Someday I'll be grateful. But not today.
It started way back in my teenage years. It followed me everywhere. Youth camp, for instance, was always a somewhat annoying time for me. Counselors would take one look at me and point me in the direction of the children's areas. I was extremely shy and never handled these situations well. I would stand there awkwardly, trying to form the words to explain that I was, indeed, in the correct group. I just looked really young. REALLY, REALLY young.
I've always looked younger than I am. It's the round baby face and the lack of length to my frame. And possibly the fact that I still shop in the children's department...
You'd think getting older would help. It didn't. Things continued to get worse with age. The number of birthdays went up, but my features never caught on.
My wedding photos are somewhat humerus. If you didn't know us, you'd think you were looking at a photo of a young military man marrying a 16 year old girl. I got married two weeks after my 20th birthday. And I really did look 16 at the most.
Fast forward two years. I'm pregnant with my first child, standing in the checkout line of my local grocery store. At five feet tall, there is absolutely nowhere for my pregnant belly to go but out. And out it went. Waaaay out. I had become accustomed to the constant stream of "Oh! Are you having twins?!" but I wasn't quite prepared for what happened next. A very sweet middle-aged woman came up to me in line, looked at at me with pity in her eyes and handed me a business card. She left quickly, but her words lingered. "There are people who can help." After she had gone, I looked down at the card in my hand. Teen Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Seriously? I'm 22 years old, with an amazing husband, and I'm excited about this baby. I tried not to be annoyed. She just wanted to help. But pregnant women have a habit of becoming easily annoyed by well meaning gestures. At least, this one did. All four times. Just ask my husband. =/
Let's skip ahead another two years. I have a toddler and I'm pregnant again. The exact same scene plays out for the second time in my life. Checkout line. Well-meaning citizen. Teen Crisis Pregnancy Center card number two. I kid you not. I was able to laugh that one off. Ok, I faked it.
I've had two more babies since then, and had a nice 5-ish years of very few comments about my age. I had almost forgotten my baby face. Almost. Until last week.
30 year-old TJ, with ten years of marriage under her belt and four biological children in her shopping cart was carded at the checkout line trying to purchase a can of spray paint. The cashier asked "Are you over 18?" and looked at me suspiciously when I replied in the affirmative. "Are you really over 18?" she asked again, giving me the same look I give my kids when I suspect they aren't being 100% honest about something.
Out came my license, followed by a chorus of "Wow! I can't believe you're that old! ALL these kids are yours?! What's your skincare ritual?!"
I know, I know. Someday I'll be grateful for this. Someday I'll be happy to look younger than I am.
Blah blah blah.
I saw this thing on the news a couple of years ago saying that young women were dying their hair gray. Is that still trending??
