Naptime
Memoir
I have always longed to be an
influential writer. I wrote poetry and "sob stories" starting in
elementary school, influenced by favorite authors like Shel Silverstein, Roald
Dahl, Ogden Nash, Francine Pascal, and Lurlene McDaniel. I wrote poetry and
short fiction throughout high school, and branched out to plays, nonfiction, and
micro-fiction in college and grad school. Then I had three kids, started
teaching advanced writing, and wrote less and less. . . I did self-publish
several years of my family blog this year, and I love the record.
On a run 2 days ago, I pressed the
pause button on my I-Pod shuffle and reexamined my personal development and
goals. I decided I needed to start writing more. And rather than dive into
fiction again, I decided to preserve my own memories. So here I am, diving back
in time while my one-year-old naps and my two oldest watch Sesame Street.
The Bare Bones of Tara Sheide Bowen's Life
Jan
4, 1981: I was born in Contra Costa, California to my mother, Sherree Stevenson
Sheide (23), and my father, Gary Wayne Sheide (28). They already had Michelle
(nicknamed Peanut) Sheide (2 1/2). We moved to Vienna, Virginia 3 months later.
(Troy William was born 21 months after me, Marshall Gregory was born 8 years
after me, and Tanner Scott was born 15 years after me:)).
Summer,
1984: I flew with Peanut to Minnesota for the first time to stay with our
grandparents, Bill and Lois Sheide. We went there every summer for several
weeks, and it is the happiest place in my childhood.
September,
1987: I came home from my first day of 1st grade and told my mom to teach me to
read. I could read within the week. Never stopped:).
1991:
I wrote a sob story in 5th grade about a plane crashing and Paul-Michelle, one
of my classmates, said it made him want to cry. I learned that I could write
with power!
1992:
I wrote a poem about a moon pony for my grandma, Carolyn Stevenson, for
Christmas. She told me moon pony stories in her beautiful, white living room in
McLean, Virginia, as I grew up, and this was my thank you.
1993:
I got my first truth-or-dare kiss at Lisa Chalk's house. Her brother's friend,
John, kissed me. I was wearing small green disc-shaped dangly earrings, and
John had brown hair and was cute. I never saw him again.
1994:
My eighth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Forsythe, encouraged me to go to the
writing camp at UVU--she was my most inspiring teacher, and the writing camp
was important to me. I met a 16-year-old named Waldo there who was cute,
brilliant, and fun. I came away from the camp humbled about my writing
abilities.
1996:
My first real love and first kiss was with Eric Kushman on Valentine's Day. We
met on the cross country team, and had a roller-coaster high school romance for
the next year.
1997-99:
I started dating Greg Colson--not a good choice. His dad passed away a few
months into our relationship, and Greg's mom looked at me as his guardian
angel--it was too heavy a burden for a high-schooler, and Greg pulled down my
exuberance and joy, mocking it. During this time, I was involved in the
following activities: piano with a private teacher (for the past 10 years),
flute and piccolo with our school band, student government, seminary, taking
classes at Langley high school in the morning, cross country, basketball, lacrosse,
drama, and work at the childcare facility at Sport and Health--I had a lot on
my plate.
1999:
was accepted to BYU and graduated high school; moved into Stover Hall in the
freshman dorms. Lots of drama with girls on my floor--we're still great friends--plus
academic drama, and "finding myself amidst the other Mormons" drama.
Sigh.
2000-2002:
met and began dating Thomas Kohler, who I thought I would marry. Starting
trying harder in school, began dancing (modern and ballet) became a lifeguard,
and a TA with Dr. Paul Kerry, became a History major, and prepared to serve a
mission in New York City
2002-2003:
Served my mission: my soul was carved. The most powerful things to happen on
the mission occurred when Thomas "Dear-Jane'd" me during my mission and
completely broke my heart, and then working through that sorrow for the people
of New York. I was shaped through that adversity, and came off my mission
feeling like I needed to marry someone who had experienced a mission. I didn't
feel like anyone could really understand who I was without a mission.
2003:
came back to school and started working in the MTC--began attending the temple
once a week, as advised by my stake president
2004:
Met, dated and married Douglas Garrett Bowen. He glowed and he was so funny and
kind, and I knew I wanted to be with him for the rest of eternity. I was NOT looking for love at this point in
my life (which is unusual, because I was in love with love all through my
life). But being with Doug felt perfect and wonderful, and I feel like he was
my gift from Heavenly Father for all the heartache I endured throughout my
life, and specifically on my mission. Doug still feels like the greatest gift
Heavenly Father has given me, along with the true gospel, which everyone
gets:).
2005:
we moved to Utah State for my Master's program in Literature and Writing. I
began teaching freshman English and taking classes--I got everything done in a
year, which was a miracle.
2006-2008:
We moved to West Virginia for Doug to attend law school at WVU. We had Isaac
Douglas Bowen on October 21, 2006. Doug had internships in Ogden, Utah, and
Idaho Falls, Idaho during the summers after his first and second year.
2008:
We moved to Orem, Utah for Doug to do his third year of law school at BYU. We
got the spot thanks to Rob Rios, a friend of my family's. We had Lucy Sherree
Bowen on October 28, 2008.
2009-2011:
We moved to Pocatello for Doug's first real job as a law clerk for Judge
Stephen Dunn. We bought our first real house in Pocatello on a housing
incentive, and ended up losing the incentive money when we moved to Ammon,
Idaho in 2011 for Doug's next job as a Bonneville County prosecutor. But while
in Pocatello, I began teaching English classes for BYU-Idaho online, and we had
our third child, Brooklyn Elizabeth Bowen.
2011:
we moved to Ammon, Idaho, where we are currently renting a townhome, and living
in the 16th ward boundaries, which we love. We have spent time vacationing in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota and Island Park, Idaho, and Doug is now at his most
recent job as an associate for Bryan Smith at Smith, Driscoll, and Associates.
I'm still teaching for BYU-I, and I just started working in the childcare
facility at the Apple Athletic Club to pay for my membership there. Isaac will
start kindergarten in a few weeks, and I do not feel ready for the summer to
end!
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