Dear Summer

I have wanted to write a letter to my younger self for a while. You have Dave Ramsey to thank for this. I was listening to his radio program (if in the car by myself during the hours of 6-8pm I listen, YES I AM A NERD!) and he made the statement "your 28 yr. old self will thank you." He was talking to an  early 20 something year old. Well it got me thinking about what I would say to myself. A few weeks later a blog that I follow did this very thing. She wrote a letter to her teenage self so again I was inspired. I'm choosing the teenage Summer to direct this letter to.

Dear Summer,
          Relax! Its not the end of the world if things don't go your way. The stuff you're stressing out about now will mean nothing in a few years. That guy who doesn't give you a second glance, well he's not the one anyway, you find your Mr. Right. With that being said stop dating losers! You can't change them, you can't save them, so stop right now and enjoy the nice people around you. Every guy you date, you will not marry. If a nice guy asks you out, go and enjoy the company! If a loser asks you out, stay and enjoy your parent's company! Join more clubs in school. Care a little more about your grades. Scholarships are fantastic! Your 30 something year old self will thank you for those scholarships when its time to pay those student loans. Yes, can you believe they actually make you pay these things back. Oh the horror! Stay in a youth group. Many a decision you make will be based on the friends you are around. Hanging out with those that are grounded in Christ will be influential. Speaking of Christ, get to know him now! You do get to know him personally a little later in life but knowing Jesus personally the sooner makes for the better. Keep the faith that you have, you gonna need it a few years. Life does get a little tough at times but the foundational faith that your parents planted in you will keep you going. Oh your parents, ease up on them. They didn't create the world. They know you love them and you know they love you but there will be some times that well you drive them crazy. Just skip all of that.
         

          Don't care so much about what your peers think of you. Guess what?! They're just as unsure of themselves as you are of yourself. Most of your friendships now will fade away but that's ok, that's how life is. Some remain a constant fixture in your life and its wonderful but as time moves on so do most people but you will become friends with others who are amazing. Thanks to technology you get to reconnect with others from your past and present and constantly know about everything in their lives :) Facebook is cool, you don't know what I'm talking about right now but you will and it will be a worldwide phenomenon. I know its hard to imagine when right now you don't even have a computer in your house. So anyway some of the folks you thought were cool turns out...not so much and people you thought were snobby...pretty down to earth. They are all just like you right now, trying to fit in without knowing who they really are so take chances and befriend someone you might not normally.

          Remember Mr. Right he comes along later than you thought but nevertheless he sweeps you off your feet. Many years later he gives you a gift you were never really sure you would have or want. Its a son! Yep, you become a mom and you are blessed beyond measure. 2011 will be your hardest year to date. Spend as much time with your parents right now because you will lose your dad much sooner than you are ready for. The personal relationship you have with Jesus that you found years back will be oh so important during that time. Faith will lead you to the joy again. 2011 you will lose another one of your most favorite people in the world, your cousin Cheryl. Again during the time you work with her, relish every moment and laugh y'all have together because it will be over so much sooner than you want it to.

          Life is going to throw some curve balls but you're ready. You are much stronger than you think right now. It may sound like you have alot of regrets, you don't. A few (remember the peace corp recruiter you suppose to meet with) but you turn out ok. You still got alot to learn and now at 32 you still are unsure about some aspects of your life but you make some awesome decisions along the journey. Stay true to yourself, don't sell out for the easy path. Remain grounded in Christ its gonna be your saving grace. Let go and enjoy your ride of life. Now your 32 year old self (that sounds so old to you right now but you will feel like that awkward teenager at times) needs to read this and read it again to remind herself to sit back and enjoy the ride. Oh I just remembered I need to go text someone. You need to go do what?!!!!!

Love your awesome, God loving, husband loving (weird I know), son loving (even weirder), self,
Summer

can't believe I posted this, Senior Picture 1997