me: past and present

day 27: a picture of myself a year ago and a picture now, and how I've changed. 

For my own sake, I'm going to expand on this challenge a little... hang in there with me...

2011: I am 25 years old.  I have been married for 2 1/2 years.  I love Greg and I love being married to him.  I have a 15 week old baby growing inside me.  I am now a dog person... we have two.  I have a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  In the past year, I have really learned what it means to live life for myself and my family.  It is so important to make decisions based on what is best for us.  I've lived from coast to coast in the past year.  I am learning ways to improve myself.  I still don't like doing housework (i'm trying).  Bottom line though, I truly love my life.

         

This picture is Greg and I with my new cousin Barrett.

2010:  1 year ago.  I was 24 years old, had been married for about 1 1/2 years.  We had been living away from Utah for about 5 months.  It was a challenging time for me.  It was the first time I had lived away from home, and I just didn't know how to adjust to the new surroundings.  We were living in California.  I loved it there.  We only had one dog, and I spent oh so much time with him.  I was very involved with church.  I was volunteering in a 6th grade classroom, starting to make some friends. 

2006:  5 years ago.  I was 20 years old and was about to have my heart broken.  I was engaged to marry someone who I knew was not good for me.  Since I had already planned our future together, I was determined to give the relationship every ounce of energy I had... no matter how much I gave, I couldn't make up for what he wasn't giving.  I wasn't strong spiritually.  I was in school, sang with the institute choralaires, and started Weber State News as an anchor/reporter/editor/producer.  I loved it.  I had been taken on an emotional roller coaster and was fragile.  This period of my life was one where I learned so very much.   (I'm the top left blondie in the picture)

2001:  10 years ago.  I was in tenth grade.  Wow.  I was a sophomore TEN years ago.  I feel like I'm getting old!  I had been dating my first love for four months.  We ended up dating for two years, then writing two more years, while he served and LDS mission.  I was on the drill team at my high school.  We weren't a very good dance team my 10th grade year, but we had fun and worked hard.  I was about six months away from joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I decision that has greatly affected and blessed my life.  I'm grateful for the preparation and lessons this part of my life had for me.

1996:  15 years ago.  I was 10 years old and finishing up the 5th grade in South Weber.  My best friend was Michelle, and we spent every waking moment together.  We would play Jumangi, build forts, play with the animals at her house, get lost on adventures while walking home from school, record radio shows, write songs, and just have so much fun.  Michelle and I were two peas in a pod.  I had been dancing for a couple of years.  My hair was down to my butt.  I always wore it in a ponytail.  My dad left our family around this point in time.  It was a very hard thing to go through as a kid, seeing someone you care about getting mixed up in drugs, and being old enough to understand.  I was a strong kid.  My mom really helped us through this time.  She was strong for us.  There wasn't much to worry about, just going to school and living care free!

1991:  20 years ago.  I was 5 years old and finishing kindergarten in Ogden.  I remember my friends Amanda and Melissa.  I remember our school mascot was the tiggers.  My dad taught me how to moon walk and skip.  We would walk home from school.  We spent a lot of time with my aunt and uncle (nana and jimmy).  I remember eating donuts and watching tv with them on Saturday mornings.  My family would go camping and hunting and fishing.  I had a fun childhood and always felt loved.

1986:  25 years ago.  I was 6 months old.  The same age my baby will be, this same time next year.  It is crazy I've already been alive 25 years and have a family of my own. 

I'm grateful for my family and friends and the path life has taken me on, to reach the point I am today.  A happy wife and mommy to be, trying to be the best I can and loving with all of my heart.