My Siblings

Brothers & Sisters

My
Siblings

What if She's an Angel by Tommy Shane Steiner

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored, lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, bread and butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it,
But we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And We were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no internet or internet chat rooms.
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live in us forever.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little league had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't have to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! Kind of makes you want
to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

Say hello to my older brother Carl. He lives in Waterloo, Iowa where we all grew up. He let me hang out with him when we were young. Carl is also known as Uncle Dude by my grandson Daniel. When he first saw him, Daniel ran right up to him, he seemed very happy to see him. So I asked him "Do you know who this is?", he looked at him and said "Dude!" So we now call him Uncle Dude! Carl has three children... Carl Jr., Mike and Sarah Marie.

Meet sister Mary & grand daughter Gabrielle. You can't tell she is a proud new gramma!! Baby is Mary's son Brian's first child. They all live in Redlands California. Mary has two children... Brian & Andria.

Next in birth order would be brother Bruce. He is the guy on the right in the back. From Left to right is Jerry, Me & Bruce and that is sister-in-law Sheri sitting in front. This pic was taken at Jerry & Sheri's home.

He also lives in Iowa as do all three of my brothers. I am not quite sure, but I think they think that is the only place they can be at home. I will keep trying to find a photo. With all the computer changes we have had, we have lost some very good pics.

The next in line of creation would have been ME! I have been married 3 times and have three children from my first marriage of 16 years with Clyde Jackson. I was with Richard Rothrock for 3 years. Married to my soulmate Howard Baugues *pronounced Bogus* in July of 1998. He also had three children, so together we have three boys and three girls.

And then came sister Jacklyn. In this photo taken in May of 1996 in Florida when Mother passed away. Jacklyn is on the far left. She lives with her husband and dog "Bow" in Shell Beach California. Jacklyn has chosen not to have children and I think that is great when a women follows their choices in life!! More people would benifit from not allowing others to dictate their beliefs.

When ever we travel to Iowa for hometown booster.... My brother Jerry & wife Sheri are kind enough to welcome us and share their home. They are the best!!! This pic is one where Uncle Jerry was showing young Daniel how to play the drums. We had a fun time at the Clausen house that weekend!

Jerry & Sheri have three children.... Jeremy, Jennifer & Mary. And one grandchild.

This section is for two children that, under different circumstances, may have been part of our family. One female & one male child born to Mom during her time after her divorce from Carl. Sometime in the late-to-mid 1950's. There is differing opinion on the validity of this idea. But on information that I recieved from one of my Aunts, I believe this info to be very reliable.

Life and having children outside the bounds of marriage were much different back in the 1950's. They didn't have the luxury of a Welfare check, food stamps and paid medical for children. Or the assistance of paid schooling and daycare. Jobs in the 50's for women without college degrees, were labor intensive. She already had four children to feed and provide for. Birth control as we know it today, did not exsist. Mom's brothers and sisters help support her through those years. I know she really appreciated how they stepped in to help her and us kids.

Also there were an unknown number of children born to Carl Schnock my biological father. Carl August Schnock had other children, but I have never met any of them even though they are genetic half siblings. So this section is to remember all of them also.

***One of my pet peeves that confuses me.... I have always wondered.... Growing up we had many Aunts and Uncles... all of which we addressed with the respectful title before their names such as "Uncle Bob" or "Aunt Inez" ...it never occurred to us to use just their first names. But as we have grown and had our own children I find the only part of the next generation of our family that uses and always addresses Aunts and Uncles with the title of acknowledged place in the family are my own children. I asked my sister Mary this question and was treated surprise like I was being petty for wanting to hear my neices and nephews refer to me with Aunt before my first name. She responded with, they didn't know me during their growing up on a regular basis, so they don't feel like they should call me "Aunt". This did not make any sense to me as I never really new my Dad's brother and sister, yet I always would refer to them by "Aunt Jane" & "Uncle Ken" Just add this to my list of pet peeves!!