Brenda Norman

My name is Brenda Norman and I was born in Millington, Tennessee and raised in Belton, Texas.  I graduated from Belton High School, attended Temple Junior College, and I have one son, Tim, who still resides in Belton and one granddaughter, Brianna.  I am a bookkeeper by trade, but my first love is ranching and horse back riding.  I grew up on horse back and I've always been an animal lover!  Besides working with SHUMLA, I also work for the United States Postal Service and do the bookkeeping and billing for the Langtry Water Department.  I also started the Comstock Christian Youth Group in July, 2005 and have had many wonderful new experiences with those kids.

I moved to Langtry, Texas in November 2003 after Steve and I were married.  The first time I went to SHUMLA School was to be with Steve while he was doing a flintknapping presentation for a group of students.  I was just amazed at the response that he received from those kids.  They were so eager to listen and learn.  And the questions they asked were so intriguing. 

There were also other presentations going on that day that drew my attention.  There was a man there by the name of Jack Harrington demonstrating basket weaving.  He was using "store bought material", it was a lot of fun trying my hand at it and he made it look so easy.  I decided to immediately order my own material and dig further into this subject.  I also ordered different patterns and really enjoyed learning to make different baskets.  I started going with Steve every time he went to SHUMLA and started participating in the different activities as a volunteer.  I really couldn't get enough of the kids and watching their responses to all the new things they were learning about the history of the people of the Lower Pecos Region.  Another of the activities was learning how to make cordage from lechuguilla leaves and that really interested me.  So again, I went home, and since lechuguilla is so abundant in the area where I live, I started plucking leaves and learning how to make cordage.  I now make many interesting things, not only with lechuguilla, but with many of the plants in this area.  Every time I make something new I learn new techniques, and every time I work with the kids I'm more amazed at their response to SHUMLA School!