The First Installment of "New Beginnings"

Introduction

I was born in Salem, Oregon in the year 1992. Linda May Culton, Paul Chadwick Culton are my older, all-be-it, determined parents. My mother was 42 when she had me, so to be certain, I am the youngest child. I have two siblings, a 42-year-old brother and a 35-year-old sister. Over the past twenty years, I have told countless people my sibling’s ages and the response is always the same; disbelief. Yet, the reason for the extensive gap in ages is simply part of my story; rather, my mother’s story is what brings my beginning. My mother fell in love with an Army man at the young age of 16. After being engaged for two years while her brave soldier fought for freedom in Vietnam, they were wed on his five day R and R in Hawaii. Soon after, he returned from war and she was pregnant with my brother, Patrick. He was born when my mother was almost 20. Being the wonderful motherly type that she is, my mother knew that she wanted to have more children – nine to be exact. Yet, the Lord had different plans. My mother’s cousin found out she was pregnant, yet she could not care for the child. Having called my mother – which in itself was an answer to my mother’s prayers – she flew out to California to give birth to the blessed child. Rebekah was adopted by my mother Linda and her husband Tony within 24 hours of her birth. Following that blessing, my mother had 4 miscarriages with Tony. And then, her story changed. Tony passed away due to being sprayed with Agent Orange while in Vietnam. They had a year together after his diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He loved his children and wife and enjoyed his time with them before he went home to be with his Father at the age of 41. Rebekah was 11, Patrick 19, and my mother 38. One year later, my mother fell in love with my father. However, it should be noted that her grieving is not to be ignored. She remained a good mother as well as a wonderful provider for her two fatherless children. Yet, my father was in the picture none the less. After they were wed, they moved from California to Oregon; where I was born. My mother struggled with 2 more miscarriages. This is where my story begins to form. After her 6 miscarriages, my mother found out that she was yet again pregnant. Her hope for the life of this child was dismal at best. However, after 9 months, she was still pregnant and in full term. I was born October 10^th, 1992 to two proud and astonished parents. My father would say, “You had an umbrella head that just opened up after you came out.” This too, is part of my story. To say that being the seventh conception had never seemed a truly blessed part of my story until this past year. After telling a friend of mine a short version of my testimony, he quickly pointed out to me that the number 7 is the number of completion and perfection; God’s number. To have someone say to you that you are completion is life changing. I often think about how my mother wanted to have 9 children, yet had only three. But, if the miscarriages are counted as they should be, she did have 9 children. However, the other six have been blessed to dwell with the Lord in heaven for the past 30+ years and when we all finally go to be with our Father, the reunion will be one of memorable proportions. I have always desired to write a memoir of my life. I have never had the fluency or true ability to until now. And as unimportant as my life may be in the grand scheme of things in this world, I am a child of God and I will never be marked as unimportant in His eyes; which is why these words are now being written. To the skeptics, there is no true purpose behind these hundreds of words. I suppose they could be called, “A New Reality” or perhaps just a young woman writing out her feelings. But, regardless, this is my life and if I am to be a part of this world, and we are supposed to all be connected, then who am I to withhold my story from anyone? So, this is where we will begin; where the stories that I have always been told begin; our first house on Church Street in Salem, Oregon.