Since I was a little girl, my mother expressed how much my name meant to her. "Erica." She used to say... "That name was my gift to you. It means a lot to me.". "Special just for you." She explained. That's one of the only things I remember hearing about my name. How special, and important it was to my mother, and I. I heard, and believed that since I was able to speak, and understand words, and sentences.
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Oh! Hold on! I almost forgot to introduce myself, My apologies. My name is Erica, I am from New Jersey. I was adopted at the age of around 2 weeks old, from Saint Louis, Missouri, and this is the story of my life.
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Now! Back to the story...
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I don't remember much from my early years. Maybe because I just wasn't paying attention, maybe because I'm just not trying hard enough... I'm not positive as to which one it is though. Perhaps a mixture of both.
My earliest memories start at age 3-4. My first memory, at least that I could remember clearly... is my first day of school. Pre-k three. One of my best years, to be honest.
I put on my uniform, as my mother combed my short, light brown hair. My godfather, to whom I do not speak of much anymore... had his video camera taping it all. I walked into school with my mother's hand in mine, and sheepishly followed her to my first floor classroom. My tall, skinny, and young teacher slowly crouched down, to meet me at my level. "Hello, my name is Ms. O.". And that was the start of pre-k three. As I said, I don't remember much of those years. Or the couple of years following.
I do remember how I met some of my best friends in pre-K and kindergarten. Some of which are Madison, Leonardo, Thomas, Victor... and more. But that's besides the point.
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In pre-K four we hatched monarch butterflies in that little net that they come in. We used to bring fruits, and vegetables to feed them into school, and place them in the net. It was a very innocent, and adorable thing to participate in, and to watch.
I believe that's the only thing I remember from pre-K 4. As I said, I'm not good a remembering things.
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Now off to kindergarten... we had the best teacher. Ms. Robin Morrison. She was absolutely amazing. Kind, nurturing... gentle. As far as I remember, she didn't yell, or scream. I never got in trouble in her class. That's because I never felt the need to act out.
We had a fish tank in the classroom. I don't remember how many gallons it was, but all I remember is that it felt huge at the time, but revisiting the school for the annual carnival years later (when I was in the 6th grade..) and sneaking around the school (because it was held in the church parking lot + you were only supposed to go in to use the bathrooms.) proved to me that it was probably only 20-30 gallons. Not as huge as it felt like it was when I was 5 years old. That year we made a song for a solar / trash compacter contest held by PSEG. We won first place. It was an extremely fun experience, and an equally fun year. I kept my best friend, Madison by my side for the entirety of it. She should have at least partial credit for why I stayed at that school for so long. She meant, and still does mean a lot to me.
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That year we had our kindergarten graduation. It was truly wonderful. My dress was a pastel purple, with pink and blue flowers. We all had our graduation caps on. My two front teeth were missing... as were my two bottom teeth. (I was basically toothless in human form.)
I looked so happy. My shoulder length hair was curled and tucked back... my smile stretched all across my face. I remember most of the songs to this day. It takes a really good, exciting moment... for me to actually want to remember it. And that was what It was. A good, exciting moment. A beautiful... wonderful... perfect moment.
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