sticks and stones....and a photo dump

God help me I would never ever want to be a teenager again. You really couldn't pay me enough to ever go back to high school. Really any school age.  I hated it. I was never cool enough or pretty enough or skinny enough.  I never knew the words to cool songs or saw the new movies.

Oh and girls were mean.  Holy cow they are awful. When I look back it wasn't the things I didn't have or the way I looked that I have the scars from, it's the words.  The awful words that cut straight to your soul. I know it sounds  dramatic. It's the truth when someone says something sometimes it cuts deep.  Sometimes those words are worse than the sticks and stones.  (I'm thinking  a man wrote that saying ...you know the sticks and stones one. BC any woman knows words WILLLLL hurt you)

When I had my first girl my heart broke a little.  I knew that one day she would go to school and people would be mean and it would break her little soul. It would change her. Part of her would be tarnished.  I knowwwwww I can't protect her forever. But COME ONNNN.  What are these little girls hearing at home that try need to be so very evil. I see it in her eyes. Those pretty black eyes that have a sparkle. Even though she won't say it I know it hurts.  She is like me in that way. She pretends she is strong and that she is immune. But really it hurts her.
The good thing she is also very much like Alan. She is strong and confident. She knows what she likes and doesn't like. She is by nature a kind kind girl. She includes people and loves deeply. She is loyal to a fault.

I look back at the things my mom said to me and I wish that they would have helped when i was young. I mean come on they make total sense now. But dont we all sometimes have to figure it out on our own?

You know like really how many of the people who you thought you would be best friends with FOREVER are you really friends with 10 years later?
Or When you have your first heart break that it will mend and you will find someone better.
(i am PETRIFIED for the first boy heart break)

I have so many things I wish that my girls would just hold on to. Really listen to.
I want them to know that they are cherished. That they are blessings and nobody can ever change that. I want them to know that self worth does not come from a man or a friend or the way you look. And the more you try to find it in those places the more you loose yourself.
I want them to be kind always. To befriend the outsider. To take pride in school and do the best that they can because when you try your best it is good enough. You dont have to be the best at everything.
I want them to know that they cant do everything they put their minds to because not everyone is supposed to be an astronaut or an actor.And that is ok. Dont think you are a failure.  But what ever they are called to do they will be equipped and able to do.
I want them to love God. To hear him clearly and never doubt that the plan that he has is the perfect one. NOt the easiest but the best one.
I want them to know that they are wanted.