Dear 22-Year-Old Me

Sorry that I left you hanging ... and just when it was getting good!  (If you're new to this little series of letters to my younger self, you can get caught up here.)

1996 will be a huge year for you.  (And yes, I just told the world your age.  Oh well.)  You'll graduate from Auburn (War Eagle!), do a little substitute teaching (confirming once again that you aren't designed to be a middle school teacher), and get a fun job at a travel agency.

Remember the heartache I warned you about with the reappearance of this guy?  Yes, that will be this Summer.  You initiated the reunion (re-reading old love letters will tend to have that effect on a girl) and had such high hopes.  But it's just not meant to be.  It will be excruciatingly painful to see how much this person has changed, but thankfully it won't be a long process to find this out.

Going to grad school at Georgia Tech is the right decision, but you're about to enter one of the most challenging times of your life.  Moving to Atlanta all by yourself is exciting, but also terrifying.  When The One calls to ask if you want to go to Six Flags the first Saturday you're there, you'll be quietly amazed at how excited you are about him coming.  After all, going out with him has never been particularly exhilarating before.

A fun day at Six Flags will turn into supper at The Varsity and a late night.  With nothing more than a "see you later," The One will head back home to Auburn.  When you watch him get into his car from your window, take a good look at his right leg.  It's the last time you'll see it in one piece.  Everything is about to change ... for him and for you.

There's something about realizing how close you came to losing someone that will make you never want to lose them again.  Watching The One bravely deal with his injuries and later making the brave choice for amputation will create feelings of love that were never there before.  (And catching a glimpse of his cute bottom in that hospital gown won't hurt either!)

Nevertheless, such a life-changing event doesn't leave a man immediately ready to make a lifelong commitment.

While The One is trying to figure out how to move forward in his new circumstances, you'll briefly date a guy from down the hall.  He's an aerospace engineer from Michigan.  Nice guy, but definitely not The One.

But don't despair.  The adventure of a lifetime is about to begin....



This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Dear 20-Year-Old Me

This year will live in your memory as a very fun year.  In January, you will finally meet The One - your future husband.  And yes, you will hear God tell you that it's him!  But here's a hint: He's talking about the other guy in the car, not the one you think.  (To be fair, they both drive almost identical cars.  Is it any wonder your dream car was a blue Mustang??)

Nevertheless, following around that wrong guy for a couple of years will lead you in some very right directions, spiritually, so it's not a bad thing at all.  And meanwhile, you'll become good friends with The One which will eventually make for a solid marriage.  (Thankfully, The One will laugh at your crush on other guy instead of being upset.  In fact, other guy will be a groomsman in your wedding!)

You were right to change your major.  Sure, chemical engineering sounds impressive and has a great salary to go with it, but it's not right for you.  Although you can't even imagine it now, you will someday want to be a stay-at-home Mom - a homeschooler, even! (Don't worry.  It's a lot more mainstream now than it used to be.) - and that math degree will allow you to do just that.

This Summer, you're going to date a really cute guy.  (No, not other guy.  He's already found his One.  And no, not The One - although he's super cute, too.  It's not quite time for that.)

No, he's not really proposing.  Guess who set up this pose??  (Hi, Mom!)

Prepare yourself - this one is a Yankee!  ;)  He's not The One and it won't last much past Christmas, but it will make for a really fun Summer and several trips to Indiana this Fall, rooming with random girls in his dorm and meeting his family.  He will be the reason you first learn to e-mail, and it will be a very tedious process in 1994.  However, once again thanks to computers (that get WAY easier to use), you'll still be in touch with him 18 years later.  (I know.  It boggles the mind, doesn't it?)  Going to Seattle this Summer might seem sort of strange - and in fact, it will be the one and only year that Campus Crusade holds a Summer Project in Seattle - but it's preparing you to live there for several years in the not-too-distant future.  (If you get a chance to try teriyaki chicken while you're there, please do.  Yum-O!)

I hope you enjoyed that undefeated football season last year.  It'll be a while before that happens again, but - brace yourself - we will eventually be the National Champions!

So enjoy this year at Auburn because, win or lose, it really is great to be an Auburn Tiger!  War Eagle!



P.S. Repeat after me: "My socks do NOT have to match my Duck Head shorts."

For others in this series, click here.

This post may be linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Dear 18-Year-Old Me

Not surprisingly, you're in love again - or at least in the throes of a huge crush.  (See, I told you that you would survive breaking up with J!)  This one seems to have a lot going for him: extra cute, great singer, big dreams, ... and he thinks you're pretty great, too!

Is that a bare shoulder I see?  If only I'd had the guts to go knee-length on this one.  Not sure Dad would have approved, though.

I wish I could tell you he's The One (your mother wanted him to be The One, too), but he's not.  There are some more really painful lessons to learn about a year from now, but until then, enjoy the excitement!  Besides, because of him, you're about to go on a great adventure, traveling all across the country and to Bulgaria!  (That won't sound so great at first when you find out he gets to go to Ireland, but trust me, you're in just the right place.)

The sights, sounds, memories, and experiences of this coming Summer with Celebrant Singers will stay with you forever.  I'm thrilled to tell you that you will still be in touch with most of your group 20 years from now.  (Through the computer again ... it's truly amazing what they can do now.)

Yes, Auburn is the right choice for you.  Don't keep agonizing about it.  It will suit your personality and educational needs, you'll make wonderful friends, be a part of a great church, and you'll finally meet The One while you're there!  Go ahead and join the Auburn Singers, but don't expect it to be your source of friendships and connections.  There is a vast chasm between those on stage and you on the piano bench.  But that's okay.  You'll get a wonderful trip to Europe out of the deal.

Speaking of Europe, enjoy that trip to Austria this December!  Stick with your friend Geanni, and you'll stay out of trouble.  Just trust me.

You're about to end one chapter of your life and begin another.  It's exciting!  Enjoy this time!



Like this series?  You can read the others here.

This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Dear 16-Year-Old Me

Dear 16-year-old Laura,

Ah, young love!  You're in the thick of it right now, and there's a lot that's really great about it.  He has just enough of a wild streak to satisfy that inner rebellion that you keep so well hidden.  But he's basically a pretty good guy who never tries to take advantage of you or pressure you.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), he's going to break your heart before the year is over.  The two of you will stay friends for a while, but eventually you'll drift back to your group and he'll drift back to his.  You'll feel kind of lost for a while, but you'll be fine.  In fact, 19 years from now, you'll be in contact with him again through your computer.  (I know that probably boggles your mind, but computers will be MUCH different.  Not a DOS prompt in sight!  Tip: buy stock in Apple and Microsoft.)

Warning: he will break your heart again when you're 22.  But it won't take nearly as long, and it will have an unexpected, very positive, result.  That experience at 22 will cause you to have a much greater appreciation for the man who will become your husband.

But enough about that.

I'm tempted to tell you that you should dress differently - not feel like you have to stay hidden all the time.  But truthfully, dressing so modestly is probably keeping you out of some trouble and away from some people with less-than-honorable motives.  I guess I just wish you could have more confidence, even under all of those clothes.  You are more than just a brain!  You have a cute figure and a great sense of humor, but only a few people get to ever see glimpses of either.  Your future husband will recognize both of these qualities and know how to appreciate them.  :)

Twenty-two years from now, you'll be amazed at how some people have changed (and be even more amazed that you are still in contact with them!).  Some of your high school classmates have developed a real spiritual depth, and it's a shame that they either don't have that, or aren't willing to show that, at 16.  Sadly, some others will just be worse versions of their 16-year-old selves.  I won't spoil it for you, but I think you'll be surprised who matures and who doesn't.

So enjoy your first love.  It won't last forever, but it will be great for a while, and you will survive the aftermath.



P.S. Remember that Senior you had a crush on last year?  Even at 38 you still won't have the guts to contact him ... but that's definitely for the best.  :)

P.P.S.  See?  I was right about the acne getting much better.  :) And girl, you are rockin' the big hair!  (Enjoy that, too, while it lasts.)

If you are at all curious, you can read other letters to my younger self here.

This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Dear 12-Year-Old Me

I've been mentioning doing this on Facebook for a few days, and trying to get up the nerve to hit "publish."  I apologize if this is a bit self-serving.  I've just been thinking about a lot of past events lately (not sure why) and decided to work through them with a different perspective and a bit of humor.  I think it has a lot to do with seeing how fast my own children are growing and realizing that they will be facing these same growing pains before long.

Some of you will remember these times first-hand while others of you will have no idea what I'm talking about.  However, I think most of these experiences are pretty universal, so maybe it will help someone else.  Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments.  Also, I'd love to hear what you'd say to your 12-year-old self, too.  :)

So here goes....

Me (right) and my best friend, Jennifer.  The above picture is actually at age 13, I think, when things are beginning to improve.  Apparently, I have successfully deleted all photographic proof of 3rd - 6th grades.

Dear 12-year-old Laura,

Boy, things just aren't very fun right now.  It's not easy having terrible acne during the years BEFORE anyone else does.  And why on earth did you get assigned PE 1st period??  Because acne + PE first thing in the morning + moving up to junior high = a 6th-grade fate worse than death!

I wish I could tell you that the acne will disappear soon and it will be gone forever.  It won't.  Twenty-six years from now you'll still get the occasional zit ... along with wrinkles.  But it WILL get tremendously better.  In fact, as early as 7th grade, things will begin to improve.  Yes, you'll get braces, but so will everyone else, so it will seem cool.  (And thankfully, you'll only have to wear the head gear at night for part of the time.)

In the meantime, you do have some really fun friends in Jennifer (above), Lori, Heather, etc.  Enjoy laughing with them!  (But do not - I repeat, DO NOT - let them give you a perm in 8th grade at a spend-the-night party!  Thankfully, it won't really "take," but still....)

Go ahead and start shaving your legs.  Your mother either hasn't noticed or is in denial that you are growing up, but trust me, it's time.

And those two boys that you and Jennifer are so crazy about?  NOT the answer to lifelong happiness.  Trust me.

You know your friend, Ben - the one who sent you roses to school?  (What?  That hasn't happened yet?  Well, it will next year then.)  Be nice to him.  He's going to be a great friend for a long time to come.  No, he's not The One.  But give him more of a chance.  I can pretty much guarantee he'd never break your heart.

So hang in there.  This really is the worst it will get (at least through 38 ... can't speak about the years beyond that yet).  Next year, you will start to come into your own, and each year will be a little better than the one before.





This post is linked up to one or more of the following blog parties.  Check them out! Monday: Menu Plan Monday on I'm an Organizing Junkie Wednesday: Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family Friday: 5 Minute Friday at The Gypsy Mama, Company Girl Coffee at Home Sanctuary Other days: A Wise Woman Builds Her Home