I am from a place that you might recognize,
A place of excitement and surprise,
A place where Princess Katy ruled the land,
A place where everyone played an instrument, we could have been a band,
I was not successful, and that is a fact,
My brother excelled where I lacked,
I am from falling asleep listening to my mom playing the piano and when she would sing,
Into my dreams I would fling,

I am from ten years spent growing up in my parent’s restaurant,
My grandparents owned it too,
Giant snow forts we’d build on the parking lot, we’d dig until we’d fall through,
Hide and go seek in the dark banquet room,
I was so young the only thing I could do was sweep with the broom,
I am from great memories of family nights, and birthday parties in the back room,
I am from making biscuits before church with my mom, so they’d be ready for the lunch crowd,
I am from my mom saying, “You’re going to turn into a ham sandwich,” until the whole kitchen laughed aloud,

I’m from loving pets,
I am from asking if we could get another one and mom answering "lets",
Dad just shaking his head,
All of the puppies laying in my bed,
I am from wet noses and a purring kitty,
All of this from the time I was little bitty,

I am from church every Sunday,
And then school every Monday,
I am from long afternoons after church while my mom practiced songs with the praise band,
And all too often, when I got too rowdy a stern look from my dad that was at hand,

I am from Daddy Daughter Dances, Christmas shopping together,
And long drives to Iowa over the holidays, practicing my times tables, in the bad weather,
I am from “I’m not a bank” and “Get a Job”,
And that time my brother hit me in the eye with a baseball lob,
I am from my brother ganging up on me with my sister, then at our annual Christmas Eve parties, playing twister,
Always being there for each other, as problems arose, one after another,
I am from, cleaning the bathrooms, scrubbing until they were clean (or so mom thought),
Yelling bar fight and tackling my big brother on the trampoline,

I am from my grandpa telling the grandkids jokes, that only we understood,
And my grandma and I laughing all we could,
I am from long days on the beach in the sun,
And dreams that include a lot of fun,
I am from all of these things that make me, me,
And someday all these things I will be