The Crew - Miss Fabulous, Lil Bro, Big Sis and Mr. Man

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

18, 18 years ago


Today I am 36 years old. I have officially been of adult age as long as I was considered a minor. I am pretty sure it is all down hill from here. (just joking)

Things are saggier and wider than they were 18 years ago but I am also smarter than I was 18 years ago so I guess that's a fair trade off. 18 years ago I was a senior in high school and working for a local interior designer. I have fond memories of that experience and can still sew by hand like a wiz, which comes in handy with 4 kids who have short legs.

Once I graduated I had the chance to go stay out in San Diego for a month. That was a great experience and I think opened the door for me to realize that life was bigger than the small county I had grown up in.

I was dating my future husband and living at home with my parents. I had the opportunity to go and stay with an elderly woman in Harlem. My parents knew I was going to stay with a woman in New York but I was not clear on the details of where.

My friend and I got to know the city well over those 2 weeks. We were the only white people in the entire community. I learned things like not to lean up against the wall of the building while you are waiting for someone because roaches will crawl into your purse. And saw a tree where everyone that was killed in the neighborhood had a pair of their shoes thrown up in the tree. There were a lot of shoes in that tree and I can still see it so clearly in my mind.

I learned that I should have traveled lighter because I looked kind of silly on the subway with all that luggage.

That year I went to a U2 concert and I am still sure they are the best band on the planet.


I wonder what I would tell my 18-year-old self if I could talk to her?

Travel when you can, it is a great education.

Don't wear ballet shoes to your wedding because it is going to snow a lot.

Value the ones you love because things change.

Forgive, love never fails and God would not have said it if it were not true.

Be careful what you say because you can't really take it back.

Stick with your faith, it's what you can count on.

10 comments:

Tara - SanitySrchr said...

Happy, happy birthday!!! Wishing you many more!

The LaBelle Family said...

Is that Miss M you're carrying in the front pack? Adorable! :)

Dia por Dia said...

Happy Birthday. It only gets better!!!

Lisa said...

Happy Birthday!!!

Dia is right. It does get better. And you get more intelligent by the minute. ;)

Mom 4 Kids said...

That's Lil Bro in the carrier. He loved that carrier and was on the front or on the back most of the time. Funny thing was he only wanted to ride with Mama in the carrier.

I am glad to hear that I will be getting more intelligent by the minute! I was afraid I had lost more brain cells with each child, maybe in a few years it will all even out! LOL

The Accidental Mommy said...

Well I don't need to hear how young other people are. I just told someone today, I am far too young to have children this old.

Yeah, no one bought it.

Happy birthday! I am in awe of your 18 year old hair!

jessica bear said...

Hey-that was at my graduation party and that's my sis sitting next to you ;) WOW - time flies!!!

And your hair is still as fabulous as ever!

Miss you!!

Jeri said...

If you could talk to your eighteen year old self, you might say: You are going to be such an awesome, advocating, loving and powerful mom! Because you are...even if you're fifteen years younger than me...you do the math, these days, I need a calculator!

stellarparenting.com said...

Happy Birthday, I think Dia is right, it only gets better ( not that I know but I think that)

Mom 4 Kids said...

Thank you for all the supportive comments!