Most everyone knows...and those who don't

will be surprised, but hopefully as delighted as I am. If not, tough on ya !

The summer of 1980 I was conspicuously missing from the face of the earth. My sister was getting married and I was to be in the wedding...but wasn't. Let's just say that the "bridesmaid" dress wouldn't have fit AT ALL !

I was residing at the Florence Crittenden home in Helena, Montana - pregnant and terrified. I was only 15 and boy, was I scared. Come to find out, the pain my mother had to go through to get me into that house was unbearable, but we both made it through. I really admire my mother for doing what she did for me....toughest thing she probably ever did.

I wasn't "alone" as my mom and my dad and my sisters knew where I was and they communicated with me regularly. It was still odd, to say the least. I was in this big, beautiful mansion (I often wonder if it is still there) living with twelve other girls. Twelve other girls that were "keeping" their babies and I knew I was placing mine for adoption. The other girls were knitting baby booties and I had to go to counseling. It was for the best, but when you are 15 and pregnant you really don't need to be "outcast" any further !

They (the people at Shodair / Crittenden) were really good to me. They paired up each girl with a "big sister" and I scored. My big sister was Sidney and she was the coolest chick. She would take me folfing, hiking, over to her house for bar-b-que's, just a neat lady. She was really into the theatre and was an actress in a studio theatre there in Helena.

So...as the time approaches to give birth Sidney had me hiking and jumping rope and on and on and on. I went to the doctor (he had to be 85 years old) and he would say "Any day now...." and a week later there I would be, still pregnant. The due date was June 20th and she (the precious baby girl) thought her hang out spot was pretty comfy so she decided to extend the lease by a month !!

On the evening of July 16th, I was at the studio theatre in the front row watching Sidney and the cast go through a dress rehearsal of "West Side Story." All of a sudden, I felt a little something "funny" going on down there...I thought, "Oh dear Lord, I think I peed my pants !" (Hey, I am FIFTEEN!) and then I realized that maybe I should tell Sidney about this little problem. It was RIGHT in the middle of a big dancing, singing number (so apropos, which you will learn later) so I am frantically waving to Sidney....and she is waving back like "I am glad you like it !"

I think she realized what was going on when she saw me crying. It was funny, but I was so scared. She plucks me from the seat, throws me in her old station wagon and on to the hospital we go. We were playing gin rummy when I felt the first "pain" so they made me do all the breathing and everything. I was thinking to myself...geez, me and my sisters used to hurt each other worse than this ! Pretty soon a nurse comes in to check my dilation (Sidney and I are still playing cards) and PANICS. She "radios" to someone to come give me an enema....and I am thinking..."bullcrap !"

So this nurse comes in to give me an enema and I told her that ANOTHER nurse had JUST given me one....by this time, people are freaking because I am dilate to ten and not having contractions very close together and on and on and on...

Finally, the 85 year old doctor wheels me into the delivery room and about two pushes and I hear "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah"

Little baby girl born on July 16th, 1980. Holy, she had some lungs on her. Probably because they named her PRUDY for her stay at Shodair. BABY PRUDY was her name until her parents, Dick and Nancy Mitchell came to get her. She was a couple of weeks old when she moved to Miles City and got her REAL name. AnneMarie !!

AnneMarie found me and my family when she was in her early twenties. I let the communication falter...maybe I just wasn't ready. She found me again and this time I wasn't about to let the joy of her get away !! It's funny, if you haven't seen the movie Juno, go rent it tonight. We started communicating the day after she saw the movie Juno. It's just a neat movie anyway, but really...go get it.

Now to the NEAT part. AnneMarie lives here in Billings with her wonderful husband Neil. They have made me a "grandma"....as they just got a puppy named Peanut. (I do carry around a brag book with Peanut pictures!) AnneMarie works at a title company and Neil is a manager at Johnny Carino's restaurant. AnneMarie is pretty much a clone of me...it was freaky at first, but we have gotten past the weirdness of it all.

She is a delightful young woman. I couldn't be more proud of what she has become...she is steadfast and stable. A good solid citizen and friend. She is smart, witty, and has an infectious good spirit. I have always thought about her (28years !!) but I truly love her now. She is a part of my heart.

She can SING like an angel and loves to be on stage. Polly and I went to see her in a recent production of Jekyll / Hyde. She played both a "street person" and "a lady of the evening"...nice gig if you can get it ! I was amazed by her talent. She has a beautiful singing voice (must have gotten that from Lynne) and can act like nobodies business. (I can act pretty good, but I only use that talent when I am trying to get out of trouble !!) No, she must have gotten that from Clifford Allen.

She was just nominated for "Best Cameo Appearance by a female in a Musical" at the Billings Studio Theatre. She really shines up there...and she was playing a HOOKER ! She pulled it off...not too "floozy", but just right. When she sent me the email to tell me of her nomination I said "I GAVE BIRTH TO A STAR...I GAVE BIRTH TO A STAR !" Geez, I am such a weirdo !

Okies, this is the longest blog ever...but as you can imagine, it could have been a whole lot longer.