My youngest son is getting married in a month. June 11th at 1:00 in the afternoon to be exact. He is marrying the only girl he has ever dated and loved since junior high. He is 21 and she is 23. Two young people who are more certain of their future than I have ever been! They purchased a home together a year ago while both of them were still working and in school. She, an elementary school teacher at the small town school she attended and he, a history major with a minor in secondary education. My son has been coaching junior high basketball since he was nineteen. Incredible people who knew what they wanted, laid out a plan, checked off the list one item at a time and are now preparing for the final thing on the list, the wedding. Of course a new list will begin soon after that; jobs, bills, kids...scares and thrills...sickness and health but I have faith that they'll figure it out.
But this isn't about them.
It's about me...more specifically the grey hair on the back of my head, the crows feet that frame each eye and whatever the hell that was that spilled over the sides of my V.S angel bra when I got dressed to go to dinner last Saturday. This flesh that appeared from absolutely nowhere and I am not exaggerating. Bra off; not there. Bra on; OMG this wavering blob of extra breast tissue. Arms down; not there. Applying mascara; there it was, tagging along after my hands as they dipped the wand and lifted to lashes, happily jiggling with each brush stroke.
I had decided when I turned 50 this year to grow old gracefully. I have never been any good with hair and makeup and all of the other things that go with girldom so that plan worked for me.
Then the engagement was announced last July but I wasn't worried. I looked cute. Tan and slim in white capris and flip flops. Sun flecked hair that masked the grey. All was well. 50 came in october, then the holidays and a new year with good intentions. January 3rd: START WEDDING SHAPE UP PLAN. Feb 1st: WEDDING DIET AND EXERCISE March 1st: START SIT UPS AND STOP MASHED POTATOES! No entry in April, I thought maybe I could just sneak up on it but after a brutal mid-western winter spring whispered and then summer whistled and i found myself lying in the sun in a bikini that could not quite accommodate the numerous cups of gravy i had ingested to soothe the sting of ice and snow. MAY 1ST: SERIOUSLY!!!!!
Now I have my own list: Cut down on carbs, walk 3 miles every day, use resistance bands and do stomach crunches. Actually open the wrinkle cream you bought in January and apply it to your wrinkles!
Now, I realize that following this routine would be a miracle but that's ok...I believe in miracles. After all, my son and his fiance had a check list that included fall in love in junior high, graduate from college, buy a home, start careers and plan a wedding. I figure the least I can do is try to look good for the pictures!
(note to myself: resistance bands and miracles aside...get a bigger bra...seriously, I don't think there's any fixing that)
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