Three. Four. Shut the door.

Sorry, I couldn't resist the title.

Anyway, oops! I missed yesterday. I had a good excuse though, promise. I was at my niece's baby shower, which was tons of fun. I'll catch up today with both 3 and 4.

Three: Describe your relationship with your parents.


Since my mom is in heaven, I like to think that our relationship involves her being my angel. I believe it, too.

My dad and I definitely have our days, as any parent/sibling team does, but believe it or not, we have gotten much closer since my mom passed away. Perhaps that is part of the good coming out of the bad. He still likes to lecture me, but I have learned that letting him "teach" me things, like how to properly remodel a bathroom, is good for us.

I have learned through my relationships with my parents, and now my relationships with my step kids that part of really connecting between parents and kids requires both parties to realize that the other one is their own person - loving, learning, growing, falling down, getting back up -  just trying to make it one day at a time.


Four: List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.

1. Next time you're driving and you smell fire, and wonder, "Is that my car?" it will be, so pull over.
2. You're struggling right now with who you can count on. The people you think you can't count on - you're right. The girls who you are thinking are probably your true friends absolutely are, without a doubt. They'll dance with you at your wedding. You'll share in the joys of their weddings, graduations, and babies. You'll comfort each other through death, divorce, unemployment. And through it all, you'll love each other like sisters.
3. Everything happens for a reason. You'll figure that one out eventually, but the sooner you do, the better off you'll be.
4. Argue less with Mom and Dad. You'll understand where they are coming from (in most cases) soon enough.
5. There is a reason why people make right hand turns into Emma's driveway from the center lane, but go ahead and try it from the right lane. See what happens. It's a good story.
6. Don't bother stressing out about the AP Chemistry exam. You're going to get a 1. The same score you would have gotten if you had only written your name on it. It's okay, you're not destined to be a scientist.
7. Call Grandma and Nana more often.
8. Take a deep breath of fresh, clean, Rocky Mountain air every morning. Even if it's cold and hurts your insides and freezes your boogers.
9. Practice your kick line. More notably, practice not slipping "banana-peel" style while doing said kick line.
10. Take comfort in knowing that you will have fun in high school, you will love college, but they are nowhere near the best things you have waiting for you. But you can't go wrong by carrying band-aids, extra bobby pins, and lip gloss in your purse. And I will leave the rest up to you...