presenting. . .(insert catchy game show tune here) flashback friday

I'm starting something new today to keep all my faithful blog readers coming back. I'm calling it. . . Flashback Friday!!! As with all my good ideas, it's been stolen from the internet. Off someone else's blog. Probably someone I don't even know. But I liked the idea and so I'm stealin' it. On the Fridays when I don't forget and I'm still somewhat awake enough to remember how to run the scanner, I'm going to put on an oldie but a goodie for your viewing pleasure and take you back a few years. Just to help you get to know the real me.

Today, the photo I present to you is circa 1982.

I was nine years old. Getting ready to enter the 4th grade. Which was my favorite year of school ever. . .and why wouldn't it be. . . Miss Merrill was my teacher??? Holy Moly! That woman was amazing! I loved her. She had the best creative writing ideas. I owe my love of read aloud time and making the kids beg for me not to stop to her. I model myself as a teacher in many ways after her. I was probably still on the Savannah C-2 softball team at this time. A Chum, in the AWANA club at my church. Taking flute lessons. Wanting a piano. Needing my bangs trimmed something horribly. Living in a big huge white farm house. Gettin' crafty with my latch hook. Best friends with Coby Renae Emmil.

My sister, Jenny, there in the ever-so-sweet braids, was six. Don't let her charm fool you. She was (and still is) your typical red head. We are so different from each other. And I'm sure we used to drive our mother nuts because we just didn't get along very well. My brother Chris was two. He was such a cutie. And, oh my word, my parents are wearing the trendiest glasses (that turn into sunglasses the moment you step outside) that there ever were.

This photo was taken at the annual V.P. Kline family reunion. We were at the Savannah pavilion. That's the old Savannah Elementary School there behind us. After all these years I finally know where I get my scrapbooking genes. They come from my dad's side because his aunt, Mary Ellen, is the family historian. She's been taking family pictures at these reunions ever since I can remember. Recording who all is there. Finding out who brought visitors with them. Recording births and weddings and deaths. And always a highlight for everyone is browsing through the rather acidy - peel back the plastic - albums (that are eating away at our family treasures - eeek!) each and every year. She always got doubles made and then the next year you'd get the photo from the previous year to take home.

For some odd reason, I've always liked this picture. Maybe because it's the one picture that I have of myself where I actually look thin. And not only do I look thin, but I was thin, contrary to the popular belief of some of my cousins who were at that very reunion and used to be very mean to me about my weight. So I stole it from my mom a while back when she wasn't looking. She probably didn't even notice. (But it's ok, Mom, because now all you have to do is have Dad log you onto the internet, get on my blog, and you can look at it anytime you want!)

If I could go back and talk to that girl in the blue and white striped v-neck, this is what I'd tell her. . .

• You are going to be a teacher. A lot like Miss Merrill.
• You are not fat, so don't believe what they say.
• You're going to forever love v-necks.
• You're going to get that piano after all. Just keep begging.
• You're going to graduate magna cum laude from college.
• You have yet to meet the majority of the people whom you will consider your lifelong friends.
• You will be a bridesmaid seven times.
• You will not find the love of your life at the Word of Life "Bridal" Institute.
• You won't find him at Tennessee Temple University or Bethel Baptist Church either.
• But someday your prince will come. All the way from Oregon. It'll just take a whole lot longer for it to happen than you ever thought it would.
• You and your prince will live in a house and an apartment, not a mansion or a shack. (Remember that game MASH?)
• When you're 35, you won't have any children and your mom is still going to be wearing transition lenses.
• Your family is not always going to be smiling like they were that day. Heartaches will come.
• But you will end up getting along quite well with your red-headed sister. In fact, you'll even cry together in the parking lot at Old Navy.
• Watch out for your little brother.
• You're going to end up with some of the sweetest nieces and nephews known to mankind and you will spoil them rotten every chance you get.
• You will always hate doing the dishes.
• Coby Renae Emmil Mercaldo will still be your best friend and you will end up living about as far away from each other as you possibly can.
• Your bangs will always flip out like that when your hair is straight.
• You will still enjoy writing creatively. And somehow you will entice various people to read your blog.
• Your parents are always going to know they broke the mold when they made you.