There are more lines. Everywhere, not just on the face. My arms and legs have wrinkles! The ones around the eyes don't bother me. My fairy child said they're smile lines.
You don't have to shave your legs as often. And the hair is softer. However, the hair on your head is thinner. And if you're born with thin hair as I, it just gets thinner and you learn that vanity is not important anymore. You smile.
The area under your upper arms? It likes to swing. All by itself. I try to keep my arms close to my body. I do weights but they just still swing. There again. Vanity just smiles and says, 'Hey! We're closer to perfection!' See, in Heaven, we'll be perfect. Young and energetic. Like we once were when we were running around trying to do too much in too little time, wearing ourselves out.
You realize that your children have families of their own and you aren't in the middle of that life. You were part of your life when your babies were younger. That's where memories bring smiles to the face and warmth to the heart. When you pull out photos and remember 'the day'. And that's okay.
I miss having thicker hair. I do. I don't like having three chins even though my weight hasn't changed but a few pounds since the last year I taught ~ 2006. I only had one chin. Not sure where these other two are from. Jabba the Hut, maybe? Which makes me understand why women get face lifts. I don't want bigger boobs or Botox, or even white teeth that would shine in the dark. I'd like a chin lift {big smile font}.
And then I think, I'm made by Him! In His image. By His design. He didn't put the extra pounds on me. They could come off if I would eat better and be diligent about an exercise program. My friends didn't exercise. My mom didn't. So I never made the time. Running around with a career and a family was exercise. As I grew older, I didn't make it a priority. And I should have. I still can. I'm just a bit lazy. Yeah, I'm honest, too.
You're never too old to make dreams come true. Any dream! If you want it bad enough, you're never too old. Just watch us. We have dreams for the next few years that will take us across the Nation, to places we've spoken of for years now. We look forward to getting up, packing a bag, grabbing the Atlas and just driving off. Deciding where we want to go as we go.
Aging? I've always thought Katie Holmes as pretty. Prettier now than when she was Katie Cruise. Look how someone has digitally aged her.
Thinner hair and look at her chins. I don't feel so bad now. Those high cheeks? They don't stay high. Things begin to droop. They're tired, I guess. Other things droop too.
One day. One day, we'll be as new. No tears, no pain, no fears, no sickness. We're only a breath away from His Heaven. Each day I live I want to fulfill His plan for me; to share Him; and to breathe deeply knowing that what's ahead is what I've been waiting for all my life. To go back to the bosom,
to the hands that shaped and formed me. That loved me before I was conceived in the womb.
I've learned that aging happens. Time stops for no one. The mistakes, the pain, the hurts, have shaped the person I am. The people that hurt me? They made me stronger. I am liking this person, this older Nancy. She still laughs. She still loves and is loved. And she gets to spend her time with Christian friends of her choosing and a life with the love of her heart. She has beautiful sons in love. Six precious grandbabies to love, and to be loved by. And the same man has loved her for longer than anyone else. There's a closeness, a bond, a deeper love.
What I'm learning? That you may as well make up your mind it's going to happen. Set up an exercise program now. Begin eating healthy now. Don't overprocess your hair nor tan and burn your skin. Walk slower. Breathe deeper. Laugh as much as possible. Praise your children. Love your man. Take photographs. Keep a journal. And love yourself. Like yourself. He does.
And have a week filled with blessings ~
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