Wednesday, May 7, 2008

My Deaf Childhood

I was 11 months old. My parents didn't know that I was deaf until I was about three years old.




My senior picture in 1985





Val Vasquez and I grew up together since we were in preschool. He was also my high school boyfriend. :) Well, I can't find a picture of Allen. We grew up together since we all were about three years old. Val teaches ASL classes at UNC and CSU. I used to teach ASL classes with kids for five years in Denver. Val, Allen, and I fell in love with ASL. Kissssss ASL!



My friend, David and me at Deaf camp. He was the only person who helped me. I didn't know ASL..nothing! I had no friends at the camp and was so alone. He was there for me and teaching me ASL. He's my first friend at the deaf camp. I grew up with SEE...PURE Seeing Essential English....David Anthony is the father of SEE. Sure, it sucks! I think Signing Exact English and PSE are better and easier than Seeing Essential English. But ASL is a fun and beautiful language.




(Above) My mom made these dresses for me. When I was little, ASL was my first language until David Anthony came to our school. I remember several words in ASL.
He told us not to use any of ASL at all and made us to learn in SEE I (it's not Signing Exact English, but we use some of them during classes with the interpreters)




It was me at two and my oldest daughter, Tami at the same age. You see me in
a blue dress. My mom made it out of her prom dress (I think) and she made
a dress for my oldest daughter.
Sign Language is her first language. I'm so proud of all my hearing
children who exposed with their first language. They can speak
so well.
My kids learned the first word, "milk" at about five-six
months old.

9 comments:

Kim said...

WOW-- So fun to see all your family pics! I loved learning all about your childhood growing up Deaf

Deaf Pixie said...

Deb Ann,

That's cool. Wow, It is very huge different.. somewhat I thought your daughter is looking like you! To share about your old time. I think it is part of your life is passing to next generations.

My late dad was born in North Dakota.. all of his silbings born in North Dakota that they are first americian and my grandparents come from Russian and then exile to USA. I found out my grandmother come into Canada and not able to find what area in .. It is being hard to find my grandpa come into amercian. different I think. I really like to know my herediatry came from

Thanks for your sharing!

Deaf Pixie

Deb Ann and Hannah said...

Thank you, Kim! I love photo books, too ,and they tell in a story.

Deb Ann and Hannah said...

Deaf Pixie,

Thank you! How interesting about your family! My grandmother was the first native of USA, I think, but I'm not too sure. Her parents were from Czech.

Lisa C. said...

That was fun to see some pictures. I love to see who they look like. Your daughter looks like you.

Deb Ann and Hannah said...

Thanks, Lisa :)

Anonymous said...

Aww.. you looked so beautiful back then and still is so beautiful!!

I really love looking at old pictures to bring back a lot of good memories.

Thanks so much for sharing with us, I definitely have to post some more of mine and also hope you still plan to post more of your old pictures. I'm sure you got a lot of them.. show 'em all! He he.

Great blog!!

Hugs!
-SG

deafk said...

Hi, Deb Ann,

Aw, interesting background... and cute pictures. Val is in North Carolina, right? If so, then I have met him only once...

deafk

Michelle said...

Hi Deb Ann! I haven't left you a comment in awhile, but I've been here! Great pictures! What a sewing talent your mom has. I try to keep an open mind when I am teaching my sign language class. I am by *no means* fluent in ASL, but I try to teach them pidgen/CASE. I have one couple that is strictly SEE and they either ask me what the SEE sign is or look it up. I can respect their choice on how to educate their child, but I think eventually they will say, Oh yeah! Michelle taught us that sign. I laughed about your "fined" example. Good one. Gets the English past tense, but not the meaning of the word.