Autobiography of Michaela Nelson Michaela Nelson   © Copyright 2018 by Michaela Nelson

About my Birth:   

What time was I born?  1:58 in the afternoon

How much did I weigh? 7 lbs. 0 oz.

What was it like outside? Rainy

How long were you in labor? 6 hours

Who took you to the hospital? Dad

I loved being little it was the best time of my life, if I could be a little kid again I would. As a little kid I made more memories than I do now, but there are only a few stories I will remember forever. During summer breaks I loved and still love them the best. Summer is the best time of the year. I was always outside and still love to be outdoors today. Sometimes I would be outside in the garden, playing on the swing set, or riding my bike with my best friend, my next door neighbor, Cherish. One day my parents and Cherish’s parents were having a BBQ together. Cherish and I hated our neighbor, she always was outside smoking, yelling at us if we were in her driveway or mowing her lawn. She had the greenest lawn on the block and she always bragged about it. When we were riding our bikes waiting for dinner we stopped at her house as we were going by and started to pull all her grass out. We left a pretty big dead spot right under her front window sill next to the house, that is for sure. She found out that we did it, and told our parents. We had to go say we were “sorry” which we really weren’t but had to do it anyways.

The biggest memory I will remember was when mom and dad said we had to go to the storm shelter under the house. All I remember was the sky turned as green as a leaf, and the tornado sirens of Kersey were going off. I had no idea what was going on but I had to listen. Mom just stood on the front porch to watch the storm go by, while dad and I played with toys to keep me entertained. We sat under the house for 2 hours, as a little kid with no little brother born yet felt like forever. That was a night that mom and dad did not fight for once. Let me tell you, that was nice.

One night as the sun was about to go down was the night that would change my families life forever. Dad was screaming and yelling at my mom like always which was not a surprise. Dad was holding my little brother Tim when my mom asked him to hand him over because if dad was going to act up he should not be holding a baby. He refused to hand him over to my mom, and he kicked one of the bottom kitchen cabinets in, and mom called the cops. Dad went to jail and I was devastated. I don't know why but I was always a daddy's girl even after everything he did to my mom. As a little girl I would always get up when dad got ready to go to work and I would climb to the back of the couch to look out the window, he would go outside to the window and I would kiss him though the window every morning. The night I saw him get taken away in the back of that cop car was very heart breaking. As soon as I knew it we were living at grandma and grandpa's house in Eaton. I had to leave all my friends that I went to the Kersey preschool with that I loved so much. Later on in life when I was going to Eaton Middle School I became  friends with Taylor Starks and came to find out we went to the same preschool. Then in high school I met Cordell Clark, and we also went to the same preschool.

When I was 7 mom met Dusten. Dusten is now my step dad. Dusten met mom because they worked together at King Soopers where my mom still works today. I did not like him at first having a different guy being around my mom was very confusing. My dad would always talk bad and would call my mom and Dusten unnecessary names all the time. When I would go visit my dad on the weekends I would always get yelled at  by my dad about how my mom did him wrong. I will never understand why, I will never forgive him for the things he has put my brother and I through. I never see my dad anymore I got tired of being yelled at and Dusten helped me with that because he showed me how a real dad should treat his kids. When I was 8 years old I told my dad I did not want to go with him anymore. Dusten calls my brother and I his kids even though he doesn't have kids of his own. He is truly a dad to my brother and I. He never yells or screams at my mom and he supports the family more than my dad ever will. Thank you for being the dad you didn’t have to be. He’s the families saving grace.

 I have very fond memories of my Great Grandpa Jones. I have always loved being involved in the workings of the livestock industry. As far back as I can remember I would sit at the kitchen window  with great grandpa at his ranch in Briggsdale, CO and watch as the adults would work cows. I would be allowed to go out and help as soon as the cows were done and the adults started branding the calves. On occasional summer nights the family would go to the ranch and have a weenie roast with smores  in the middle of the driveway. In 2008 great grandpa got very ill with Parkinson's disease and moved in with my grandma and grandpa in Eaton, CO. Over summer vacation when great grandpa was still able to make it to the dining room table, him and I would eat avocado sandwiches and watch the tractors cut hay in the field behind the house out the picture window. Eventually great grandpa became bed bound and required round the clock care. Great Grandma Mary, my mom, Aunt Kim and Grandma Jeanette would take turns spending the night watching over great grandpa in case he needed anything. Great Grandpa Jones passed away in 2008. He was as stubborn as teaching an old dog new tricks.

The summer before my freshman year of high school my family was able to build our own home on our property outside of town. During that summer we spent hours outside laying rock in the backyard, building chain link fence and getting settled into our new home. Later that summer for my birthday gift I got my first puppy. We drove to Torrington, WY to pick her up. I remember sitting in the back of the truck with my friend Ana picking out names for my new puppy. I decided to name her Bailey.

In the fall of my Sophomore year of high school my grandpa went to the sale barn and surprised us by buying our first two Scottish Highland cows. This was the beginning of the many animals we would acquire over the next couple years. We expanded on the Scottish Highland fold, rabbits, chickens, goat, ducks, cats, dogs, fish and even a turtle.

During my high school career I finally came out of my shell and became more involved in Marching Band and FFA. My junior year I became Treasurer of our FFA Chapter 2016-2017 and became more interested in spending more time committed to FFA than Marching Band. At this time I decided that Marching band was not for me. In the school year 2017-2018 I became Sentinel of the Eaton FFA. One of the FFA team members resigned their position and I took on the Reporter position for FFA 2017-2018.

I will be graduating in May of 2018 and going to Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in the fall for 2018. I have decided to get an associates major in livestock management and minor in agribusiness. I have decided to do this because I have always had the dream of being just like my grandpa. Livestock has been in the family for decades and I want to carry it on. Grandpa has always been my role model, I would go anywhere and everywhere no matter where with grandpa. I spent days at the Cache la Poudre office where grandpa worked, I rode ditches, checked cattle, branded, fixed fence, hauled cattle, and even sat in the tractor for hours upon hours. My very favorite spot to go was the auction, I liked it so much I even went and sat through an auction for my birthday with grandpa. Over the years as I grow older I may not spend as much time with him, but I do still love him dearly. He has taught me so much about life, and work ethic, I will always be the hard working, and motivated girl I always have since day one. I am the only daughter, granddaughter,and niece out of four boys, and that has taught me a woman can do anything a man can do and no one can ever tell me any different. As soon as I graduate college I want to start my own feed lot, and grow my own feed because I believe that the agriculture is losing popularity fast and if it wasn't for the hard working men and women around the world that farm your food and raise the livestock we would all have nothing to eat. I want to be a part of those who keep this culture and generations alive.

My life has been full of good and bad, but it has taught me a lot about who I am and what I want to be as I get older. My past will not control me but it has taught me to be strong. I am very thankful that I have been raised in a very tight knit family, including my step family. Each and every member has supported me along the way. Not many young people are as fortunate as I  to have had the opportunity to know and spend time with family including all four of my great grandparents.