Storyboard for my Digital Story

Point of View

Digital Storytelling

My digital story will be told in 1st person.  This is most appropriate for my story since I'm telling the story as someone in love, a "new" mom twice, a home owner, etc...

Dramatic Question

The dramatic question/statement I'd like to pose is:

I often think back to that day, 17 years ago.  The day that changed everything that I thought was right in the world… but wasn't really.  The day that I looked at him twice and then down at the small diamond that sat on my left ring finger.  The day I made an important life changing decision.

Emotional Content

I think the last 17 years has proven amazing and has definitely answered the question that day in the Chemistry lab.  I will do the narration in my voice and with my own emotional inflection throughout the story.  

Soundtrack

There are a few songs I'd like to play depending on the picture.  The songs will hopefully be low key subtle prompts as to the time period we are in.  Mine and Aaron's get-a-way has always been the Keys.  If I could find a Jimmy Buffet song it would fit the background perfectly.  Also  I would love to being able to place Sweet Baby James by James Taylor somewhere in the story around the time James is born.  I'm not sure if I can find a free version but I will definitely look.   "Sweet Baby James" is still my son's special nickname.  You Are My Sunshine is the song I sung Michaela the day she was born.  

Economy

I will have to play with the narration and the wording.  I am notorious for being "long-winded."  A transcript before hand with less than or equal to 250-300 words per slide will help.  

Pacing

If my pacing follows my tone it should be just perfect.  I have a feeling I will have to review this part of my digital stories several times before I am happy.  

Author:  Jaime Ford

Digital Story Name:  17 Years in Reverse
Note:  each slide will have multiple pictures

Title Page

Slide 1                                                                             Narration

My best friend and I do almost everything together. We run triathlons and 5Ks, practice karate, go to WVU games together, and we love our music. On Sundays, we drink coffee, catchup on each other's busy week and we talk about the future.  We take for granted the home we've now have lived in for over 11 years.  My how it has changed as have we.  

I've known Aaron for 17 years now. He changed my life. Aaron taught me that a relationship was built on respect. Through him, I learned to communicate my thoughts and feeling with another individual. It wasn't the relationship my parents had and it wasn't the relationship I had with the person I was engaged to. It was more than that. We've had our ups and downs, our trials and tribulations but it always comes back to one thing - the love and respect we have for each other.    

I often think back to that day, 17 years ago.  The day that changed everything that I thought was right in the world… but wasn't really.  The day that I looked at him twice and then down at the small diamond that sat on my left ring finger.  The day I made an important life changing decision.

Slide 2                                                                            Narration

It is currently 2014, we have a 13 year old and 12 year old.  I work at NASA as an education specialist for student workshops and Aaron is a Instrumentation and Electronic Technician in a power plant.  My time is tied up in my graduate program and traveling for work and Aaron spends a lot of time fine tuning our son's dirt bike for competitions.  Together we coach a FIRST robotics FLL team that both our kids are a part of.  We visited the NASA Johnson Space Center and met an astronaut, run our 4th triathlon together with our son, and travel 800 miles on the Hotrod Power Tour.  We dream of the day that life slows down and we get to enjoy each other's company more often.  Maybe in one more year….

Slide  3                                                                           Narration

 It is 2012 and Aaron and I take the kids to the Keys for the first time.  We wanted to return to the place that we told each other, "I love you!" for the first time and we wanted to share this adventure with James and Michaela.

Slide  4                                                                           Narration

It is 2010.  Aaron loses a brother.  We are devastated and it takes a long time to recover.  Aaron also runs his first Triathlon in honor of his brother.  This amazes me and I hope to join him the next year.  I'm not sure though because a triathlon seems like a taxing physical activity.

Our kids are in 2nd and 3rd grade.

I also decided to go back to school and get my teaching certificate.   I fell in love with being in the classroom after a year of substitute teaching.  The weekend before I started school, I had a pretty bad accident on my bicycle and lacerated my liver.  Internal bleeding meant I spent
the rest of vacation in ICU.  10 years out of school kind of scared me.  Being in pain the first several weeks in this new experienced did not help but I knew with Aaron's support I could do anything.

Slide 5                                                                            Narration

It is 2007.  Our oldest is starting Kindergarten and our youngest Preschool.  We can't believe how fast time is flying at this point.  It seems like yesterday we were holding them in our arms for the first time.

I begin volunteering in Michaela's preschool and start thinking about what I want to do when I grow up.   Up to this point, I had enjoyed staying at home and raising herb and vegetable gardens.  I had become very efficient at making soaps and detergents, knitting blankets, and changing the oil on my car.  But what was I going to do?  Aaron and I had decided a long time ago that my career would start when the kids started school but I'm undecided.  Maybe a Wildlife Biologist for the DNR.  I begin looking at the graduate program at WVU.



Slide 6                                                                         Narration

It is 2003 and we are finally able to buy our first home.  The kids have their own rooms.  Aaron becomes an expert at the "Hop on Pop" the kids love to play.  I find out I'm really good at free-hand art and begin scrapbooking.  And I long for beautiful gardens.  Maybe herb and vegetable gardens.  I'm not even sure I have a green thumb but maybe I'll try it.  Aaron and I feel like we are finally living the American dream - our first home.

Slide 7                                                                           Narration             

 In the beginning of 2002, the 3 of us were happy.  James had overcome his jaundice and belly issues and laughed all the time.  In mid January we found out that our 2nd child was on the way.

By October our family was complete.  It was a girl!  And she looked like me!  I wasn't scared this time.  I was excited.  I knew what I was doing but round 2 of having a jaundice baby with acid reflux hit hard and fast.  I knew it was temporary but it was exhausting with a toddler who was ready to play all the time.

Slide 8                                                                           Narration                                                      

We started 2001 ready to begin our new family.  We married in March, visited the Keys for the 3rd time, and had our first baby - a boy!

I remember that night like no other.  I had just begun to realize the room was cold and I was slowly pulling the wet rags my mother and mother-in-law had draped across my sweat soaked body.   It was 1:59AM.  I looked over at the table several feet away and stared in awe as the new life before me cried out tears of fear.  I thought to myself, "I can't believe it.  This is actually real."  Over the next few months I continued to be afraid of this new little life.  In fact, it took me 45 minutes to bath him the first time.  I was so afraid that I would break him.  Unfortunately 9/11 also happened in the first 3 weeks of his life which didn't make being a new mother any easier.  I constantly feared I'd have to find ways to defend him against a war.

In the meantime, Aaron was already talking about a 2nd baby.  With nights of belly issues and jaundice, I wasn't sure I was ready for a second baby.  I joked with Aaron and said, "Only if you can promise me it will be a girl and she will look like me."  He said, "Deal!"

Slide 9                                                                            Narration

 2000 was a whirlwind!  We went to the Keys for the second time and lingered there a little longer.  This time we planned for the occasion.  We went for a ride on the African Queen and swam out the coral reef to the underwater Jesus.  We talked about having kids one day and our life together.

We also graduated from WVU with our Bachelor of Science in Animal and Veterinary Science.

That summer we leased our first apartment and that winter set up our first Christmas tree.  Had 2 cats and were pretty happy.  Aaron asked me to marry him on Christmas Eve and on New Year's Eve we found out we were pregnant with our first child.  We were pretty excited.  The news was fast but it was welcome.

 Slide 10                                                                           Narration

 In 1999, we packed up my 1988 Bonneville and headed south during Spring break.  We didn't know how far we would make it but we were ready for a break from Pre-Vet school and the harsh WV winter.  We landed at a camp ground in Key Largo with $400 to our name and stayed 3 days.  On the second evening Aaron told me he loved me for the first time.  I knew I was with the person I was meant to be with.  I wondered at this point what kind of crazy life laid ahead.

Slide 11                                            Narration

Mail

In the beginning of 1998, I knew one thing.  I was in love with the person that sat across from me every Tuesday and Thursday in the WVU-P cafeteria.  I made sure I wore my best outfits that day and I sat tentatively on every word he said.  But what was even more amazing was the fact that he listened to me.  He was interested in what I had to say, as well as my beliefs and thoughts.  The more we got to know each other the more I realized we had a lot in common.  This was not something I was used to in my current relationship.  I often looked down at that tiny diamond and

WVU

    wondered if my life would ever change.

    That summer Aaron and I started writing each other a lot in secret.           He asked me how I felt about him and I told him that I did like him.
By that Fall, we were both at WVU, as was my fiancé.  I waited till

he left for his parents house and then I called Aaron and asked him on a date.  We had so much fun that night and by that evening I found myself in his room.  He taught me to two step and he heated me up a chicken Alfredo dinner.  I looked at him that night and realized that I didn't have to put up with the abuse I was experiencing.  For whatever reason, I had resided to the fact that it was normal.  I was young and naive but what would the future hold?  Would I spend the rest of my life with him or was he a stepping stone to finding my own self-respect?  That night I took that tiny diamond off my ring finger.

Slide 12                                                                           Narration

Chemistry Lab

It was September 1997 and I was busy working in the chemistry lab at WVU-P when I heard the professor say, "Aaron Ford, there is a grant opportunity for students going into the Veterinary field."  I turned my head, "A grant opportunity for Vet students?  I need to learn more about this."  And then I saw him.  Everything changed that day in a blink of an eye.  I looked at him twice and then down at the small diamond that sat on my left ring finger.  I looked around the Chemistry lab and then advanced to hear more about what my professor had to say.  I looked over at the very young  Aaron Ford and tried to figure out how he was going to fit into my life.