18 Years Ago

18 Years Ago I was sixteen years old.
Today I am 34 years old. (In case you suck at Math).

18 years ago I had a lot fewer pounds on me.

The other day, I bought a tank top at Walmart that I was thrilled to get. I already had one like it and got one in another color. I was excited. And it was only $7.
18 Years ago I would not have been caught dead wearing something that was from Walmart and only cost $7. And I wasn't even a snobby preppy type.

Eighteen years ago my hair was almost always down, rarely would I put it on a ponytail.
Today, rarely is my hair NOT in a ponytail! I still "do" my hair; I shower everyday, put gel in it, blow dry and scrunch it. But it's a lot hotter than I remember it being. And so up it goes. All the time.
Plus 18 years ago I wasn't making all the meals in the house, cakes, etc...so there was nothing to keep my hair out of.

18 years ago I drove a 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix. She was white, had a sunroof, and was named Wilma. Now I drive a 2003 Yukon Denali. It is black, has a sunroof, and might now be called the Disney-mobile b/c I have the little "disney family" sticker thingys on the back and a DVC hitchplate. Loved the 79 Grand Prix. Love the Denali more. Both paid for, that's good!

18 years ago i would not go check the mail if I wasn't dressed and had make up on. This morning I threw on some clothes, popped my contacts in my eyes, and did a donut run to QT for the family. The other night, I went outside in my shortie jammies, with no bra on, and a towel on my freshly showered head, to water the flowers. I wasn't thrilled about it, but didn't care much.

18 years ago I would have been mortified to spend a Friday or Saturday evening AT HOME. Like as in, I'd be embarassed to tell anyone I was that pitiful. Now, I spend most of my Friday and Saturday evenings at home. And I do sometimes feel like a loser! :) I was chatting on Facebook and playing scrabble on my iphone with my friends on a recent Friday night, and said to Wendi....Geee.... When did we get to be so pathetic!?

18 years ago my school-night curfew was usually 10p.m. (though i was usually home far earlier). Now, sometimes my fun starts at 10p.m. if Debbi and I hit a late night movie! It's the best way to go see a chick flick....get the kids in bed, kiss the hubby goodbye, and go sit with a girlfriend and a bucket of popcorn.

18 years ago I had never had a drink of alcohol. To this day, I have never been drunk. I consume, at the most, about 3 alcoholic beverages a year.

18 years ago I had not yet had sex. Today I have two children. You figure that one out. :)

Back then, I only wore Victoria's Secret panties and always made sure my panties and bras matched. Didn't want the girls thinking you were uncoordinated in the locker room, right? Pretty much, none of that is happening now! Now I buy bras more for comfort and function and less for prettiness. Speaking of bras I could do a whole separate post on bras alone. I'm so not a fan.

Back then, I thought having four kids would be great. Two boys, two girls. Now, I'm done at the two girls. God did not program me to have four children, that's for sure.

Back then, I cared a lot about what people think. Now, I just care if you care. You can think my shirt is ugly or my butt is too big, if you care about me.

Life is light years away from the days when I was sixteen and living in small town Iowa. I didn't have much to worry about then. Life was great then, but it is great now too. More so, because I have two beautiful little souls that count on me. And not everything has changed. I still have a sweet tooth the size of Texas, I still listen to New Kids on the Block, I still am better than most of my friends at "keeping in touch," (back then I was called the Queen of Communication and I think I still deserve that title!), I still love to participate in the fun of life.

It's all good... right?! What are some of your "then and nows?"

Besides of course "back then Blogs didn't exist, and now i can't get enough of reading this one!"