Characters in My Life

I think my most positive influence growing up would be Ms. Julie Abrahams, my 10th grade English teacher. I was at a really crazy time in my life, being only 16 and a crazy teenage girl all highly emotional and serious about everything. I had just moved from my old high school in Washington to this new one in Texas. I didn’t know anybody, which is really hard for a teenage girl. I remember she had us do an assignment early on in the school year where we wrote a paper on what we wanted to do with our life. I wrote that I loved to write and wanted to do that. She spent the whole year meeting with me and helping me and encouraging me in my writing. It was because of her I made the decision to become a journalist. I do not know why she took such an interest in me but if not for her my life might have taken a whole different turn.

My best friend of all time would have to be Sara. She’s not the friend I’ve had the longest but she’s definitely been the best friend I’ve ever had to this point. I miss her a lot. She’s very sarcastic which I think is hilarious. She’s completely honest even if it’s a little mean sometimes. She taught me how to stand up for myself and to be who I am. I was so afraid until I met her but she taught me to let myself get out there and not be so afraid to be myself or afraid of what others might think. She always encouraged me to be totally open with her even if I didn’t agree with her on something or I was being mean or selfish about something. She was always fun to hang out with of course. She introduced me to my one true love, Elvis Presley and his music as well as the Beatles and many movies and TV shows.

Then there’s my husband and my best friend for the past 10 years. I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life...except perhaps our new baby growing inside of me right now. I remember even in high school, when we were no more than friends, thinking he was a babe. His deep brown eyes and his smile. His manly features and the muscles in his arms. He was always the guy I thought was the hottest. I think what has always made me happiest and still does is seeing him break into a smile. He does so not very often or at least he didn’t used to. It’s always a real treat to see it or hear his laughter. He’s my rock. When I feel myself starting to fall I always try my hardest to catch myself if he’s around. I don’t want him to see me weak or down even though he has so many times. He is so incredibly different than me I’m still not sure how our relationship works or ever has. We have completely different opinions on almost everything and likes and dislikes and beliefs. He is much more liberal than me in many ways but has also taught me to let go and have fun and do what I want to do instead of worrying so much what others want me to do. He is much more open and honest than I am. I try to be polite all the time while he always says exactly what he is thinking no matter if he should or not.

Then there’s me. It’s hard to step back and be honest with who I am. I am short and tiny...or was before I got this baby belly. I have chicken legs that I can not find jeans for because they are so short. My jeans often trail under my shoes because I don’t have them tailored or hemmed like I should. I’m laid back and like to wear comfortable clothes and do things in my comfort zone but at the same time I love to experience new things and have fun. I love horse back riding because I love the feel of the wind and the freedom as I’m galloping through a field. I have brown hair with red highlights that is frizzy and curly and never does what I want it to do. I have blue eyes and wear glasses because I am too afraid to stick my finger in eye for contacts. I have small features...small eyes, ears, lips and hands. But very long fingers and toes. I am much like a mouse in that I am afraid of everything and very timid. I run and hide at the first sign of any kind of confrontation. In tech school my instructors nick named me Turtle because when things got stressful I’d hide in my shell even if I had the right answer because I was afraid of being wrong. I’m falling in love more and more every single day with my son. I want more than anything to be a good mother and a good wife. I’m an incredibly nice and compassionate woman but sometimes I get too emotional. I burst into tears when things get hard, when I am embarrassed and even when I am angry. I’m a huge people pleaser. I want to make everyone around me happy all the time and when I displease someone, even a little, it nearly kills me.