Who Am I?
In order for you to understand my journey, you will need to understand me, and what makes me tick and what makes me, well me. Hello, I am Justine Alison Deslauriers and let me start from the beginning.
It all started when my mom and dad got together. They fell in love, (well I am pretty sure it's love) and are still together today coming up on their 29th anniversary in April. My birthday is coming in September and I will be 29...yup, do the math. Anyways, I don’t think I need to tell you how I was born, I really don’t want to get into that, I don’t think you would want to read it either, so I will spare you the details.
I was born at an Air Force Base Hospital in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, so yeah I am a military brat. I have been all over and as much as I hated it when I was younger I have come to value different aspects that I fully believe came from my upbringing.
Anyways, I have lived all over from New Hampshire, Idaho, Maine (no not on the coast), California (no not on the beach), New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and finally Vermont where I live with my husband and three children, along with my immediate family.
I didn’t care really at this age, I was just being a kid.
If you asked me where I am from I would say I am from all over. Where is my favorite place? All of it, everywhere I lived had pros and cons. I don’t remember my early childhood much. I remember California, this is where I learned so much. Lets just put it this way my brother (born when we lived in Idaho) and I were the only two white kids in a tiny town called Calipatria which only had like 300 or was it 360 people, mostly of Hispanic descent. Okay, I can’t say we were the only white family, there was one other family as well. Why did I learn so much from living in Calipatria, a tiny little town? It was in this tiny little town I learned about sports, art, hurt, pain, love, grief, tragedy. This is where I became me. I learned that everyone is different, I grew up with other kids with a different race than mine, at this point I was the minority. I didn’t care really at this age, I was just being a kid. We lived in a little 3 bedroom house, my brother and I walked, rode our bikes, scootered—a mile to school and back every day. I learned what love was here, well you know that kid love you get where you like a boy but get the butterflies, without actually knowing what all of it means. (My first childhood crush is still on my Facebook to this day, Shh).
Sports. Oh my goodness. I played everything: soccer (I think this was in Maine though), basketball, Girl Scouts (I know not a sport, just adding it in), and my all-time favorite—volleyball. I left volleyball my freshman year since the coach would not play me. As soon as I left the team he played everyone. I was so mad, however, Karma played its part and he sadly ended up with a broken leg shortly after.
I got my first taste of music and at this point
Art, where do I start? I love art and found my first art class here. I learned how to draw, I have even drawn a few of my own tattoos. What else did I learn in Calipatria? Oh I learned what instruments were. This is where I got my first taste of music and at this point I played the recorder and the clarinet in middle school and high school. I played that clarinet for 7 years!!!. I had one given to me to borrow while I used it. Well I killed it, I played it for I believe 5 years, and one day it said “I have had enough, don’t blow me anymore!” This is where I later found myself playing the violin, baritone saxophone, piano, and guitar.
I found what hate was here, I was bullied and made fun of a lot here. I have really dry skin so much so, that people made fun of me because of it. Grief, yes I learned about grief here, I lost 2 cats—one to cancer and the other to a dog attack. I watched my cat die in my arms. I also raised a pig for Future Farmers of America (FFA), but unfortunately Crispy past from intestinal issues, and no I did not name her Crispy after bacon, which ironically I am allergic to.
I have also had seen my friends lose others. I lost a great uncle. Tragedy, I learned so young, with 9/11 and the loss of so many people, I was in shock and had no idea what to think or do or even say. So my life in California really shaped me as a child, and who I am today. I was a quiet, shy little reserved girl, (well I have no idea what happened to her because I am not longer shy or quiet anymore).