To start it off, the name I was born with was Jessica Nicole Tracy, the oldest of four sisters, born to Ron and Karen, who started at 19. I'm what they call the "role model". Also the oldest grand child on both sides of the family, so that's doubled for the role model status. I'm now a parent of the first grandchild and great grandchild on both sides of the families and on Nate's side too. We'll finally get to see how this all works out for ourselves.

I grew up in a very loving family, always surrounded with relatives wanting to know what you were up to and taking care of us. My first memories were moving into a house before I was 5 and living right next door to my grandma's sister, Auntie Echo. She would look after us when school let out with a plate of warm cookies and milk. We did that for about 2 years in minneapolis off Vincent Ave., and than had to upgrade. (You can't have 3 growing girls sharing a bed for too long without having repercussions.) So we moved into a house in Brooklyn Park off of Louisiana Ave, right down the street from my mom's sister, Annie Dawn, as we called her. She had a husband and 3 kids of her own about our ages, so you can guess how much fun it was to play with them. I remember a lot of summers spent over at her house. Taking us to the Crystal pool, turning their shed into our club house, and spending all our money at the 7-11 on those warm bike rides. So that's were we stayed.

My parents, I thought, had cool jobs too, mom was a beautician, and my dad played in a band, also working a full time job building and fixing guitars, so we reaped the benefits. From getting to hold Prince's yellow guitar to going to school with some new crazy hair cut. Like the time mom shaved half of my little sister's head and left the other side long. I think that was cool in the 80's or we were just guinea pigs. Mom would make house calls, primarely grandma and grandpa Barthel's doing grandma's hair once a week. Going over there was like hitting a free candy store. Grandpa would tell us that we were great kids, and than offer us all the chocolate we could ingest. =) Getting to watch my dad play in his band at relatives wedding's and sometimes at the bars if we went early enough was pretty cool too. Watching people be entertained and happy by something he made look so easy. And, on New Years Eve, almost every year, we would spend it with my grandma and grandpa Tracy. They would read us stories and let us stay up as late as we could make it. Grandma would wash our hands and feet before bed with a warm wash cloth, and if you sat on grandpa's lap, you'd get a nice back rub. I always liked that part because it made you tired and it was like getting a massage. Than friends of theirs would stop by with party hats and favors for us, what a blast!

Another love of mine is the great outdoors, anything that has to do with being outside, makes me feel good. I probably get that from the 23 years worth of weekend trips to the cabin. I loved everything about it! From trying to get lost in the woods and making forts high in the trees out of hunting stands. To the many water skiing lessons and tube rides with that crazy uncle behind the throttle! The floating dock you'd play king of, or sun bathing until dinner. After dinner, the adults would leave us with grandma to go fishing, and us cousins would build the bon fire. When the adults came back we would watch them clean the fish in awe, and than head out to the fire to share stories from the week and new jokes. By morning there would be cousin Eric's undies hanging from the flag pole and a dead frog in the boys tent. The parents never really knew what we were doing at night, unless they made a midnight trip to the out house. That was another prime spot that would be prone to the joke~sters! In the morning you'd wake up to every one in the kitchen making the classic ham and egg mc muffin, Larry style, and laughing about the night before. I think what made the cabin experience so memorable, is that you were always surrounded by love.

One of my favorite passions is gymnastics, I've been doing it since I was 4 yrs old. It kept me focused and gave me something to strive for every day. I seemed to always be at the top of my class, getting bumped up to more difficult levels at a record speed. I'm a quick learner. I received many awards, MVP, Captain, and almost went to state my senior year for vault, a handspring full, off by 2 tenths of a point. That would've topped it off. So after I graduated I started coaching at North View Jr. High, and than, a few years later was invited to coach at Park Center with my dad. He started coaching there when I entered into the program. He was my coach, and some of the best bonding moments a girl could ever have with her dad. So coaching beside him now made us even tighter. I hope to give my kids that same person to look up to.

When I was 15, I met Nathan John Rein. As a kid we all went to the carnivals around town. Well, this year we got to bring a friend with, I brought Rosie, who I met in 2nd grade, and are still friends today. (I like to keep my good friends close)We were just walking around Whiz Bang Days when we noticed 2 boys following us around. So we tried giving them the test to see if it was really us they were following and it sure was. We dated for about 6 months, my first love, and ended up keeping in contact through out high school maybe once a year, he going to Cooper and I at Park Center. After high school we knew we still loved each other so we moved in together at 19, out in New Hope. We both ended up working right across the parking lot, together at the nursing home, 3rd shift, for 6 years. Some of the best memories and getting to know each other even better. During that time, Nate went to college and got a good job creating web sites and opening his own business at home, Minnegraphics. I'm so proud of him and knowing him this long, to see where he has taken his life, I can't wait to see what's comes next. He's my soul mate!

I now have a son of my own, Kyle Nathan, and let me say, it is the hardest thing I have ever done. It's also the most I've ever loved! You really don't know how much your parents love you until you can actually hold it in your own hands and nurture it. So, now I know how this all works, just share the love.

I also enjoy art, and seeing people happy. I can't wait to share these passions and all the love I've endured with my children. I have many fond memories and joys, as we all do, so share your love often and live well, we only do this once around. If I could change the world, I'd slow it down, stop and take in the scenery, and the life around you, it's beautiful!