I was born on May 28, 1956 in East Orange, NJ at 11:44 AM. According to the paperwork my mother put in a scrapbook for me, I was 6 lbs., 9 oz. and this picture was taken when I was two days old. On the top of the page, she wrote "Angle No. 1" and I know she and my dad were excited by my arrival, as her first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Among the "congratulations" cards and notations of who visited and what gifts were sent, Mom included some information on what was happening in the world: Dwight David Eisenhower was president, my Uncle John was in the Navy but he would be home soon and was engaged to be married in September, my cousin Beth joined the family in October, my grandparents were building a new home in Milford, Pennsylvania and my Aunt Diana was in third grade. She continued, "My Fair Lady was a hit in New York City and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is a song from this show that I sang to you".
I treasure those words every time I read them, especially since they are written by her! My mother loved music and I still remember dancing to the records she would play on the hi-fi (there are many of you that will not know what that is!!)- classical pieces, Broadway shows, and Disney tunes.
She loved hymns and sacred music too. My favorite memory of her singing took place one Christmas. The Gildersleeves lived two doors up from our house, and my parents would get together with them at Christmas time to sing Handel's "Messiah". They would put the record on and open their copies of the choral arrangements and sing along- in parts! One Christmas I heard them singing as I fell asleep and I believed I was listening to the angels. It was that beautiful.
Music continues to connect me to my mother, even though she left this earth way too early for my preference! Whenever I hear a tune I know she loved, or hear a song we sang together in the church choir, she is somehow close to me and even though I miss her, I know she continues to sing in the heavens above. I am so thankful she shared her love for music with me and that I grew up knowing her love for me as well. And even though she's with the angels now, I will always be her "Angel No. 1".
What a sweet photo of you as a baby. That's cool your mom included the events going on when you were born. I kept a journal for my daughter from before birth to 14 years old and included current events. I was going to keep it through 16 but you know what happened. I had planned to get it printed as a book for her with pictures to go along with entries. I am thrilled that you have so much information from family and that you have great memories. I'm jealous. (just kidding!)
@kerristephens Thank you Kerri! @prttblues Thanks Bev! I hope that someday your daughter will treasure what you did as I do mine. It may take a long time, but I hope she will. @digitalrn Thank you Rick! @vesna0210 Thank you Vesna! @daisymiller Thank you Daisy!
@pandorasecho Thanks Dixie! Yes, I imagine you have one very musically talented husband like I do! @eudora Thank you Diane! Oh, so you are originally a Jersey girl like me!
October 3rd, 2014
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@prttblues Thanks Bev! I hope that someday your daughter will treasure what you did as I do mine. It may take a long time, but I hope she will.
@digitalrn Thank you Rick!
@vesna0210 Thank you Vesna!
@daisymiller Thank you Daisy!
@eudora Thank you Diane! Oh, so you are originally a Jersey girl like me!