Be open, be humble, be kind, be confident. There are things you think you know about living...boldly go with them. At the same time, learn from ALL of the people in your path...take mental notes on ways you wanna live and ways you don't, and then let that shape your behavior.Trust Mr. Wood with everything you have (you end up marrying him, by the way...). He is wise, he is good, he will not ever lie to you. Listen to him when he tells you there is something you don't have the money to do because he knows what he is talking about. Respect him. Tell him often that you do.
Oh, and keep wearing those cute little pearl earrings, or one day, when you're in your forties, you'll try to put in earrings and realize your holes have nearly closed up. Bummer.
You are going to be the mama of boys. Start watching superhero movies now to get a head start. Boys are FUN, so fun...you have no idea right now what joy they are going to bring to your home. Embrace it all...
You will eventually get the new siding and shutters on the old house you buy. Just be patient. You probably won't ever refinish the original wood floors, though...just deal with it.
Goodness, the people you will be able to know and love along the way. There will be so many of them. For a lot of years, your circle will be naturally formed by the people in the churches you work in...that's normal and fine. However, somewhere around 2010, you and Mr. Wood will both enter the regular old workforce, and you will both meet so many new people and make so many new friends. It will be so fun. Life will become different and wild and more colorful, and you will love it! Learn from all of these new people...hang with them, love them and be loved by them.
There will be JOY, such joy. Not every day will be happy, but there will be a deep and abiding joy from the Father that will sustain you. Lean in to that. Draw strength from it on the happy days and the not-happy days.
Marriage is work. Do.the.work. Start with the work inside of you. Don't be afraid of it. Talk to someone if you can't figure it out yourselves. Don't be scared to ask for help.
There will be hurt. People will hurt you deeply. I'm sorry. I really am. I wish there was a "skip" card to play, but there just isn't. I want you to know that you will live through it and come out on the other side. It sounds cliche, but VERY beautiful things will be born out of it. Keep living, keep breathing, keep loving...it's worth it.
PLEASE tell Mr. Wood to keep that track suit. Your oldest son will be an old soul and he will want it some day.
When you are 45, you will get a tattoo in Mr. Wood's handwriting, reminding you that you're enough. It will be born out of your self-discovery when writing a "coming of age" letter to your niece. When you tell Parida, the tattoo artist, that you are 45 and this is your first tattoo, she will excitedly reply "Hell yeah, bitch!". Hahahhaha!!
Trust your gut. It's one of the ways God will nudge you. You will "just know" when something is right or wrong for your family. Fully trust that.
Raising kids will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do and also one of the most exhausting. Keep at it. Help them to be great boys, expose them to so many things, explain to them your expectations, be consistent so they can trust your word. Take them to faraway places so they know the world doesn't revolve around them. At the same time, teach them to deeply value the space they are in. Be honest with them. Apologize. Show them grace. Let them know early on that you will pay for their therapy that you will surely be the cause of. Enjoy every season with them...it gets more and more fun.
Be real. Be kind always. Be life-giving.
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