My Autobiography

       Since I assume I will be using this to basically document my life and will probably share it with my future children, I figure it to be a good idea to start it off with a basic gist of my life up to this point. Let's see how this goes!
        I was born on November 30, 1983 at Flowers hospital in Dothan, AL to Kenneth and Beverly Rhodes. I was their first child, my mom was 28 and my dad was 30. As I don't remember my first few years, I assume that they were as normal as any childhood. I do know that at some point my parent's pet husky became increasing jealous when I was introduced into the household and he pretty much wanted to kill me. We lived in what is now known as the Frisco Community in northeast Coffee County. I began to make a few friends with children that were the children of my mother's friends and neighbors. I also enjoyed hanging out with Kris, my first cousin, who is a year younger than me.
       Some of my favorite memories are of Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, when we would ride to Troy to spend the holidays with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family. I don't really recall a holiday that all of the family didn't somehow make it to at least a portion of the celebration. You just didn't miss Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! Gramma always cooked three times too much food, but it didn't stop us from TRYING to eat it all!
        Before I started school, I was pretty much a tomboy. I loved being outside with my daddy, whether it be fishing, shooting my B B gun, or just trampeling through the woods. I also tried to kill myself on a daily basis. I remember shooting the trunk of a tree with my trusty B B gun and the BB ricochetting and quickly finding my forehead. I also decided it would be a good idea to eat an entire bottle of Flinstone's vitamins. I drank from a Clorox bottle, which led to my first and only stomach pumping, attempted to shave and only succeeded in cutting my lip open, fell off a table which was sitting on my porch and landed on my wagon that was minding its own business in my front yard, and bit into a glass, of which all the shards rested in my mouth... It's really amazing that I made it out of my childhood alive.
        In 1989, I started Kindergarten at Zion Chapel Elementary School. Mrs. Brooks was my teacher, as well as my second mother. It took me a while to get out of the "calling momma Mrs. Brooks and Mrs. Brooks momma" phase. The only thing I really remember was that I couldn't wait to write in cursive! Funny thing is that now i try not to as much as possible.
       First Grade was Mrs. Story. I remember how she would constantly pop my behind with a ruler when I refused to sit on my rear end and would rather sit on my knees in the chair. This was also the year that the class elected me Harvest Queen candidate for my grade. Basically, it was whoever raised the most money before October would be named the Harvest Queen of the Elementary School. Momma would come to school with me every morning and sit with me and sell baked goods like all of the other kids.
      Second grade was pretty tough. I had Mrs. Hudson and she was not the most sympathetic of teachers...especially when I was absent almost a third of the year due to my newly diagnosed asthma. I was prescribed Prednisone for my allergies, which caused we to gain approximately 40 lbs during that year...this was pretty much what set the stage for the horrendous schools years ahead. This was also the year that, while running up the steps to our trailer, I managed to trip and bust out almost all of my front teeth...which lead to silver caps.... I assure you, braces are nothing compared to these things...I looked like Frankensteins daughter.
     Third grade gave me a bit more confidence, with most of the credit going to my teacher, Ms. McCall. She had so much faith in me that I really feel that if it had not been for her, I probably would have not had near the success that I have had in my life. She made sure that I was accepted into the "gifted" program, which is a program designed for students who seem to excel at academics. If I were to name one thing that molded me into the person I am today, it would be this program and it's instructor, Mrs. Sharon Walker. I love that woman to death.
     Fourth grade was Mrs. Sutley...the spawn of Satan.... It was also the year we were assigned our Alabama History Scrapbook. It seemed like soooo much work....but it was also fun. At least until I got the flu two days before it was due and my mom had to pretty much finish it for me (sshhh!). This is also the year that Megan and I became besties! Oh...and the first time I ever went to the zoo!
     Fifth grade was pretty uneventful...or at least I don't remember much about it...  Sixth grade was when we were moved into the middle school and began changing classes. Mrs. Moody was my main teacher, and she was just that....Moody. I really disliked that woman. Now...on to the world of high school!