There are certain dates in history that I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. On this day 10 years ago, I was celebrating my 21st birthday in Iowa City, IA.
I was getting ready for a big night out with friends. I was living in a sorority house with my best friends and was the reigning Alpha Chi Omega Social Chair. I can't believe this picture was taken about 6 months before I got my first cell phone. I hardly can remember a life without one! And being that I had to scan these pictures in, it was before digital cameras were the norm.
My sister, Allee, came down to celebrate my birthday and buy me my first legal drink. She was 28 at the time and I thought she was soooo old!
Here I am buying my first drink. I'm pretty sure it wasn't wine. Little did I know at the time the significant role that certain alcoholic beverage would play in my life.
Believe it or not, I still have this fuzzy red shirt hanging in my closet. I don't think I have worn it since, but for some reason it is one of those sentimental clothes items that never makes it into my Goodwill pile. I always look at it and remember this night. And I figure it might be good for a costume one day.
All the sorority girls in this picture from 10 years ago have become mothers in the last 18 months. Well, except me and one other...but I'm only 12 weeks away!
If 10 years ago, you were to show me a glimpse of what my life would look like today, I certainly wouldn't have imagined that I would be doing things like mowing my 12.42 acres on a lawn tractor wearing an ugly polyester jacket. And smiling while doing it, no less!
Or that I would trade in my black knee high boots, mini-skirt, and manicured nails for green rubbers, overalls, and dirty knees...
Or that days after finding out I was pregnant, I would go outside my house and hit golf balls on my own property with my husband.
That girl 10 years ago had visions of moving to New York City after graduating and living the high life for a while. Which she did, but lasted less than 6 months. She learned that big, BIG city life wasn't for her. But never did she think she'd eventually settle down on a farm and spend her free time training grapevines.
But this...
This she envisioned all along. She just didn't know when it would happen or with whom.
It's definitely not the lifestyle that 21-year old college girl was dreaming of 10 years ago.
But now, she wouldn't dream of having it any other way.
Where were you 10 years ago and where did you think you'd be today?