Research+Journal+4

I will interview my mom over email, because she is at work, and I am leaving for the chorus cruise trip. Her responses will be recorded in the email.

Paraphrasing is putting things in your own words. Summarizing is taking the key points. Quoting is putting quotation marks around a direct statement.

This is the email. I will paraphrase/summarize/quote in purple parenthesis:

1. How did the news that you were pregnant effect you when you found out? How did your family react? I was shocked and scared. My family reacted the same way for the most part. Nana was very worried, Papa was very calm, his initial response was “praise Jesus”. Bobby took it very hard and was distant and did not talk to me for a long time. He said that I made our family dysfunctional. ("I was shocked and scared."- she said about her initial response. Her family had similar reactions. Her brother took it the hardest and distanced himself from her. A lot of blame was put on her from him.)

2. What was your plan for the future before and after you found out you were pregnant? My plans for the future did not change. I intended on continuing with my education and completing university. What changed was that I remained living with Nana and Papa as I knew that I would not be able to manage school and being your mom without support. In addition I was on a “fast-track” to completion. I attended class year round. (The only change that came was the fact that she couldn't move out. She still pursued a college education, but had to attend year round.)

3. What did you look into as far as your options went? There were no other options in my mind. I could never give you up and I am completely against abortion. (The only option that she would even consider was to keep the baby.)

4. What did you and my father discuss, if there was any discussion? There really were no discussions with your dad. I told him I was pregnant. His initial reaction was that we should be married. I did not want to get married at that time as I wanted to finish school. He was not happy with that answer so I didn’t hear from him again, at all, until the year you turned 2. (There was very little discussion with the father of the baby, Dan. He thought that they should get married, but she wasn't ready for that. "He was not happy with that answer, so I didn't hear from him again, at all, until the year you turned 2." She says about Dan.

5. Did you lose any friends because of being pregnant? If yes, elaborate on that. If no, tell me how they acted towards you. I lost most of my friends. I was 18 when I got pregnant and at that age most kids are into going out and doing things as a group. No one had interest in hanging out with me and a baby. In addition to that, as you have been told, you were very fussy. There was not even the possibility of visiting with someone at their house or if they came over as all you did for nearly 2 years was cry. You were not a happy baby so I spent most of my time at home with you. (She was too busy with the baby to socialize. As a result, she lost most of her friends.)

6. Even though you were young, did you feel that you could be a mother? Why or why not? I did feel that I could be a mother, because I had to be. I have always loved kids and had spent a lot of time with them through family and babysitting. I knew I wasn’t completely ready…didn’t have the education, job, husband, house etc…that I should have had established first, but I knew that I could do it. ("I did feel that I could be a mother, because I had to be." April says about her preparation. She often babysat and enjoyed being around kids. She knew that there were things she couldn't be fully prepared for, she didn't have the normal foundation that most pregnant women did, (A husband, a house, or a job) but she was a confident as she could be.)

7. Describe yourself before and after having me. Humm…this is a hard one. I think before I had you I was more focused on what life had to offer and what was out in the world. After having you, you became my life so I had to focus on my education and then career to ensure you (and then your sister and now your brother) had the opportunities to see what life had to offer and what was out in the world. (Before becoming pregnant, she was more focused on herself and what she could get out of life. After she had the baby, her world focused on the child, and she became determined to receive a good education and a good job to provide the best life she could for her new daughter and future family.)

8. Who was your biggest support throughout everything? What did they do? Nana and Papa were the biggest support throughout everything. They let you and I live with them. Nana watched you while I went to class. (Her mother and father were her biggest support group through it all. They provided shelter and daycare for when April went to classes.)

9. Who was the least supportive? Why? Your dad and Gma Carolyn. Your dad was completely out of the picture and Gma took his side. So, as long as he wasn’t interested in our lives then she wasn’t either. She lived about 4 miles from us when we lived in the same town as her, but had nothing to do with us. It wasn’t until Danny decided to be involved that she did as well. (The least supportive people were the father of the child and his mother. Dan wanted nothing to do with the baby, and his mother took his side. Both him and her lived only 4 miles away from April and the baby, but they acted as if they didn't exist.)

10. Do you think your life would have been very different, had you not gotten pregnant? If yes, how so. Of course. I really can’t answer how it would be different, but I would have had an entirely different life path. I can’t even say it would have been better. I am happy with my life. I am happy with my children as a result of the path my life has taken me. My life was challenged by the decisions I made and the pregnancy that resulted in my first beautiful little girl. Those challenges made me a better and a stronger person. I am not an advocate for teen pregnancy, but there is no reason that situation cannot be overcome. (I'm going to completely quote this one because I think it sends a very good message.)

CITATION

Armstrong, April. "Re: Interview For English" Message to Sydney Rachel Armstrong. 29, March. 2012. Email.