Rough draft: "Sifting through an unsure life" - Part 2

***continued from Part 1 ***

My dad's family lives in Illinois - that's where he is from. I often regret not having the bond with his family as I do with my mom's side. Dad was such a good looking guy! A good looking guy with a joy for life that beamed from his smile and brilliance that I haven't seen often in my life. My parents were right around 20 when they met and ultimately fell in love. It was right about a year or so after they married that I was born. The story I have been told is that I came home to a blue blanket that said "Jesse". Greeting cards had even been signed "Love Cat, Trent & Jesse". They say that technology wasn't the greatest back then and because my heartbeat was unbelievably strong - I was assumed to be a little boy. So instead of welcoming Jesse into this world on October 18, 1979 - they said hello to an Elizabeth.

I was born with all my fingers and toes in tact, and ears that stuck out like baby Dumbo. In fact, I was called Dumbo for awhile. I don't remember it ever hurting my feelings. Atleast I don't remember ever being referred to by that name in a mean way.

We had a catahoula named Jackie Blue. May have been one of the best dogs ever. Her and I got along just fine. She would place her front paws on my back while I was on my tricycle and would just push me around. Jackie had the most beautiful blue eyes I had ever seen. She wasn't much for a mother, however. I remember she had a litter of pups - about 10 or 12 - and decided that she was over it. Buried all of them under my Maw Maw's house. I had to crawl under the house like they do in boot camp...to rescue them. Not long after, she got heartworms and was put to sleep. I think that is the first time I felt what it was like to mourn.

My childhood is everything I could have ever hoped it would be - almost perfect. I was blessed with my best friend - pretty much at birth. How is that possible, you ask? She is my cousin - 11 months apart. She's my wonderful, beautiful, don't-know-where-I'd-be-without-you - Paige. It's hard to explain our bond, especially without sounding creepy. Ha! I truly believe we were meant for each other. I love her like I can't imagine loving anyone else. Our relationship was true and beautiful from the get go. We could entertain ourselves in a ditch with a stick or find peace in silence buried in the grass of an open pasture...watching the clouds go by. Our lives were planned daily and the only stipulation was that we were in it together.

***to be continued***