dear life, I feel by now we should know each other better than we ever have before. But we're both still learning, everyday... everything... all the time... from everyone. I guess it's somewhat safe to admit that I was sheltered for at least half of my life. From what, by whom and why I'm not really sure. Not sure I'll ever know. And it doesn't matter. Because what does matter is today and tomorrow. I feel like I'm at another major turning point in my life and it causes me to pause and reflect. On who I am, where I started and where I'm going (I wish I knew! Well, not really, actually.) The journey is where all the fun is, not just the destination. So let's start where it all began. Some of this story I was told, several times by many people, so the true beginning is still a bit of a mystery to me. My mom, or my birth mother actually, Gina (we'll call her Gina, because that's her name) and my birth father (Glen is his name) surprised this world with me at an early age. From what I remember as the story goes, she was 15, he was 16, and neither in a position to have a baby or be parents. Glen's family did not support the idea from the beginning and tried to convince Gina to "end things before they started" if you get what I mean. Gina, on the other hand, was compelled to carry through with the birth but knew keeping me was not the right thing to do. For me. That, I believe, is where my independence comes from. On October 15, 1978, baby Jenny (me) was born in Austin, MN at Mower County Hospital. Delivered from my birth mother, with support from her friend James (or Jim he goes by) and assigned to a foster family until a permanent home was found. I was told I didn't cry much during my time in foster care and I wonder if it's because I was taking it all in. That's what I do. Even now. Where I was, who I was with, knowing something greater was out there and that whatever was happening today was for a reason I had yet to discover. But there always was one. A reason. Little did I know at that moment... Two hours north in the Twin Cities, John and Karen met at Como Lake one summer. Karen hanging out with her best friend, John with his. Walking around the lake, they happened upon each other and started talking. City boys, country girls (the "country" at that time I'm referring to was what we know now as the suburb of Plymouth, MN.) John and Karen just celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. The same for their best friends, who are all still friends today. That is who I really call mom and dad. More to unfold between the beginning and the now...
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