A Thousand Words

Weddings are a lot of work. Mom is getting married in just over 2 weeks and I’m so flipping sick of wedding stuff. Being the gracious & supportive daughter that I am, I’ve been helping her as much as possible with invitations and favors and decorations and everything else. I’m also working on several surprise projects for her that are consuming much of my time and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I think I’m tired of crafting! I want my pre-wedding life back! But, really, I am glad to be helping. *sigh*

I really am excited to be going home. I need a “vacation.” I need some time away from my job and pretend that I don’t have any responsibilities or an every day adult life. And, you know, I’ll admit it, I’m looking forward to watching the latest installment of “Monster Bucks” with Phil. I pretend not to like it, but really, I do. I’m looking forward to eating things that don’t come out of a box and sit in the microwave for 2’38”. I bet the Schwan’s man will stop by too. Oh, yeah, that’d be good. It’s so weird that his delivery day just happens to be during the time I’m home. It never fails. It’s kismet. I also need to continue to run everyday, because dammit, I do not want to gain 10 pounds like every other time I’m home. I curse you, weak willpower.

Right now I’m in the final days of an intense running competition, which means I’m basically in a constant state of pain and fatigue because I will not go down without a fight. As I was on the couch, willing my legs to move, I remembered that one year ago today I was in Maui. It was, and still is, one of the most amazing places I had ever been in my entire life. I went through the pictures again to try to re-live the way I felt, but it obviously wasn’t the same. It did, however, get me thinking about how time really does fly, and how the years seem to go by more swiftly as I get older.

I turned 26 recently, and while the 26th year seems to be pretty unimportant, I think about the last 10 years that have brought me to this point. I came across a picture from my 16th surprise birthday party, and I amazed at where my life is now. I suppose most people could say that, because from 16 to 26 you tend to change a lot.

My parents divorced 1 year later. It was awful and unexpected, but my relationships with them, especially my dad, have grown by leaps and bounds. I’ve lost 75 pounds. I got out of that tiny town and moved half way across the country and have made a real, honest to goodness life for myself here in Seattle. I’ve competed in a triathlon. I finally had my first kiss. I’ve been on a plane. I look better without bangs. I have felt the waves of the ocean crash over me. I still haven’t been in love, and I think my 16 year old self would be a little surprised by that…but my 26 year old self is okay with that. I’ve seen my passion for creativity grow into a love/talent for photography and crafting. I can run a mile…without stopping. I’ve experienced true friendship. I can now honestly say that I am content and happy with my life, but back then I remember being so unsure about everything.

There’s a part of me that wishes I could have told my 16 year old self these things would happen in my life. Like it would give me a feeling of hope and excitement for what is to come. But, I guess it wouldn’t make them all that exciting when they finally happened. I’m looking forward to what happens in my next 10 years. I do hope winning this competition is one of those things…