My Life Story

Our Bible study group decided to have a time of telling our life stories. Guess who was picked to go first? Yes, yours truly. 

We have a list of prompts to help us get started. I read those and these suggestions tend to get memories rolling. In October 2025 I  was asked if I'd switch with Coretta so I said Sure, then everything got busy so we canceled until November. All the while my memories were circulating through my head but I had not written anything down.

November 21 found me sitting beside Mom's bed in the ER scribbling things down on paper ... Because the next day I was supposed to give my life story.

My daughters arranged to go ahead without  me since my siblings and I were preoccupied with Mom's health. 

In that small space of time in the ER when I sat down to write, some words came to me, Procrastination, Perfectionism, 

Parenting, Praising God and Finding Purpose in Life. 

My name is Dawn Kaye Skrivseth Harshbarger. I was born February 9, 1961 in Fort Wayne IN. My dad was working in a hospital, just finishing his two years in 1W Service. This was an alternate program for men who were conscientious objecters to war... there was a draft at that time.

My parents were married April 9, 1960 and lived in an apartment in Fort Wayne. 

When I was six weeks old we moved to Graceton MN. If you will look at a map of MN highway 11 goes across the top of the state from east to west. About 100 miles

west of International Falls you will see Baudette, Pit, Graceton, Williams, Roosevelt ... this is where I grew up. 

The prompts asked me to describe my childhood home. Which one ? 

Before we start that conversation I will try to tell you how my parents met. I don't know the exact moment. I can only surmise they met at their siblings weddings. (This is a question for me to ask Mom.) When I asked Mom she thought they may have also attended youth rallies at  Loman MN or a Bible School. She wasn't sure.

The Martin family had twelve children. 

The Skrivseth family had nine children ...

-- Lester Martin married Norma Skrivseth in 1956

-- Lloyd Martin married Sharon Skrivseth in 1958

-- Arnold Skrivseth married Leona Martin in 1960 

-- Sidney Skrivseth married Ruth Kauffman in 1962

-- Amos Kauffman married Carol Skrivseth in 1968 

-- Nelson Martin married Rhoda Skrivseth  in 1971

Ruth and Amos are siblings. Their mother is a first cousin to the Martins.

-- To be continued