Norma Miravete:  

I was adopted as a baby, but my new mom died (cancer) when I was 3 years old. My father remarried and at 6 years old, I came back to live with my dad and the new bride. After a few years, my dad lost his job and without an education, he had to go to work picking cotton, potatoes... etc. While he was gone, I was place in homes that needed someone to babysit and clean. At the age of 12, I was place in Rev. Gallardo's home in Laredo, Texas, my hometown. It was better than any of the other homes, but there were problems there too. Rev Gallardo was a Methodist minister, English teacher and a classical violinist. He was transferred to Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Texas (that's when I arrived), San Angelo, Texas and then he came to California where he eventually retired. At 22, I joined the Army left San Angelo, Texas, did basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama and trained as a medical corpsman at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. After my discharge, I move to California, got married and divorced and have two sons, two grandsons and a granddaughter plus 2 dead beat ex-mates. I went to East Los Angeles College (ELAC) in 1975, after 1 1/2 year I dropped out with the intention of resuming my accounting classes at night. I had 2-3 jobs at that time in order to support us. I did manage to get better jobs as a bookkeeper, account payable and receivable and payroll. I stopped working in 1982 to take care of my son who was born 3 1/2 months premature. Ten years later upon returning back to work, I wasn't prepared for the computer age and got scared started taking care of elderly people (85-95years old). I still do that privately, but when my client dies, I go and work at an agency until I get a new client. Private care pays a lot better than working with an agency...I work 5 hours a day and earn more than working 12 hours with the agency. I'm on disability and waiting to have spinal surgery sometime this month or next...I hope to go back to work by the middle of next year....going crazy with very little work to do here at home because my significant other, Michael, does most of it in 30-45 minutes. Michael and I live in our 37 foot motor home (Pace Arrow). Michael wants to trade it for a newer one, but finally decided to upgrade it instead... We are getting rid of the sofa and replacing it with 2 recliners and a 55" TV, replacing the gas stove with an electric one,a new micro-wave,and adding a dish-washer, and replacing the washer/dryer with a newer model. After that the bathroom will be remodeled...getting rid of the tub and replacing with a corner shower stall. In the storage bay, we are adding a small freezer and a put the 15" TV from the bedroom in the bay too. The 20" TV in the living room now will be put in the bedroom. These are few of my memories that I remember as I was growing up: 1) While my mom was in the hospital in San Antonio, Texas, a dog bit me and I had to have a shot in my stomach for the next 21 days. I used to tell my son that I didn't cried when I got those shots, but before my dad died, he told my son that after the first shot....I started to cried even before we got to the doctor's office because I knew where we were going & what I was getting. 2) I was a tom-boy and I loved to climb trees and roof tops. One day while on the roof top, I saw a hive of yellow jackets, so I decided to knock the hive down...did not planned my escape, so I had all these yellow jackets flying towards me. I didn't have any place to hide on the rooftop so I got stung 2-3 times on my legs once on my arm and once on my lip. When I finally came down from the roof, my dad was shocked to see the right side of my face so swollen my eye was shut. But even after all of that, I continue doing the same thing, but I did learned my lesson well, I planned my get aways. 3) When I came to stay with Rev. & Mrs. Gallardo, I went to the only Christian school in Laredo at that time. I was suppose to be in the sixth grade, but after a couple of weeks, my teacher found out that the reason I didn't do my reading assignments was because I couldn't read or speak English. Most of the teacher in the public schools at that time spoke to you in Spanish if you didn't understand how to do your homework. They called my foster parents and told them that they were placing me in the third grade. I was so humiliated because the kids in the 3rd grade were only 8 years old. Sometimes, when the parents came to have a meeting with the teacher, they miss took me for the teacher. That's when I decided to go to summer school for the next two year at home...Rev. Gallardo schooled me for the 3 months we were on vacation. When I was suppose to go to the 6Th grade, I took a test and passed it and went to the 7Th grade instead. I continued going to summer school until I graduated and got my diploma in July, 1962, from WFHS. 4) I always love to go to school on Fridays when our football team played at home because of the pep rallies. I got to wear my school colors...red silk blouse with a black skirt. 5) On November 4Th, 2004, I had my right hip replaced. After 8 days in the hospital, I came home and I started walking with a walker. Then about 4 weeks later I started walking with a cane and then 2 weeks later I stopped using the cane. One night as I was taking my grandson to the bathroom, he turn around and asked me if I was not old any more because I wasn't using my walker or cane. 6) How do my old friends of 48+ years ago remember me... I have no idea because I'm sorry to say that I also don't remember...Expand for more