Old Already...

OK, here it is....I'm getting old. There, I said it. I know, I know. I'm only 28 (29 in June), and yes, I do realize that it's not actually old. But I also realize that the "getting old process" which started at the mere age of 21 is now in full swing!

So let's back track a bit to where all of this oldness started: that's right...kids. I had Hannah 1 month before I turned 22. And as we all know (whether you've actually got any or not), kids make you old. And Hannah specifically was enough to make anyone age a few years in the first two weeks! Then came the task of trying to finish school (summer school and student teaching included), with a newborn at home. So, we can add a couple more years there. I then graduated, taught my first year of second grade, and had Mason when I was 23. I know...it's alot...that's got to be another 3-4 years right there.

So, at that point my actual age was 23, but my "life age" was 32.

Now, let's skip ahead a few years to when my actual age was 26. I had 3 years of teaching under my belt (I think you get to tack on an extra year of age for every year that you teach), so that's 3 more "life years" as well. That is also the year I was diagnosed with leukemia. That in-and-of-itself is enough to add 5 years, but let's also take into consideration how old it makes me feel physically and how the average age of people with CML is 56, that's another 5 years...at least.

Are you keeping up? At that point I was 26, but my "life age" was 45.

So now that I'm actually 28, almost 29, all of this "life age" is starting to show. There's pretty much no amount of make-up that can make my eyes not look tired anymore. I'm starting to get the faintest of crows feet and some more defined laugh lines. I think my eyelids are sagging, too. So if we factor looks into the equation, I'd add a good 3 years there. And let's not forget that all this time, I've been married to and living with Kevin. I love him dearly, and he is amazing, but bless his heart...I think I can add a year of age for every 2 years we've been married.

So that's it. My actual age is 28, and my "life age" is 52. But let's look at the bright side, now that I'm done complaining:

*I look pretty darn good for 52.
*I have had enough fun, smiled enough, and laughed enough to have laugh lines at 28.
*I am married to a wonderful man. He's my best friend, a reliable source of laughter, and a constant companion so that I never have to be lonely.
*I have 2 terrific kids that I am so lucky to have. I see so many people that try to hard to get pregnant, and I truly, truly know how blessed I am to have them.
*I have a job that is stable and that I am good at. Don't get me wrong...I'm not tooting my own horn. I'm just saying, again, that I am blessed to have it.

So, I'm getting old....what else is new?!