October 14, 2008

Taggin' Along

I saw this summary of life on my sister-in-law's blog this morning, so I thought I'd play along.

Where I was 20 years ago (sorry no pic for this one)
I was 7, soon to be 8, livin' life in Mrs. Smith's 2nd grade class. The only thing I remember about school that year is that I got my name on the board for the first time for talking, and I cried hysterically. My perfectionism and need to abide by all rules was already deeply rooted, I guess.

Where I was 10 years ago

I was a senior in high school. It was still fall, so maybe senioritis hadn't completely hit me yet. I was on drill team, so my life was full of practice after school, football games, pep rallies, and lots of katty behavior with some of the 50 other girls on the team. And at some point during my senior year, my best friend would show me her cousin's senior picture, and I would gush inside about how cute he was. Little did I know I'd be marrying him in about 5 years. :)

Where I was 5 years ago

I was 22, engaged, and soon to be married. It was the best and worst time in my life. Hard for reasons I don't wish to share but wonderful, too, because Sean and I were so excited and infatuated and in love. We would spend afternoons dreaming about our life together. He would kiss me and my toes would tingle. We had no money at all, but we were "Livin' on Love," like the song, and we couldn't wait to graduate in December and get married two days after Christmas.

Where I was 3 years ago

Our first home
I was 24; Sean and I were living in our first house, and I say this a little bitterly, but I was the skinniest I had ever been. Sean's job was forcing him to travel a lot, so I was busying myself with working out all the time and teaching 2nd grade. My ability to buy size 2 and 4 pants would last only one more month when I would find out that we were pregnant with our first blessing.

Where I was 1 year ago

She looks like such a baby!
One year ago today was the end of a very, very hard year for me. We closed on our house in mid-October and were moving back here from living in Dallas for a year. That year in Dallas was hard and lonely for me, definitely the most depressing year of my life to date. Luckily, I had a sweet baby who turned into a toddler that year, and she and Sean kept me going. I never want to move away again, and I have never been so thankful and praised God so heavily as when I found out that Sean had an opportunity at work to move close to family again.

Today

Sean and I are hitting the 5 year mark of our marriage, and we have been blessed with two beautiful girls. God has been good and merciful to us. We still feel like we're "Livin' on Love," with not a whole lot to spare at the end of the month, but I'm so proud of Sean's efforts at work, and I am so thankful that I'm able to stay home with our girls thanks to his efforts. We are back near family, we have good friends, and we love our church. Our family is in the midst of many blessings right now.

Tomorrow
I hope that tomorrow will look a lot like today. Sean and I may or may not still be in this house, but I imagine a house filled with little souls intrusted to us to protect, teach, and care for on this earth. People always ask me how many kids I want. Honestly, I don't know. I pray for more. I know Sean wants a son :), but we're just taking it one at a time, and since Mary Ellen is so easy and precious, it makes me want more......

That was FUN! Now it's your turn!

1 comment:

Team Tanneberger said...

Your drill team picture is so adorable. I loved reading this! Well done!

Wisdom From the Pope

“The inalienable dignity of every human being and the rights which flow from that dignity - in the first place the right to life and the defense of life - are at the heart of the church's message." Pope John Paul ended his address, saying: "In spite of divisions among Christians, 'all those justified by faith through baptism are incorporated into Christ...brothers and sisters in the Lord.'" Pope John Paul 2