Letters to Little Me

If you haven't been to Katie's blog yet, you are missing out! I'm following along and writing letters to my former self. It's fun so play along and then link your letters back to Katie's blog!

Dear 11 year old Liz,

Welcome to the 5th grade! This year you will hit a growth spurt that will throw you inches over all the boys. Unfortunately, you still will not have boobs by the end of the year. This spurt only applies to height. Quit picking on Helen so much. Very soon she will be bigger than you and take my word for it, her punches hurt. Spend as much time with Mandy as you can. Next year she will move to Florida and have her first baby. Your relationship will be forever changed after that.. in a good way! Don't ever regret your decision to be friends with Sophia instead of Brandy. Sophia will play a big part in shaping who you become as a woman. Her friendship is invaluable and 18 years from now, she will still be in your life.

Dear 13 year old Liz,

This year you will start middle school at Ridgeway. Middle School is horrible. The boys are mean and the girls are even meaner. Please don't let their unkind words tear you down. It will still be about 3 years before you will gain a little weight. So even though your pray for them every night, you still wont have any boobs. You will also be 14 before you get your period so you can let that one go as well. Enjoy this time! This is really your last year as a kid. I know everyone is into the whole Nirvana-grunge look but take my advice.. it's not working for you. Get rid of those ugly flannel shirts and get some cute skirts.

Dear 15 year old Liz,

You made it to High School! You might as well move in with Sophia and her family since that's where you spend most of your time. When you two get the idea of making a music video to Spice Girls: Wannabe.. don't! This video will haunt you for years. You're still long and lanky and you don't really know how to do your make up. That will all change in the next year. No, you don't get kissed this year. I remember how much it hurts that all the boys you like don't seem to like you. I know some of those boys now.. you aren't missing much. Your Poppy will die this year. When Momma takes you to visit, please don't just sit there and answer yes and no questions. Talk to him. Get to know him. When you go to his birthday party don't leave his side. One day you will miss him so much. You will miss him at your wedding and when you hold your babies.

Dear 16 & 17 year old Liz,

Ahh Bolton High School. A whole new world for you. You will make a lot of new friends these next two years. Most of them will be some of the scummiest people you will ever meet. You get your hair cut short and you look AMAZING! I know you still don't think so but I promise you do! You also get kissed for the first time at the Moonlight dance in '98. I think the boy's name is Steven or Jason.. something that ends with "n". Anywhoo, its not all you had hoped for because you don't really like this boy. You will have a whole bunch of those these next couple of years. Sophia gets her first car, oh Lord. When you two decide to go downtown and tell her parents you went bowling.. you will be caught! Don't lie, just fess up and take it. Her parents know exactly what you were doing and your inconsistent stories make you look stupid. When you meet Becca, try, just try, to stay out of trouble. Don't go to the party on Moose Rd and definitely don't get drunk and go out on that fishing boat with 7 other stupid teenagers. You will meet several guys that you really like. Alex is one.. he's an ass. And he's short. Don't waste your tears on him. Mickey is a manic depressive pot head. Why do you care that he doesn't like you? In the future you will be happy that he never had anything to do with you. Ryan will ask you to go "swimming".. DON'T DO IT! It will end up crushing your self esteem and change the way you think of yourself. When you meet Chris, don't be sad that he doesn't kiss you that night. Its because you scare him a little bit. ;)

Dear 18ish Liz who just met Chris,

Well it's him. The guy you have been waiting for. I know you fell head over heels the first time you saw him. Well guess what.. so did he! You don't have to try and be cool, or funny, or (and my apologies to any family members who read this) slutty. He likes you just the way you are. And that night after you eat at Chili's and are supposed to go see a movie.. actually go see it. Don't do what you're thinking of doing. Don't let him treat you like crap when he is around his friends. Every time he does this he calls you the next day and says he's sorry. Hang in there. This Chris is not the Chris of the future. He will break your heart over and over again. Be strong but don't let him trample over your feelings. This is your senior year of high school! Live it up! Spend more time with your friends and have some fun away from him. I promise, he wont break up with you if you do.

Dear 19-20 year old Liz,

Your first apartment! You and Chris get engaged and move into Country Squire aka the Cordova Slums. This is going to be one of the best years of your life! If I were talking to anyone else, I would tell you to wait. That there is no rush to get married. However, I know what wonderful things will come from it so have a blast! Don't be so uptight while planning the wedding. It all comes together and its beautiful. Also, lay off of Sophia just because she doesn't want to spend $60 on another pair of silver shoes. No one even notices her shoes. When you go on your Honeymoon in Gatlinburg, don't sleep in so much. Get up and get out and enjoy the day. Gatlinburg isn't exactly known for its night life as you will soon find out. For Christmas this year Chris gets you a Snow Baby and this starts a tradition where he gets you one every year. That first one is still your favorite. You know that little thought in the back of your head that a Jack Russell Terrier puppy is a bad idea in an apartment? You're right. 9 years later Dolly will still be tearing up your stuff.

Dear 22-23 year old Liz,

You're Pregnant! 22 is so young. Your friends are graduating college and you are setting up a baby registry. You seem to think it will be so easy to put the baby in daycare at 12 weeks and go back to work. Well, its not easy and even when he is 18 months it will still be the hardest thing you have ever had to do. You will soon hold Chase in your arms and your whole world changes. Try not to eat so much protein while your pregnant. That may account for why he weighed almost 10 lbs when he was born. Enjoy holding him, kissing him, breathe in his little baby smell. Embrace your new role as a mommy. It turns out that you're pretty good at it. Your parents get divorced this year. Boy is that one a shocker. You will go back and forth at being angry with them both. Try to let it go, you never know what is going on in someone else's marriage. Chris decides to go to college. I know you're scared. Don't be. The next few years will be hard but the two of you will make it through and your marriage will be stronger than ever.

Dear 27 year year old Liz,

Pregnant again! It seems like it took forever but its here. This next year will hold the biggest changes of your life. You loose your job. It sucks to be fired but you think you're OK because Chris has a good job. HA! Things are going to get very difficult but at the end of it all you will have another beautiful baby boy. He will have some breathing problems in the hospital and it hits you what is really important. Try to get some sleep, he'll be just fine and you get to go home together on Monday.

So here I am, 29ish Liz. If I could go back, would I change anything? Nope. Everything in my past has helped make me who I am today. And for the first time in my life, I think I'm pretty darn great!

Blessings!