Do you ever stop and ask yourself, "What was I doing a year ago?" or "What was I doing five years ago?" Typically it's birthdays or holidays that prompt these questions in me, but some days, like today, I wake up thinking how strange it is that I'm married with three kids, and that gets me thinking about how I got here, which in turn gets me thinking, "What was I doing ten years ago?"To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I was doing on August 12, 1999. I have a pretty good idea I was busy hanging out at the high school pictured above, however, preparing my little matchbox of a classroom for my first official year of teaching. That room was soooooooo small (as the classes of up to thirty-five sophomores or juniors, especially those who didn't have a desk, can attest to) and windowless, but I was excited enough to have my own teaching space that I spent hours covering the walls, decorating the boards, and preparing all the curricula for my incoming students.
What else was I doing ten years ago today? Well, I was living at the "Jam Shack" with four of the funniest girls around, so we were probably jumping on the trampoline in the backyard or eating Corn Dog Ole or watching sock puppet commercials in the basement or hanging out with the black velvet Joseph Smith painting that hung in our living room. Whatever it was, we were having fun. I think I was probably playing tennis and eating out with a boy who owned a gym, too.
Oh, and I had super short hair! That was the summer that my sister and I chopped our long hair--we're talking boy short here, people-- and had amazing tans, thanks to our little trip to the Bahamas and plenty of time poolside. I had just bought my first car, little silver Platty, who is still alive and kicking today, and I had just quit working at the BYU Financial Aid Office, a job I had had for the past six years.
What about you? What were you doing ten year ago?
7 comments:
I was either just finishing up Massage Therapy school or had just started my job as a MT for a chiropractor in San Jose. EVERYONE wanted deep tissue at the chiro office and my hands would kill when I went home. All the way up to the elbows I would have nerve pain.
I was also doing a lot of skateboarding at the time trying to prove that I was cool.
And I had just started dating Scott which means I already knew I was going to marry him but was still wondering what happened to Michael from Ireland.
That's so funny, I often think the same thing about "how did I get to be a mom with three kids?" Let's see... 10 years ago I was preparing for my sophomore year at the University of Washington, working at a physical therapist office and Toys R Us. That was the summer that Frankie drove his little VW Bug and it broke down multiple times on us, which meant we had to walk multiple miles if there wasn't a bus stop nearby. Ah, good times.
Ah yes, the memories! I remember you and Jenae coming home for Christmas with your cute little haircuts and discussing how to sue a hairstylist with your Dad!! As for me, the only MAJOR change since ten years ago is the addition of our beautiful daughter Kendra Leigh. Other than that, hmmm -- same job, same husband, same city.....BORING! :) oh, and I guess one major change I forgot about -- being baptized ten years ago this October! ha, ha -- how could I forget that?!?!
Wow, I also wonder sometimes how I got here - being a mother of three children. Let's see, on Aug '99 I was finishing up at MTC waiting to go NYC. I remember struggling to learn Spanish and hated that I looked like one but could not talk like one.
I also remember getting a cassette tape from my friends in Monta Vista Singles Ward and Alisa saying that she was still dating Scott and things were going well =)
Wow, where did time go?
10 years ago? I was on the streets of Bourgas, Bulgaria . . . living and loving the strangest missionary life EVER.
P.S.- I'm dying to see pictures of your boy-short hair. I'm not sure how I missed this.
Oh my goodness, this makes me wonder how in the world 10 years can go so fast!! Ten years ago, I was getting ready to drive across the US with all my belongings stuffed in "Foxy Mama"--your name for my beloved red Grand Am--to go to grad school in DC. Since then I've lived in 3 different cities, 6 different apartments/houses and hopefully learned a thing or two along the way. :) Can't even begin to imagine 10 years from NOW!
What a fun way to pull of memories. I was so excited about your teaching job at Timp - except it was a bit shocking that you were making as much as me from the get go.... ah - it's just $, right?
Your life has been full of so many wonderful experiences and mostly rich, dear, precious friends. Of course, that means YOU have to be a fabulous friend! I LOVE that about you, my precious daughter!
Mom :)
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