Before I wrap up the wedding story, I'd like to take you on a walk down memory lane...
I recovered a scrapbook from my preteen years. My kids could not stop rolling on the floor in total hysterics at the pictures of me in my youth. "That CAN'T be you mom, it just can't!" Because, just like I thought when I was their age, my children believe that I've always been this old.
Let me indulge you in some trivia:
- I think you can pick me out of this photo, the middle girl is my sister, Jenny. Betsy is my youngest sister.
- The picture was taken on my parent's front porch, prior to my cousin Holly's wedding.
- The dress I'm wearing was exactly like one my friend Beth had (she comments on this site as "Redhead". I coveted it, and begged my mom to purchase one for me at Higbee's. I loved that dress. It was terrycloth. I'm now embarrassed by it. It looks like I hemmed a couple of bath towels together and cinched the waist.
- I believe I was 11 in this picture-12 at the oldest. I stuffed my bra that day with cotton balls. Aesthetically, I think I did a pretty good job. Ironically, mere months later I found that I had become one of the most well endowed girls in my class.
- Love the unibrow.
This is me sleeping, I believe my parents captured this on Christmas Eve. I think I'm 11 here, also.
- Yes, that was a Bee Gees poster behind me. Thirty square feet of Brothers Gibb. Their sibling Andy Gibb adorned the opposite wall. I'm pretty sure I also had one of those kitten posters that said "Hangin' in there" somewhere in the room as well.
- On the bedpost is a gingham check sun visor and a baseball mitt. The mitt was my dad's, I never played any organized baseball growing up.
I'm 12 here, it's obviously Christmas morning. (translation of the apron: You can complain because rosebushes have thorns, or you can be grateful because thorn bushes have roses. Wow. That Ziggy was pretty profound.)
- I still make that face ALL THE TIME. It's my taaaa-daaaa! face.
- That was my first apron, and I suppose my mom's hint that "It's high time you took over the domestic responsibilities in this house, young lady."
- How about those booties? I already had comically large feet by this point, and was wearing a size 10 shoe. Thankfully, my feet never got any bigger.
This is a photo taken after my return from Camp Whitewood. I'm tickled that it's still around and hasn't been turned into a suburban enclave.
- As I review these pictures, one thought keeps recurring, "What the hell happened to my chin? When did that nice jawline disappear?"
- Betsy and I are proudly displaying the rock art and ceramic creations that I produced. I kind of wish I still had the rock frog, I did a pretty good job on that.
- I was in the domestic division of 4H. We focused on sewing and cooking skills.
- Camp Whitewood lasted a week. I went with my best friend, Heather. I cried on the bus for the first hour because I'd never been away from home that long. I was an incredibly picky eater, and was mostly terrified that I'd starve.
- I didn't starve and I loved it. I returned the following year.
- I believe I snuck that jaunty bandanna and cowboy hat out of the house without my dad's knowledge. They both belonged to him, as he and my mom were entrenched in their square dancing phase at that point.
- Nice mom jeans.
Oh, bravo, Amy, bravo. The ultimate bershon. This was my sister Jenny's birthday party, and I turned 13 mere days after this photo was taken.
- I was absolutely put out that I couldn't be at the Massillon Tiger football game and had to hang around with 11 year olds.
- Once again, the Tiger jersey I'm wearing? Cribbed from my dad. Why was I constantly stealing from my dad's wardrobe? I'm going to have to bring this up with my therapist next week.
- I created that hair ornament with my own little hands. Orange and black yarn and a Goody barrette.
- Betsy was attempting a Bershon, but she was just 9, and only manages to look a little bored.