carry on, mesa high

My next door neighbor recently tagged me my senior panoramic picture on Facebook.

I haven’t pondered good old Mesa High for a long {long} long time, so it was kind of hilarious to reminisce. I felt shockingly ancient when I had a hard time recalling peeps names. {I am officially old.}

Ya know how people talk about high school being their “glory days?”

Oh how I *SO* beg to differ.

Honest to gosh truth: High school was a relatively happy time for me. I had a super-hysterical small group of friends who I will always be grateful for…who have made me who I am today. We made some awesome cherish-able memories together.

But let me tell ya: I wouldn’t go back, dude.

{Not for a gazzillion dollars.}

Ya know, *unless* it was only for four-point-five minutes, to quickly hijack my size 2 body & wardrobe & return right back to my comfortably-happy 2009.

***

When I look at the me of yesteryear I see a girl who was a high-caliber of awkward-ness, but stinking happy regardless. She painted her nails everyday to match her eclectic DAV-thrifted outfit. She loved indy rock, shopping the sale rack, creative writing & projects, being very unique/weird, and stressing about fill-in-the-blank until she had an ulcer-ridden-stomach. {Some things never change!} She had very little superficial-confidence, but inside she believed she was special. She had high hopes and aspirations for her life & wouldn’t settle for anything less than a happy ending. She knew her opinions & where she was headed.

But what she didn’t know was:

that perhaps at the same time this photo was being taken, a redheaded 20 year old stranger, was knocking on doors in Tennessee, preparing himself to be a husband & father to her future family.

What she didn’t know was:

that she would one day love this man so much, she'd be a dog-owner for him.

What she didn’t know was:

that two little angels named Chloe & Olivia were smiling down from the heavens with an insane amount of love to give & lessons to teach her.

What she didn’t know was:

that she didn’t know much at all.

She didn’t know the {blessings} that were in store.

She didn’t know the hard stuff either.

***

But everyday she carries on, learns, doesn’t look back, and counts her lucky stars for all that’s gone down.

She's living her glory days right now...