No Time Like the Present

I've been tagged by a friend from the blog For the Love of Home (which is a GREAT blog by the way). The challenge was to name an age that I wish I could go back to. I've thought about this off and on all day and I have to say I don't want to go back to any age. The here and now is exactly where I want to be (good thing since that's where I am at, huh?).

At first I was tempted to say I would go back and redo my teenage years. Not because they were so great, but because they were so awful. I've often wished I could go back and redo those years with the knowledge I have now. It's not that I misbehaved or acted crazy. The opposite was actually true. I was darn near the perfect child. No, the problem was that I was painfully shy. Despite all the awards I received and things I was nominated for back then (homecoming queen, class favorite, most beautiful, most friendly, president of this and sweetheart of that) I never, ever felt like I fit in with my peers. I had horrible self esteem and it really did make those days miserable. Looking back I have no idea why I felt so bad about myself. There was absolutely no reason for it, but bad is exactly how I felt.

The early years of my marriage were spent with my husband refusing to let me put myself down and that helped some. Then I became a teacher and somehow the unconditional love of hundreds of children has helped me in ways nothing else ever did. God led me to the career path of my heart and I will forever be grateful for the lives that I've been allowed to touch and for the lives that touch mine daily.

My twenties were good I guess, but they were a little chaotic. I married at 18 (sixteen years ago...wow...still shocks me to think about how fast time has flown by) and the first decade of our marriage was filled with college (for me), moving often for coaching jobs, and then there was the doctors. Lots and lots of doctors (for 'Ren). It's all a blur really...the worries...the fears...the hospital stays and the medical bills (oh my the medical bills). Dave was coaching and never home and well, there is a lot I could say about my twentieth decade, but suffice it to say that I just like the present better.

We now end this unscheduled babble to return to the tag at hand.

So what age would I choose? 34. That's how old I am now. My life in the here and now is far from perfect, but I can't think of a time in my life that I have been happier. Even though 34 doesn't feel 'young', I really don't think I would go back to any other age. I'm too blessed in the present. I have two beautiful children. I am head over heels in love with David. I adore my job. The town I live in is really starting to feel like home. I have a wonderful church home and an amazing new church family. I am starting to make some friends here and they are truly good people. So yeah, I'd have to say that life is good.

I don't wanna go back and you can't make me (wow, I sounded like a teen there...that's almost like going back isn't it?).

Now for who I am going to tag. I am only going to tag two people...

My cousin Jax who is an amazing woman and one of my favorite people.

Tara, who is a wonderful teacher and friend (and she has a brand new blog that you need to check out).