This is ME: My Birth and Family

I came across this cute little blog all about telling your personal history.  Thinking about the whole point of my blog (see quotation in my blog's title), I decided it would be a great addition!  Every once in a while, you'll get to know more about me!  To find where I'm getting these great journal-writing ideas, visit the This is Me Challenge (LDS Version) .  There's also a non-LDS version that you can get by clicking here.


Here we go!


Your birth and family:  

What is your full name and how did you get that name?  Do you have any nicknames?

My full name is Allison Joanne Kirby.  My parents let my sisters name me when I was born.  I think they did a pretty good job!  


How I got my middle name ...well there are two stories.  I claim them both to be true!  Growing up, I thought I was named Joanne after an amazing friend of our family.  She's from Boston, and I think that's the best way to describe her!  She's the kindest person and best friend anyone could have, cooks like you've never eaten, and has that Mark Wahlberg (yes, that just happened), Boston sort of way about her.    When I got older, my parents told me I had another namesake.  I was named after a family member that had passed away as an infant.  In short, I love my middle name--for both reasons!  


My *new* last name came from the most adoring man in the world--my husband Paul.

The day he gave me his name!  Bonnie, Paul, Allison, and Mike Kirby.

Nicknames I have.  Everyone calls me Allie.  Everyone.  Even at church.  The only time I get called Allison is by my mom when I'm in trouble.  ...Come to think of it, I don't think Paul has EVER called me by my first name...  Anyways, other than that, all my previous nicknames have died off (Ali-Baba, Princess Allison...etc.).

What are your parent's full names and birth dates and places?

Susan Mary Beth Shawcross born in Vancouver Washington, February 20, 1954.  

Mom (in the middle) with Aunt Vera Ann (left) and Dad's 2nd cousin Dixie at the Jensen family reunion in Sandy, Utah.

Rulon Lynn Crawford born Spirit Lake, Idaho (wherever that is!),  March 9, 1950.

Dad at the Grand Canyon

What is the date of your birth?  Where were you born?  What are some of the circumstances (when your mom went in to labor, how long, her doctor, your dad fainting, etc.) of your birth?

I was born on December 30th, 1986 in Vancouver, Washinton.  The circumstances of my birth are kind of comical.  My mom ALWAYS went late with her pregnancies (I think Deena was close to 2 weeks overdue) and her babies were ALWAYS huge.  And, with the new fiscal year coming up, my dad and the doctor decided that an early induction was the best way to go.  My dad was thrilled when I was born in December--it meant he would get to credit my birth on his 1986 taxes.  Go dad.  ha ha.  I also remember my dad telling me that the Rose bowl was playing during my birth.  The BYU-Cougars won.  Correlation?  Probably!  

Me and Dad campin'.

What are your sibling's full names and birth dates? 

Angela Denee, June 1975

Lesley, me, Deena, Mandy, Angela

Mandy Lynn Meyer, June 28, 1977

Deena Marie Parsons, September 27, 1979

Lesley Nicole Crawford, August 14, 1990

What are some lessons you learned from your parents?

From Dad:  Stay at home (and milk it) for as long as you can.  (I don't know what he was thinking.)  Also, you can fall in love anywhere...so why don't you hang out around the med school and fall in love with a doctor?  That's probably my most favorite.


From Mom:  I learned how to properly clean a toilet.  I was infatuated with cleaning when I was little.  My mom would let me do the toilet (ha ha, LET, ha ha), and then fix it when I was done.  One day she showed my how to actually clean it...total mind blow!  My mom also taught me how to shop...and it has been a favorite past-time ever since.