I've been keeping myself busy doing December Daily scrapping. Basically 31 photos with themes you come up with. Then you scrap those pages and tell the story. I've got 6 more pages left to do for December.
I've been spending a lot of time thinking about my life and the stories I want to leave behind. I had a book I had started answering the questions. Most didn't really apply to my life later in life, so I stopped once it had an entire section on "your married life". Rather presumptuous I think.
Every day I wish I could ask mom one more question about her life. I've been looking through old photos and have no idea on why or what the story is behind them.
My grandma Spaid once told me that as you age you think more and more about the life you lived. You review it and think about what could have been, what has been, and what's still to come. She wasn't wrong. And that's why I wanted to document some of my own stories.
A friend gave me this card set. She saw it on Instagram and thought of me immediately. She thought about how much fun I'd have sharing my stories (whether anyone reads them or not).
And so today I start with question one: How'd you get your name?
This is another one of those times I'd like to ask my mother to confirm what I think she told me.
First, I was supposed to be a Jonathon. Her and my dad were sure I was a boy and they had not decided on a girl name. Mom wanted to name me Christina Noel because of how close my birthday was to be to Christmas. Dad said no.
Dad wasn't home when mom went into labor. One time she said she took a cab, the other she said a friend drove her to the hospital. I'm inclined to think a friend took her.
Anyhow, when I came out as a girl, they didn't have any names. Mom had heard the song "Jennifer" by Bobby Sherman and had the song in her head, so Jennifer it was.
My middle name is Joy. And apparently there was a good family friend who lived across the street from my grandparents Miller whose name was Joy.
UPDATE: My Aunt Renee corrected me on the name Joy. I had it wrong. Per Aunt Rene:
"Joy" came from our cousin Joy. Joy was given to you because you guys lived in Texas where our cousin Joy and Aunt and Uncle lived. Joy is your second cousin."
I was never a Jenny. Ugh. Blech. Gross. Don/Dad hated Jenny and so it wasn't a nickname ever given to me. I was always Jennifer or JJ.
Later in life, for a short period, I roomed with several Jennifer's in one room. One was already a Jenny. The other was a Jen with one "n", so I opted for Jenn with two "n's". I prefer Jenn over Jennifer. Jennifer makes me feel like I'm in trouble.
Dad (Al) later called me J. So J became a shortened name for me. Really only he and some Wraspir relatives call me J.
Other names I've had in my life:
Fennifer Misery
Wroscoe
TOJ (The Other Jenn)
My name has been spelled with one n (Jenifer) many times. I can't even count how many. It's also been spelled Jenipher from a Third Country National in Saudi. That spelling made me smile.
I was once Jennifer Joy Miller. Then when mom and dad got married, I took the Wraspir last name when Dad adopted me. Then I was Jennifer Joy Wraspir. And that's what it shall be for the rest of my life.
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