Jan. 13, 1976: The Day My Life Dramatically Changed Forever!

Tuesday January 13, 1976 started off like any other day for me. Except when I woke up that morning my Nannie and Paw Paw were at the house and my mom and dad were gone. Where had they gone, you ask? I had absolutely no idea, but I didn't really care because Nannie and Paw Paw were there and I knew it was going to be a gloriously fun day!

I ate my breakfast, played a game of hide and seek with my grandfather and I'm sure I watched Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Sesame Street and The Electric Company. Ah....now this was the life. Who could ask for anything more? I'm sure I had a little nap that day after a really nice lunch. I woke up ready to play some more with my Paw Paw. Oh and play we did! I worked up quite the appetite, so my Nannie made me a nice little snack. I was eating that nice little snack when IT happened! At precisely 3:30pm my fun little world changed dramatically FOREVER!

The phone rang and my grandmother got all excited! She hugged my grandfather and was asking alot of questions. Of course, it really didn't bother me at the time because I new that once she got off the phone life would resume and the fun would begin once again. NOT SO MUCH! She picked up the phone and made call after call after call! She was so happy! Of course she was, I was the center of her universe! Or so I thought.

Next thing I know we were putting on our coats, hats and mittens. AWESOME! We were going to go on a little adventure. I loved going to fun places with my grandparents! They always took me to best places. Again, not so much on this day! We ended up at a hospital. A HOSPITAL! What the heck are we doing here, is what I'm sure my little four year old mind was thinking. We walked up to a window outside the hospital. Now my curiosity was getting the best of me. Why were we not going inside? It's cold out here for goodness sake! (I found out later that they would not allow children under the age of 10 to visit patients.) Then the curtains were pulled back and there stood my daddy. DADDY! Now where have you been all day? Work? And why are you at the hospital? Oh, and there is mommy! Why is she laying down in a bed? Cough due to a cold or something?

Then IT happened! My daddy held up this wad of blankets that seemed to be moving a bit. A puppy maybe? Oh cool! I wanted a puppy! Not so much! He turned the little bundle around and there IT was! This toe-headed, pale, and wrinkled baby doll? Then my grandmother said "THE WORDS"! The words that would forever be burned into my ears! Look Jana Leigh! It's your baby sister!

BABY SISTER? Whoa! I don't ever remember asking for or ordering one of those! Ya'll just need to send that back! But, they didn't send it back. In fact, they brought it home. Can you believe that? They actually brought that crying, scrawny and stinky thing home!

Now, 33 years later, I can say that I am glad that they brought that crying, scrawny, toe-headed, wrinkled and stinky thing home. Even though we didn't get along very well growing up and actually hated each other for awhile, she was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me. God knew what he was doing on January 13, 1976 at 3:30 pm. He gave me my best friend! He gave me my sister!

Happy 33rd Birthday Sasquatch! May the next 33 be just as good! Love you girl!

~The picture above is of Jennifer at age 3 or 4 years of age.