Janet-- bio part 1

When and where were you born?

I was born on September 24 in Salt Lake City, UT.   I need to ask my mom what time and how much I weighed.  I think I was over 9 lbs.

Were there other children already in the family?

I am the 6^th of 10 children.  My oldest brother, Greg, was 8 when I was born.  Lori was 7.  Kristy was 5 1/2.  Debbie was 4.  And Scott was 2. 

How did your parents choose your name?

I was named Janet Lee Clawson. My mom loved the Lennon sisters who performed on the Laurence Welk Show.  Janet was the youngest sister and that’s where they got the name.  I think Lee just sounded good with Janet.  My Grandma Roma told me that she went to the hospital and told my parents to name me Celeste, kind of named after my dad Leslie.  I remember as a little girl wishing my name was Celeste instead of Janet.  I always felt like my name was old fashioned.  The only other Janets I knew were older women.  Still, even as an adult, I am not sure Janet fits me, but I do love the middle name Lee and think it’s significant, especially now being married.  Lee is a special name on the Shumway side.  (Brandy Lee, Bronmin Lee.  My husband’s grandmother was Lee Burnham.)  So that’s special to me now.

Do you recall any interesting stories regarding your birth?

My mom tells me she was overdue three weeks.  This was baby #6 for her and she was laid back about the birth and figured I would come when I was ready.  She missed her doctor’s appointment two weeks after my due date and when she went in three weeks after my due date, the doctor scolded her for not coming in.  He sent her straight to the hospital and induced delivery.  She didn’t have any drugs and they thought she would need a C-section because labor wasn’t progressing.  But my Dad gave her a priesthood blessings and soon after I was born.  She was grateful to not have to recover from surgery, especially with 5 other children to take care of.  I am amazed that she had 6 children 8 years and younger!

What are some of your earliest memories?

One of my earliest memories is making mud pies out on my drive way on Calico Way.  We had tin pans and were mixing dirt and water together and smashing it in the pans and getting really dirty.  I must have been around 3 years old.  I also remember sitting on the lawn of my neighbor’s yard, just across the street from my house.  I remember pulling the grass out of the ground and eating the white end of the root.  I have no idea why these memories have stuck with me over the years, but they are some of my first childhood memories.

My parents moved to Millerberg Way just before my 6^th birthday and I only have a handful of memories before the move.  I remember one Sunday night sitting on the fireplace of the basement in Calico Way eating a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream with my sister Debbie (and probably my other siblings as well, but I only remember Debbie.)  I remember thinking that we were SO RICH to be able to afford ice cream.  To this day, Mint Chip is still my favorite flavor. 

I remember trying to have a sleep over at my neighbor’s house, probably around age 5.  But in the middle of the night, I was too scared and wanted to come home.  They had to call my parents and have them pick me up.  I remember feeling disappointed that I couldn’t eat Fruit Loops in the morning with my friend at her house.  We hardly ever had cold cereal and it was one of the reasons I wanted to sleep over so badly, but I just wasn’t brave enough to stick it out.  I felt much better about going home with my parents and having something less appealing for breakfast J

I remember my mom babysitting several other children in the home.  I liked having friends to play with.  But there was one particular baby boy that I didn’t care for.  When no one was looking, I would pinch him and make him cry.  I still feel bad about that today..  I wasn’t very nice to him and his mommy wasn’t around to protect him!

This memory is embarrassing, but it’s pretty vivid.  One of the girls that my mom babysat was a good friend of mine and we spent a lot of time playing house.  I remember switching the parenting roles and playing “mom and dad” with her.  One day, we decided to kiss and must have gotten pretty into our roles as “husband and wife” we were rolling around on the piles of laundry kissing and my sister Kristy walked in on us and asked us WHAT we were doing.  I remember telling her that we were having SEX.  She immediately went upstairs and told my mom.  My mom came downstairs and pulled me aside and asked me if I knew what sex was.  I told her yes.  It’s when a mom and a dad took off their clothes and rolled around together, kissing.  I don’t remember my mom’s response, but I remember feeling grateful that my friend and I had kept on our clothes.  If I had to guess my age, I would say around 5.

I have a faint memory of my sisters making Mark Pugh and I get in a closet and kiss.. they promised us if we kissed on the lips, we would each get $1.  After we went in the closet, we did kiss, but my sisters just giggled about it and never paid us any money.

I remember playing at my friend, Jori’s house.  She was an only child and was kind of a spoiled brat.  She would never share any of her toys, and she had a lot of cool things.  Often I would sit on the curb on her driveway and watch her drive around in her powered pink jeep.  She wouldn’t let me drive or even ride next to her.  I remember watching her and feeling bad for her that she was such a brat and never learned to share.  I remember thinking how lucky I was to have brothers and sisters that would share with me.  My mom told me years later that Jori’s mom would come over and ask me to play with her, but I didn’t  like to go over to her house.  My mom said I matter-of-factly said I wouldn’t go over any more because Jori didn’t share and I didn’t like to play with her.  Her mom felt bad and said that she would make her share, but I said, “No.  You don’t ever make her share, and I won’t go.”  My mom said I was probably about 4 years old and had no problem speaking my mind.  This reminds me a lot of my son, Simon.  He has no problem telling other people off.  I like to think I was the same way!  

I remember my Dad’s garden at the old house.  And amazing peach trees in the summer!  I remember one year we planted a watermelon and watched it grow.  One day, while my dad was at work, I thought the watermelon was big enough to pick and eat.  I brought it into the kitchen and cut it open, it was probably no bigger than the size of a softball.  My dad got home and was disappointed that I had picked it so early.  He didn’t get mad at me but told me I needed to ask permission to pick anything from his garden.  If I had to guess my age, I would say 3-4.

Who was the most influential person to you as a child?

My mother was.  She was very busy with young children, but she was always sweet and loving.  I felt safe at home and wanted to be around her.  I remember her reading stories to me at night and falling asleep while reading.  Now, after having children of my own, I understand why she was so tired. 

My Dad’s mom, Roma Henrietta, was a very important person in my life.  I don’t have a lot of memories with her as a young child, but I know I spent lots of time with her and developed a strong, loving relationship with her.  I loved spending time with her in her trailer home in Provo.  I remember sleeping in her bed and wearing her clip-on earrings and smelling my Grandpa’s suits in their closet.  I loved the trains that would pass in the middle of the night.  I learned to swim in her clubhouse pool.  I loved going to the Hostess Bakery by her house and feeding the ducks at the duck pond.  Most of my memories are playing games with her, playing on her piano, riding her exercise bike, swinging on her front porch, eating raspberries out of her garden.  I loved being in her home and I am so grateful for her influence in my life as a child. 

Did you have any pets as a child?  What kind?

I remember having lots of pets growing up, but never caring for them like my siblings did.  We had a big sheep dog named Chumbly.  We had a cat named Sugar that had lots of litters of kittens.  I remember Sugar getting hit by a car while we were camping at Cherry Hill and Greg crying about it.  I don’t remember feeling sad.  Chumbly was eventually given to a farmer or rancher when we moved..  When I was about 11 or 12, my sister Lori and I were out driving and saw a sign for free puppies.  We picked out a cute small male puppy and named him Peanut.  We took him home (without even asking our parents) and surprised my sister Cindy, who was only 1 or 2 years old.  Cindy LOVED Peanut and he grew so much bigger than his little mama.  He really was a good dog, but I never cared for him and always made him go outside, especially when he was sitting on the couch or asking for food.  My parents always had cats and gerbils and birds, but honestly, I didn’t care for them very much.  I never was much of an animal lover.  When I was a teenager, my aunt Sandra told me I couldn’t go to Heaven if I didn’t like animals.  This never concerned me much.  I do remember LOVING the baby kittens and puppies!!  

What did you do during the summertime?

I spent a lot of time staying at my Grandma’s house in Provo and swimming with my cousins.  Sometimes, I got to invite a friend and we would play there together.  I also remember jumping on my trampoline with the sprinklers under and playing with the neighborhood friends on the street.  We played a capture-the-flag type of game called Treasure in my backyard with all of the kids.  I also have a few memories of playing Nintendo at Melanie Witt’s home next door.

What was your favorite game?

I love games and have lots of memories playing cards with my siblings.  Often we would play a game and rotate players, those who weren’t playing had to clean up the house.  We had lots of board games and cards… I remember our game closet always being unorganized and it took hours to get the cards in the right piles.  I loved playing games with my Grandma Roma and have memories playing Skipbo, Rumikub and Kings in the Corner with her.  I always loved playing Rook and Mormon Bridge with my siblings and parents (and cousins at family reunions and holidays.)

Did you have any nicknames?

My family called me Jannie growing up, which turned into Jannie Pannie, which got shortened into Pannie.  My siblings still call me this and I think it fits me.  My husband calls me JP for short.  I also go by Jan.

What was your personality like?  How would you describe your personality now?  Is it the same or different than when you were a child?

I was definitely shy as a child.  I am not sure when I broke out of my shell, I don’t think it was until 6^th grade, or maybe even later.  I always remember feeling confident, but I don’t ever really remember being overly outgoing.  Over the years, I have really have grown comfortable in my own skin.  I am an extreme extrovert.  I don’t remember being this way when I was younger, but I guess I will have to ask my mom.  I would describe my personality as outgoing, optimistic, very direct, confrontational, kind, energetic, and feisty.  I definitely get my optimism from my mom, but she is so much sweeter than I am.  I like to think I got my feisty-ness from my Grandma Roma.  She said it like it was and never worried about what people thought of her.  I hope I am becoming more mature over the years, but I am not sure if that’s true.