A Timeline

Posted: August 17, 2011 at 4:00 pm

Does history bore anyone else? Dates? Timelines? A billion Johns and Henrys? Blech. I hated every class. It never clicked with me. It also didn’t help that I always ended up with a teacher that had a vendetta against me. Which, I don’t blame her. She had to put up with me and my best friend, Thomas, chatting incessantly and corralling our other friend Derek to bust out in a ballerina dance mid-lecture randomly through the year. Good times. Good times. *sigh of nostalgia*

Despite not loving history, I can’t deny that history does teach us a lot. It can help direct us in the future. And I think that applies to our personal histories and lives as well. So, I’m going to play a little timeline game. See what I can learn. And help those new faces I have seen popping up around here get to know me a little better too. 😉

*Twilight Zone music may commence now*

10 Years Ago..

Senior in high school. Recovering from the worst accident of my life (being hit by a car as a pedestrian). In the crazy, tumultuous on/off again relationship that lasted 8 years. Overall, pretty happy and took things one day at a time. PS – I know I’m a young mom.

7 Years Ago…

source

I had my first binge after four months of controlling my emotions through food restriction and excessive workouts. I ate an entire box of Pop Tarts and I think half a jar of peanut butter. Maybe more? And then binges happened at least once a week for a long time. I struggled with my relationship with my father more than ever. I contemplated suicide on a daily basis and made three attempts.

5 Years Ago..

I met this man. He helped me set aside my pain, guilt, and anger with myself to give faith in something outside myself a shot again. Then, I fell in love with Jesus. I fell in love with myself again. And my life has ever improved since that time.

3 Years Ago…

I taught high school Spanish. I felt excitement at the impending arrival of my first child. I had finally overcome the hold binging had on me by growing in my faith and seeing my body for what it could do over how it looked. I still wanted something more, though.

2 Years Ago…

I trained for and entered a fitness competition. I thought that achieving that goal would fulfill me on some level. Instead, it brought me back closer to some of the unhealthy habits I had fought so hard to break. I then battled the emotions of having to gain weight quickly in order to conceive baby B. I also first learned about blogging at this time and decided to give it a shot after awhile.

1 Year Ago…

I was going through life – pregnant and uncomfortable, but genuinely happy and blessed. And anxious at knowing more awaited me just around the bend.

Today…

I almost feel like Julia Roberts in Notting Hill. You know the part? I’m just a girl…standing in front of a boy…asking him to love her. I feel you, Julia. I feel you.

I’m just a girl…writing out my thoughts…wondering why people care to read them.

I’m just a girl…mothering her two children…while still caring for herself.

I’m just a girl...seeking God’s guidance…so I don’t make a mess of this thing called life.

I’m just a girl…opening up to others…trying to surround myself with love.

I’m just a girl…finding a way to balance…but still slipping up sometimes and that’s okay.

I’m just a girl…realizing a lot can happen in a decade…and not wanting it any other way.

And a decade from now? I hope I’m still just a girl…taking it day by day…and enveloped in the love, passions, friendships, hobbies, and good food that I find in my days today.

  • What was your life like 1, 5, 10 years ago? What do you think/hope your life will look like another 10 years from now?

 
68 Comments to “A Timeline”
  1. I graduated HS 10 years ago too! I continue to be amazed at your honesty and willingness to share the good, the great, and the not so great parts of your life.

  2. LindseyAnn says:

    Well, you saw the post on Monday that told you where my life was a year ago, with all the changes that have hit since then.

    5 years ago? Well, I actually had a letter sent home from myself 5 years ago that I had to write for a class. My mom intercepted it, asked me if I wanted to read it, and I told her I didn’t. It came from a very unhealthy and unhappy version of myself, and it wasn’t something I needed to revisit. My life now is good and getting better, and I just hope for things to keep going up from here!
    That is a gorgeous pic of the whole family! 🙂

  3. Michelle says:

    10-years ago I was 16 years old in high school. In an abusive relationship with a “boyfriend” of 2 years. The abuse continued until I was 19 years old and strong enough/smart enough to walk away.

    5- years ago I was giving the loss of My mother while trying to nurse my brand new marriage. Sadly my emotional distress and anger triggered things in both of us and ripped something beautiful (in the beginning) apart. BUT we did however make a beautiful baby boy who is the light of our lives and If I do say so myself we do an amazing job of getting along/co parenting for the sake of him!

    1 year ago- I have beautiful 1 year old little boy who is the highlight of my life. My career is great, my relationship with God is growing, my mental well being is 10000x’s better! and a man that came into my life as a friend asked me to become his wife.

    Today- I am getting married in two months and am more happy now than i have been for a very longgggggggg time.Still missing my mom, learning to parent a toddler along with 2 teenage girls 🙂 working on my career and longing to be a better follower of Jesus. As you see I went through 10 years of turmoil pretty much. Not all of it bad… mostly though. I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and know I am here for a bigger/better/greater purpose than I can ever imagine.

  4. Geraldine says:

    I loved reading this post! It goes to show how you have the power to change your life so much – by having the love and support of others, learning to love yourself and trusting in your faith. You look so pretty as a cheer leader!

    1 year ago today I was living away from my boyfriend, my friends and my family, doing a job plenty of people would kill for, but I was lonely and would binge eat at least once or twice a week. Now I’ve moved home, I’m going back to college, I’m living with my boyfriend, keeping active and healthy and learning to take control of my binge eating.(Although this is hard and I really appreciated your honest post on the subject earlier in the week.)

  5. What an amazing journey you have had…thanks for sharing all of it with us!

  6. This is probably my all-time favorite post of yours ever. I want to steal the ida for my own blog!

    Let’s see, 10 years ago I was a newlywed, working as a Youth Counselor in a residential treatment facility for emotionally and developmentally disabled children. It was rough.

    7 years ago, our second child died in utero. We named her Alida Rae, which means “little winged-one, living in freedom”.

    5 years ago, I was a mom-of-two, homeschooling my first child and scared out of my mind that I was screwing everything up.

    3 years ago, I was depressed to be turning 30.

    One year ago, I was giving birth to my fourth baby, a miracle child who never was supposed to survive the first trimester.

    Today, I am finally making time for me. I am still a busy homeschooling mom of 4, but the older I get the more I have come to realize that I need to take care of myself so I can take care of them (hence, why I started my blog). And we are struggling through my husband’s recent job-loss and constantly amazed at all the creative ways God provides for our needs.

    In one-year, I have no idea where we will be living, what my husband will be doing for a living, if we will be in another state, selling our home and moving cross-country, still struggling to make ends meet or if we will be pregnant (hopefully). Hopefully, I will be 60-plus pounds lighter than I am now.

    • Tina says:

      You never cease to amaze me more and more Lisa. Love you and your thoughts so much!

      And I just got your post up. Sorry for the delay…we had no wifi at the hotel and it was out at the Philly airport where I planned to get yours up. Yay for it being up now to put your beautiful post out there! 🙂

  7. Danica says:

    This is such a beautiful post, Tina. It even made me teary reading about how far you’ve come in the past 10 years. You’re inspirational to me because I can tell you’re always doing your best to learn, grow, and become stronger so that you’re the greatest most well-rounded you can be. (and to me that’s the definition of “healthy living”)

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