A Letter to my Daughter

To My Maylene Margaret,

I'm going to tell you a hundred times to take my advice and learn from my mistakes, and you're going to ignore me a hundred and one. I know, because that's what I did to my mother. It might hurt like hell at the time, but I will still know that that is just what us daughters do.

Don't ever stop being bossy. They call it bossy, but I call it being in charge of your own life, feelings, circumstances, situations and standing up for yourself. Never back down when it comes to your instincts and beliefs. Always back down if it's just your pride standing in the way.

You are the most beautiful little girl that I have ever seen and I know that you will grow into a beautiful woman, as well. But always, always remember that being beautiful is never the most important thing that you can be. It is insignificant compared to being kind, loyal, honest, curious, compassionate and open-minded. Make sure those things always come first in your life.

Stay well-read. Even if you're not always reading an American literary classic, never lose your love of books and reading. Reading puts you in the shoes of others and allows you to walk around in them for a bit. Never let your inexperience with a certain situation cause you to form judgement of another person.

Allow yourself to have regrets, but do not dwell on them. Though we live in a world that tells us to have no regrets, to be human is to make mistakes. Allow yourself to move on. Always look for the lessons that can be learned from your mistakes.

Think for yourself. Don't let others tell you what you should or should not think.

Dance. Don't ever hold back because no one else is on the dance floor. You go out there and dance your heart out. If you don't, you'll wish you had.

And love. Never hold back from loving for the fear of losing love or getting hurt. Your highest highs will always be so much better than your lowest of lows. Always guard your heart, but always allow yourself to love. Though it is a paradox, it will someday make sense.

And always, always know that you might not be able to fathom my love for you until you have a child of your own, someday. The depths of my love for you, my child, are greater than words could ever express.

Always,
Your Mama

My Anti-Bucket List

While everyone spends so much time accumulating their bucket list, I thought it was about high time I made a list of things that I have successfully not done and hope to never do. Because when all else fails, my failure to do certain things might just be the key to keeping what sanity I have left.

Things I plan not to do:

1. Make anyone feel bad about the way they look.

2. Read the Twilight series

3. Read the Harry Potter series (sorry fans, just can't do it.)

4. Go to a Justin Bieber concert

5. Go bungee jumping. I'm good on that.

6. Be a Red Sox fan

7. Watch an entire game of golf

8. Read What to Expect When You're Expecting

9. Fall down a flight of stairs

10. Butt in front of someone in a line

11. Drop out of college

12. Not dance at a wedding reception (double negative!)

13. Go to a Nickelback concert

14. Enjoy eating olives

15. Hurt people's feelings on purpose

16. Make anyone feel stupid

17. Buy a Windows computer

18. Not say "bless you" when someone sneezes

19. Pull out in front of someone with my car

20. Become an Olympic swimmer (that, we all know, is just not in the stars for me)

These turned out to be less deep than I had originally planned. But hey, I try. 

This is my last week of Chemistry and I am elated by the thought. Anyone who enjoys drawing Lewis Structures is no friend of mine. In other news, I remembered to take salmon out of the freezer to thaw this morning. I guess you could say I'm a go-getter. Normally I forget to thaw something and we end up eating hot dogs for every meal. Those moms out there with everything all together (for example, all of their brain cells), they are mythical, superhero creatures. I broke four crayons just walking to the bathroom this morning. When I think about the state of our apartment, I start to break out into hives. But like I said, I try and that's all that matters.

xo,

M