The Beginning of My Nine Lives Plus One

Yes, I realize this is a very odd title.  I haven't actually had nine separate lives, as in "I've come back from someone else's."  It's just that I want to write about my life from its beginning and I feel I may have experienced around 10 lives, because I am almost 70 years old. 

This is the first blog I've tried to do, so bear with me as I learn, but I feel compelled to write because my children and grandchildren don't really know much about Mom and Nana, except that she exists and gives them goodies, takes them to movies and plays, attends their ballgames, dance recitals, cheerleading events, band performances, and baptisms.

I am pretty certain that my beginning started out great for my young parents, but probably went downhill right afterwards.  I was born right after the Pearl Harbor disaster on December 7, 1941.  My birth was probably about eight to ten hours afterwards, on December 8.  I'm almost certain that I'll never forget how old I am because the media announces the anniversary of Pearl Harbor every year, and if I lie about my age, I'll most likely be caught.

 Then my lovely, young mother (age 17) dies five weeks later from what they tell me was a ruptured appendix.

Nadine Martin with Brothers and Baby Sister, Ruth

Nadine Martin Riddle, My Mother

Nadine  (age 6 or 7) with brothers, Fred & Ernest