26

26 years ago

my day pretty much consisted of this:

(check out my sa-weet sixth toe, people.)

Fast forward 26 year later

and this is what my day has consisted of:

*yoga

*playtime with Kenners

*a visit from an amazing friend who brought me deeelicious treats

*my two greatest loves

*Mexican Pizza

*German Chocolate Cake

*justification that at least I had worked out earlier in the day

*an apparent future pyromaniac judging by locked stare this girl had on the candles:

*crazy wind and tornado warnings all evening long (*sigh* Oh, how I love you, Minnesota!).

Looking forward to seeing what I'll be doing in 26 years from today....

PS. A year ago, I visited this awesome website called FutureMe.org.  I wrote a letter to myself to have e-mailed to me on my 26th birthday.  I the letter, I wrote about what I hoped to accomplish by now and what habits I hope to have formed.  It was actually really cool to get that letter today from myself in a time when I was not yet a mother. 

Here are a few little excerpts from the letter (with some of my present thoughts in purple)

Dear FutureMe,

Because 26 seems so old (ha! I was crazy.), I'm sure you've conquered many things in the past year that my 25 year-old (and childless) self could never have dreamed possible.  Everyone says that THE biggest change a person/couple can go through is becoming a parent and having children (so true!).  I'm just a month away from experiencing that right now (actually, 2 weeks), but YOU have been living with that change for nearly a year.  So what have you done/learned in the past year besides how to make your own baby food, how to live off of no sleep, and how to baby-proof your home? (Oh, sister! If you only knew....well, I guess you kind of do now...)  Well, here are a few expectations that I have for you at 26:

Hopefully, you
1) Have lost all the baby weight

2) Have a regular exercise routine/regimen that is keeping you in shape (at least three times a week, sasquatch!)
3) Found a job that FITS you and works well for your family life
4) Are attending the temple monthly 

5) Are holding weekly FHE, And daily family scriptures and prayer 

6) Have finished your personal study of the Book of Mormon and are diligently having personal prayer daily
7) Are half-way there to saving up for the next family vacation (yes)
8) Are still blogging and have printed out a blog book for your family 

9) Regularly visit your visiting teachees and go the extra mile to help them out and make them feel loved.  

10) Go on SOME form of a date with Garrett WEEKLY

There are probably a lot of other things that I could write down, but these are probably the most important things that I hope you have accomplished or are doing on a regular basis.  Don't let me down!! (um, while I've actually accomplished a lot of the things on this list--go me!--I am also doing not-so-great in some areas. sorry....luckily 25 year-old Holly can't really come and beat me up for it!?!)  I know that you are probably more swamped and busy than I can possibly imagine right now, but I hope that you are remembering all the important things in life:  your faith, your family, your health, and yourself.

Love,
25 Year-old Holly

(Aw, what a sweetie, that girl!)

So there's my little "plug" for going to FutureMe.org for yourself and writing a letter to your wiser, more older self.  If nothing else, you'll probably just laugh at the naivety of your younger self (I did!).   Besides, who doesn't enjoy getting mail!?