Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Famous Last Words.

The yearbook from my senior year of high school is next to Miss Pretty Pink, mocking me from behind her maroon cover. It's been 15 years since I walked the hallowed halls of Warner Robins High School as a student, and the pictures therein contain no lies. There's me and Vicki standing side by side in the FBLA group picture. Why are Kelly and I laying all over each other in the Art Club picture? Oh, look! Here I am in New York City, showing off the faux Gucci watch I scammed while being all touristy with my Humanities/AP English class, strolling the streets of the Big Apple. (Nerds...we were all nerds. I admit it.) Wow...good times...I remember so few of them, embarrassingly enough.

Somewhere the middle of this photographic reminder of my Demon years (and just so y'all know, it was our mascot--I'm not referring to myself in this manner, as we all know I am an angel) an individual on the annual staff thought it was be hilarious to poll several seniors with trite questions such as "What's your worst dating nightmare?" and "What's the one important thing you'd share with your fellow class members?" Um...lame. Yet when I was asked what I'd be doing 10 years from 1993, my reply, as quoted in the yearbook, is "I will be teaching English here at WRHS, happily married, and RICH!"

No, I didn't.

Yes, I did. It's all there, in black and white. Preserved for posterity, and my utter humiliation.

Of course I'm not an English teacher at my Alma mater, nor a rich one at that. I must have counted on marrying JFK Jr. or something. What lofty aspirations! This is my high school legacy? What a way to be immortalized.

Can you say naive?

So I'm not an English teacher. I'm not rich. And I'm not living in Warner Robins, Georgia. Instead I find myself raising 2 little girls, loving a man who's so much like me it both frightens and delights my soul, and revelling in my little country life. If someone were to ask me today, "Where will be you be 10 years from now?" I can answer with pretty clear certainty: I'll be here, God willing, raising my 2 girls and loving the other side of me...the better side of me.

But...
If I had to dream beyond the scope of my imagination?
This is what I'd say:

"Ten years from now? Wow, it's gonna be so brilliant! I'll be raising my 2 teenaged girls, loving my man, finishing my world-wide book tour (still can't believe it's a best-seller!), preparing for the release of the sequel, and securing the casting and soundtrack rights to the major motion picture that will be made of the first book. I'll have my beach house in Hilton Head and it will always be ready for fabulous girls-only weekends, complete with drop-in visits from Stephenie Meyer and Paula Deen. I'll take all my gals with me to LA when I appear on "Ellen," and to NYC for both David Letterman and The Today Show. My family and I will regularly venture out on "just-because" vacations to Hawaii and the cast of Lost will reunite for a 2-hour televised special entitled "Back to the Island," moderated by one little Mrs. Lula!"

And now, dear bloggy pals, I pose the same question to you: What will you be doing 10 years from this very moment? I always say that I dream big. It's the only way to go, people. So get fancy with me...share your reverie, please.

31 comments:

Debbie said...

Do you really want to know? I will be menopausal with two teenagers. One of which will be headed off to college...the other will just be getting his license. Did I mention the menopausal part? Doesn't that sound like a heap o fun?

Caroline said...

In 10 years I will most likely be in the midst of child-rearing, with the redhead nearing the age of 12. One of my dream jobs is to lead praise and worship (or just sing backup) to Chris Tomlin or Charlie Hall on a Passion-esque kind of tour. Killer.

Pinky Roth said...

I am still going to be alive and having a blast w/my life. I hope to continue to travel, visit my grands, and be a good mother to my now grown up children. Leigh, thanks for the memories!

Mom

ugagirl30 said...

In ten years, I will be teaching elementary school, married to the greatest man in the world (my current husband), preparing one child to go off to college, and dealing with two beautiful teenage girls. I'll be debt-free several years removed, and hopefully in my dream home.

And BTW, you would have had a hard time marrying JFK Jr. because I had staked a claim to him. I was so mortified when he died.

Heather said...

Hmmm...thought-provoking question. In ten years, I will have two kids in college, and one teenaged boy (the wild one) left at home. I will be a published scrapbooker, going to Creating Keepsakes cruises and tours, with people flocking to sign up for my classes. Hubby and I will take trips every three months to rekindle the flame, and I will be happy, healthy, and in the best shape ever. Oh, and of course, I'll still be blogging about it all.

Unknown said...

In 10 years I will have been married to Mr. B for 8.5 years, I will have a 19-year-old stepson and a 19-year-old daughter. I can't say that they'll be in college because I'm not a big believer in college right after high school. I will also have a 16-year-old stepson and a 15-year-old daughter. I'm guessing given that fact I will most likely have lots of gray hair and a really big auto insurance bill. I will hopefully be running a successful graphic design business from our home, and Mr. B and I will just be returning from our Alaska cruise, ready to make our weekly trip up Stone Mountain at a record setting pace.

Anonymous said...

Wow, in 10 years huh? I hopfully will be using my new degree by working for a non-profit group. I'll still be shuttling my boys around. Oh, and living in England would suit my fancy.

Tori said...

Ok... first of all.... I was on the yearbook staff! But I wasn't the one who suggested the questioning. :)

Where will I be in 10 years.... I will still be married to my high school sweetheart and we will have two very terrific boys. I will probably be ready to lose my mind since one of those terrific boys will be starting to learn to drive. I will have finally decided to go into business and will be successful with my photography and doing what I love. I have no idea where we'll be living, but I SO hope that we're back east and not here in southern Arizona.

Vicki said...

Hmm, in 10 years I'll be coloring the grey that would be brought on by 13 straight years of homeschooling with about 6 or 7 still to go. Du will be a general and I'll be rewriting the protocol book for spouses. Sew Petit will be a multi-million dollar business and I'll be designing my own fabric (a possibility now). I will snub Oprah as I appear on the show of one of my bloggy friends, there will be at least one with her own show. I will have written a couple of devotionals for moms with girls (hello princess/Barbie issues). Lastly, we will be planning our huge retirement travel destinations, visiting all seven continents. UNLESS Jesus returns. Then I'll be sewing the heavenly robes and talking to Esther.

Mama Dawg said...

I'll be adding the finishing touches to the apartment I'm living in in Orlando, Fl before I have to head off to my new job at Disney World. My daughter will be attending UCF and will go to work at the Mouse later in the day.

This is not as far fetched as it seems. Once she graduates from high school, I do plan on moving back to Orlando and working for Disney again. I miss that place so much.

Melissa said...

10 years? Scary thought...Well,if the Lord tarries, I will be the ripe age of 43(ugh). My oldest will be ready to graduate high school as the valedictorian, preparing for his future as a foreign missionary. My 14 year old will be starting high school and helping me lead worship at our church along with my almost 13 year old. My hubby and I will be married for 20 years. Looking back in awe of how much God has shown Himself through our ministry to Him.

I know it's not very creative, but my heart would leap for joy if all 3 of my children desired to serve Jesus in some capacity. That's what it's all about, right?

Melissa Lee said...

Oh Lula,
In our high school yearbooks they asked us our "life motto". Who has a life motto at 17?? I DID, OF COURSE.

So to this day it says,

"I may not agree with what you have to say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

How idealistic and ridiculous is that? I mean,just last night my hsuband said "let's put Remi to bed and just, you know..." And I said, "If you say that again I am going to vomit and then hit you."

So see? I didn't really stick with that motto- would you say?

Melissa at Stretch Marks

Candid Carrie said...

Me? I'll be laughing at you!

I will have my own television talk show and you will be begging to be on it and I'll be all like, "LuLa?"

And you'll be all, "We were friends on the internet, don't you remember me?"

And I'll be all, "That was so two thousand and eight."

Eventually I will agree to a face-to-face with you. You will remember tiny details about my wedding and actually manage to convince me that you were a devoted reader "back in the day" and I will say, "See, there's the reason I did a four day post regarding The Best Wedding Ever just so that we could meet up a decade later.

Trish said...

In 10 years I will have been married 24 years, with the last 10 being WAY easier than the first 14.
We will have taken a few trips including at least one to Europe. We will be serving side by side mentoring young married couples on the importance of committment and surviving the hard times.

I will be the parent of recent college bound high school graduate and a squeaky voiced 14 year old, both of whom LOVE Jesus and pursue Him more than girls.

I may also have gotten over my squeamishness and gone back to school to pursue a degree in Nursing.

Those are my dreams!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

I wonder what box my high school yearbooks are in? My 20th is coming up next weekend. And we have a website where I keep looking at profiles of my former classmates - the whole time exclaiming "why can't I remember these people?!"

In 10 years I'll have a child in collge and another a senior - looking at the future empty nest. Maybe I'll have recovered some of my brain cells and the possibility of getting my PhD won't seem so daunting.

CaraBee said...

In the year 2018, I will be the mother of two gorgeous girls, one 10 and one 7, who are absolutely the apples of their father's eye. He's never sad that he didn't get a son because the 7 year old will be such a tom boy that he gets to play and watch all of the sports with her.

I will have published my novel. It is a smash hit, both critically and commercially. In fact, they're already calling it an American classic although it has also been translated into 143 languages. Some colleges have begun classes devoted to dissecting the nuances of the story and characters. From the profits on the book and my husband's shining career, we will have the house of my dreams complete with an Alice-worthy housekeeper. I will finally have lost those 40 pounds that have been inhabiting my lower regions for way too long and will at long last be satisfied with the way I look.

All in all, life will be good.

Unknown said...

In 10 years time I'll just be happy if I'm still alive and possessing all my marbles!

All joking aside ... back in NZ, finished my Midwifery degree and out delivering bouncing babies.

Swirl Girl said...

Wow- I just try to live day to day. I would like to think in 10 years I will still be kickin' something other than 'a bucket'. My girls will be 18 and 14 respectively. The big one will be the next Hannah Montana and taking 4 years off from the 'tour' to attend Harvard (on a full scholarship, I might add) and the little one will be fending off the boys from Bat Mitzvah class.

Hubby and I - after winning the Mega Millions multi state lottery (which will net us about a tank of gas) will retire and finally open that bed and breakfast on a beach somewhere.

Unknown said...

Btw - we didn't have quotes or predicitions, but I was voted 3rd most likely to become a principal... Humph.

Funny thing, the guy voted #1 - recently became a high school principal.

Sissy said...

I'm with you on the book tour, but my other dreams are more simple. A baby. One baby.

angela | the painted house said...

I think under my senior photo is says something like "be a loving mother and paint all the day long." I try to be loving. And I wipe butts all the day long.

In ten years I hope we have long paid off school loans and have finally started to SAVE money. I hope I am painting a little bit more, maybe a master's degree, maybe a gallery show or two. I hope I have a couple of sweet and responsible earliteens--and a marriage that just keeps getting better. Is that too much to ask???

Insane Mama said...

In ten years my youngest will be 18! Wow that's a weird feeling. Does that mean I can run around naked then? Or will I not want to see my nalked body in 10 years?

Aunt Julie said...

It's hard for me to figure out what I'm doing next week, much less in 10 years! But I DO like to dream! BTW, don't forget the Great Pop'rs Giveaway! The more you comment, the better chance you have of winning--Check it out!

Unknown said...

Hopefully in next 10 years, I'll finally have lost the weight I've been trying to lose the last 10 years!! Hopefully my kids will be great and wonderful teenagers and my husband and I will be traveling the world. Maybe we can meet up in L.A., I love Ellen!!

Thanks for stopping by to check out my SITS recipies today! Loved the comment!

Unknown said...

Let's see in 10 years...I will hopefully have a houseful of grandchildren! I will be reminding Lula and Scott about all the things they told me when I was sad about my child growing up and leaving home! I will have been married for 35 years and loving it! I hope I am still pianist at church and helping with a worship team!~

robert said...

Hawaii beach holiday trip....it's just like a dream comes true.

Gina said...

Joseph Wheeler Highschool In Marietta, GA, BABY! GO CATS!
1993?
Are we really soul sisters separated at birth?
In 10 years I will have a 20 year old, an 18 year old, a 17 year old, a 16 year old, and a 13 year old. And a whole new set of DRAMA!
Do mothers actually get to dream?

Tiffany said...

You know what my high school quote was?

"Plant your own garden. Decorate your own soul. Don' wait for someone to bring you the flowers."

What? I am laughing so hard right now...

Tiffany said...

Oh. In ten years I will be watching my empire grow, one camper at a time. And, selling something on HSN... that is what I do believe I was born to do.

The Boy will be on his way to college..and CM and I will be following...Younger men will want me, but I will politely turn them down, as CM gets hotter everyday.

We will be making plans for our Hilton Head homes.

Can't wait.

Anonymous said...

for the past 14 years i have been looking for my yearbook! in ten years i will still be looking for my yearbook!!!!!!!!!

Angie's Spot said...

Oh my, this post is going to garner some attention from me this weekend. More on that later. :-)

In 10 years, I'll have a teen and a tween and I'll still be married to my wonderful hubby. We'll be in a new house with plenty of room, have a wonderful German Shepherd that graces our home and I'll be basking in the attention that my first novel is garnering. Dream big right?!