The Girl that Once Was

I see her every day but she is not as recognizable to me as she once was. Her face has filled out over the years. A few wrinkles crease her brow and her eyes. Her hair has taken on an added dimension of white strands. Her dimples don’t show as much as they used to and her eyes rarely have that youthful sparkle anymore. Maybe it’s because when I see her, she is being critical; searching too hard for the girl that once was. Maybe it’s because she’s had a restless night. Or maybe she is in a hurry and doesn’t have time to really look.

But once in a while she does make an appearance, if just for a moment; a fleeting second. Those moments are getting fewer and farther between. But I saw her the other day. I actually didn’t realize that she had been there until I downloaded the pictures from my birthday party. It surprised me! There she was looking into my camera in the mirror…so youthful. So much like the girl she used to be.

I miss her.

Happy Birthday, Janiece!

I thought it was 15 years but according to her blog, it must have been 16 years ago today that Janiece's sister, MaryLee and I gave her a party at the Midland Mall. I always felt bad that she got jipped by having a birthday the day after Christmas. It was too easy for givers to hand her one gift and say it was for Christmas AND her birthday. So for her sweet sixteen, I took a few of her friends to the mall ahead of time. We each picked a different store, bought her a gift, wrapped them in the car, wrote a clue as to where she would find it, took the wrapped gift back to the store we got it from and asked the clerk if she would keep it behind the counter until the "birthday girl" asked for it. I don't remember if she asked at any wrong stores or if it embarrassed her to do this, but I thought it was fun, even if she didn't! lol! Either way, I'm sure it was a day she will never forget.

Happy Birthday to my friend's bratty li'l sister, who soon became: 1/3 of our church youth group, lead singer of the Northern Lights, my friend, my confidante and wife of my husband's college friend - how cool is that?! Hope you have a fabulous day!

P.S. Janice, I had plans to do a post before I read your blog (just so you know you weren't an afterthought :) and I'm sorry the only pic I have of you includes Jerry, but I guess he IS your other half...anyway, I'm on the road posting on Tony's laptop, thus the lack of photos. And last but not least, I haven't called you yet b/c I was waiting until you were out of bed. Now my kids are being LOUD!