The Romriell's | Party of 5

1. Where did you go to school?

I, luckily enough, completed all of my schooling (until I graduated from high school) in the same town, with the same friends, in the same school district.

{Pierceville Plymell Elementary School} (K-4) A small, little school (one hallway… and a half), literally plopped down in the middle of a bunch of cornfields. We planted gardens, celebrated Kansas Day, learned how to brand cows…you know, all the normal things elementary school kids do J

{Charles O Stones Intermediate Center} (5-6) This was the first time I actually got out of my little farm school bubble. Introduced to all sorts of kids (a couple white kids…but not many). Mainly the awful little punks that think they are way too cool to be in 5^th grade. The kind of kids that thought is was cool to tell you all sorts of grown up things I didn’t even understand. Pretty sure my parents were more scared for me than I was. At the time I think I was totally oblivious to the kind of kids I was surrounded by. I just trucked along and tried to keep to my own business. Best part of Charles O Stones was band. After seeing my three older siblings start instruments I was so excited to be learning how to play the Clarinet.

{Abe Hubbert Middle School} (7-8) Pretty much the same crowd of kids, but by then I was used to all of them. School boundaries were a little different so I actually had a few more normal friends at this school. These were the years I was introduced to all of the extra curricular activities (and started choir) Volleyball, Basketball and Track. Track was my favorite. Did a little high jump, hurdles, relays, and my all time favorite field event, pole-vault. I of course took after my three older siblings once again, who were all very good pole-vaulters. I was one of the only girls at the school that pole-vaulted, and I was actually good at it, so I loved it. Jumped 8 feet in 8^th grade, as high as some of the high school girls were jumping. After middle school I quite pole-vaulting because I was totally creeped out by the high school pole-vault coach…big regret. But that was indeed my love of middle school.

{Garden City High School} (9-12) I started my first year of High School with Jake (my older brother), and ended the last two years with Lane (my younger brother). That was the best. I was pretty shy and didn’t “hang out” with a lot of people, so I always felt pretty important when I had my brothers by my side. I was always known as Jake or Lanes sister (or Brittany and Shane’s sister). The Steel kids were pretty well known around that school. I was in Band, Marching Band, Choir, Cheerleading and Dance Team. Tried out for show choir…didn’t make it. Tried out and made District and State choir. Tried out for dance team my freshman year…didn’t make it. Tried out for dance team my sophomore year…didn’t make it. Cheerleading was having late tryouts that year so I tried out and made it (Didn’t ever really want to be a cheerleader, but I was just bummed I didn’t make the dance team). Tried out again for show choir…didn’t make it. Tried out for dance team my junior year…You think I would have quite by know right? Seriously though, I just wanted to dance my life away…finally made the Varsity Dance Team my junior and senior year. Pretty sure I was supposed to learn how to be persistent. I think that’s when I also learned life doesn’t always go exactly how you want it to. I made state choir and was on the Varsity Dance Team but as many times as I tried out I still never made show choir…funny how that works.

{Brigham Young University- Idaho} I always say it’s the greatest place on earth. Good school, good town, good memories. My major was Fine Arts (with an emphasis on photography). Clustered in Dance. And I was living in Rexburg with Shane, Brittany, and Jake. Yep, greatest time on earth, really! I went college to dance, draw, take pictures, play with my brothers and sister and meet my handsome husband. You just can’t beat that.

Did you have any memorable teachers?

I took a drawing class at BYU-I from Leon Parsons (A professional wildlife artist). You probably don’t know his name, but I know you have seen his paintings…probably hanging in your church building. Everyday we would vote of the best drawing. If your drawing won he gave you a signed piece of art, usually a small 5X7. We had some extremely talented people in that class, so needless to say, I hardly ever won. I always joked with him if I won he had to give me his “Joseph, This Is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” painting, which was a 10X20 that he never gave out. Well, one day I finally won, and sure enough he really did give me my favorite painting! You know how some teachers you just become friends with and others you feel like don’t even know your name. Brother Parsons was such a nice guy and always seemed like more of a friend.

What were your favorite subjects?

I can honestly say that I really never could choose a favorite subject until I attended college. Doors were opened and my interests came to life. Every form of art, and especially photography quickly became my love and most favorite subjects I had ever studied. A very close second was of course dance. I just never considered dance a "subject" until I actually took classes for a grade :)

1. WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR BIRTH?

I was born while my family was living in Sugar City Idaho (Small house, small income). I was technically born in Rexburg, at the Madison Memorial Hospital (same place Preston was born…and we were both delivered by the same doctor, Dr. Lovell). I was born February 4^th, 1989, during the bitter cold of the Rexburg winters (Must be why I love winter so much).

Were there other children already in the family?

I was the fourth child born in my family. I had two brothers and one sister at the time. Shane, Brittany, and Jake. Later was joined by three younger brothers, Lane, Ryan, and Tayler. I have three siblings older than me, three younger than me. I always try to pull the whole "middle child" thing...but know one takes it :)

How did your parents choose your name?

I know I have asked about my name before but I have completely forgot. All I remember is that Brody…and maybe Danielle were both options, until I was actually born. Then, well…Brooke it was!

Here are my parents version of how my name was chosen.
Dad's first
I can’t remember if we knew we were having a boy or girl but by baby 4 we were used to the idea of having names picked out in advance with of course the idea that after the baby was born and if the name fit then we would choose that name. So, just as you mentioned I really like the name Brodi for a girl and yes there was a family in plano Idaho that have a girl named Brodi and I liked the name and the girls personality seemed to match it so I thought it was fun for a girl. Mom liked the name Danielle and it sounded pretty also as a sister name to brittany. Those seemed to be the girl names we had picked out I will add that mom never liked the name Brodi so I knew that we would never have a girl named Brodi which really I was okay with because eventually the Brodi that I knew turned out to be of lesser character if you know what I mean but I hung on for the fun of the tease with mom. After you were born which was the most traumatic birth of all the kids, mom had a placental abruption before you were born so she lost a lot of blood and the delivery was traumatic and the recovery was traumatic and mom had a reaction to the pain meds afterwords and she was so anemic she could not stand without getting light headed and passing out and sometimes I am amazed that we had any more kids after that! but I had a lot of time with you in the hospital so I would call you danielle or Brodi or whatever else came to my mind and nothing fit we left the hospital without name for you because nothing fit and we were not going tot name you until we felt and then knew it was right! We had talked about Brooke and even called you Brooke but we were not sure because mom liked danielle so much. But eventually we choose Brooke and as soon as we did that and we both started calling you Brooke it felt right and that is how it started.

Mom's Version:
ok here goes the story, men are often times less attentive to detail so he missed a buggy, I did cave in and let him have his way about your name, but everyone in the hospital who asked us said what are you naming her, Brodi, is that a boy name, oh thats different, then the final and last comment was Brodi isn’t that the name of that talking horse on t.v. . thats when I put my foot down and said sorry, noone likes that name, and were not naming her that, Matt agreed. then i loved the name Daniel but there was a famous author who’s name was Danielle Steel, and I was worried about that being all you would ever hear, so we fell back to a name we had picked out earlier when I was praying for twins brittany and brooke. and you did get it.

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Who Are You? {Week 2: School}

Who Are You? {Week 1: Name/Birth}

1. WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF YOUR BIRTH?