Flashback Friday

It's Friday-hooray! This picture was taken about two hours after I arrived at my college dorm. My little brother, really was "little" at the time. It's been a rough week for him, and I've really been missing having him close by. I'd love to have hugged him about 40 times this week, but he's over two hours away. [boo!]

I was all smiles while moving into my room and saying good-bye to my family. I was actually THRILLED to be on my own! I was in art school- I'd made it! I couldn't have been happier... until that night. I was suddenly so sad and felt so alone. I was grown, but so much a little child at the same time. I had never really been away from my family before. I'd never attended summer camp, or traveled. It was always us, and suddenly that became just "me". Scary!

I look at this picture and feel such conflicting views. On one hand, I look at the young me and think, You were SO young! I barely remember being that young. Then I think about college and it feels like it was yesterday that we were hanging out, going to parties, and just spending time learning who I was [or wasn't]. It's hard to imagine 11 years has passed since this picture was taken-this spring I will be 30 years old. 30 y-e-a-r-s old! When this picture was taken, the 18 year old me thought I'd never be 30-I'd never be "THAT" old. Ohh how time changes!

Flashback Friday

This flashback Friday takes me to my freshman year of college. I was living in the dorm at Columbus College of Art & Design. I was so nervous about having to live with well... people. Girls I didn't know. What if they were mean girls? What if I couldn't sleep at night? What if I hated them, or worse yet, they hated me?

From the moment I met Mary, my roommate, those fears were put to rest! She was fun and had a happy energy about her that i had never seen. Growing up in Cleveland, I have to say optimism is almost a four letter word. I loved living with her and we had the best times together. Sadly about seven-eight years ago we fell out of touch after a silly argument. I always wondered if she had moved back to Texas [her home state], was married, or ever had children.

I credit Mary to being the person who taught me "how" to mother! She took care of me when I was sick, brought me breakfast from the cafeteria knowing I never, ever woke up in time to eat otherwise, and listened whenever I needed to talk. She was a great person and taught me lots about compassion & friendship. I actually called her "Mama Mary".

The picture on the right was taken after we were living in the dorm for a few months. It's been on my fridge all these years. I am 18 years old there-crazy young! I thought I knew it all, boy was I naive!

I had just recently given up thinking I would ever run into Mary, or find her online. After looking for so long, I figured it wasn't ever going to happen. Last Wednesday I am sitting in the local Whole Foods for kids club night. I get all my kids situated, and look up to see... Mary sitting directly in front of me! Craziest thing! She married the man she was dating when we lived together [I introduced them] and has two gorgeous little daughters with the blondest hair I have ever seen.

Moral of the story: never say never.