Things I Used to Think Were Normal

My "normal" parents.



Remember how when you were little, everything in your life was just the way it was? You assumed that everyone else was experiencing life just like you were. It wasn't until you got a little older and started going to school and other friend's houses that you realized that your normal was not everyone else's normal. It was pretty mind blowing at the time. :) But even now I keep finding out that things I think are normal and "just the way you do things" are weird to other people. It keeps life interesting though. I'm guessing this is also what happens sometimes when people get married. "What?! You think that's how you're supposed to load the dishwasher?!" Haha! Well, here's a list of some things that I used to not bat an eyelash at: (because you all know I'm all about lists... at least on this blog)

1.) My family... actually I used to think my family was not normal. I thought we had a crazy weird family and everyone else probably had a perfect family. Then I realized everyone has a crazy family. And mine is better/more functional than some.

2.) Southern accents. They weren't accents at the time. My dad still doesn't think he has an accent...

3.) Telling someone "I'm going to get my picture made" or "let's get our picture made with each other". Apparently people say "let's take a picture together. Weird. But hey I like the southern way better. We create and make a picture, not just take it all rude-like. hehe!

4.) My sister Rebecca. She has Down's Syndrome. This was always perfectly normal to me. I knew she was different, but she was just Rebecca to me. It wasn't until kids at school started making fun of her that I realized it was really different. And I recently found out that some people will abort their babies if they find out they have Down's Syndrome, which I think is just awful.

5.) Having stuffed deer heads mounted on the wall. With their hooves (hoofs?) as a coat/hat rack. Completely normal to me. My grandmother's house has a sweet stuffed bull with huge horns! And also coming home to my dad gutting out a deer while it's hanging upside down. (Don't worry it was outside not inside the house!)

6.) Waving at everyone, including people you don't know. No one's a stranger in Tennessee! Southern hospitality is REAL!

7.) The way my ex-husband treated me. (But remember this list is of things that I used to think were normal, not anymore).

8.) Having seven siblings. Then I went to public school and everyone was like, "why are there so many of you?" Then I went to BYU and it was normal again. :)

9.) Going to church for three hours every Sunday. Turns out it seemed like church took forever because it really did!

10.) Actually I used to think everything about being a Mormon was normal, but it's really not. We are a peculiar people and I like it!

So pretty much everything that I used to think was normal has to do with being from the South. But people from the South don't think it's weird. I guess that's what happens when you go to school with a bunch of "yankees". Someday I would like to settle down in the South again and get used to the normal I grew up with. The south is a wonderful place, but apparently we hold on to our traditions very tightly and other people think it's weird. Maybe Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama was right. Maybe "people really do need to get a passport" to come to the South. Haha! Tennessee, sounds good to me!

Okay, this picture isn't from my house... we don't have that many deer hanging on the walls, but I didn't have a picture of our deer and you get the picture.