today and I'm so very, very thankful for her. She never gave up on me, she has always been there for me and encouraged me, and just loved me. What more could I ask for? |
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| Our brother Jimmy was born just a few minutes after midnight on July 5, 1975. My parents hoped for a Firecracker Baby, but he was stubborn - some things never change! :o) Jimmy and I fought a lot when we were kids, but we are very close now. I love my brother with all my heart! |
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