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Navigating life after losing my husband.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunburns, undergarments and other regrets.

Tan beach bums.
I have a few regrets. Almost all have "but then" attached. Some are simply vain since I'm basically a vain person. If you've followed my blogs, you know this. Some are more run-of-the-mill.  Here are some of my but thens...

Not wearing sunblock. I didn't notice the sun damage until this year. I noticed my freckles were accelerating at an alarming rate. Actually, they're the size of a pencil eraser and are called age spots. I was a fry baby when I was younger. My face took the brunt of it. The skin under my arms--which wasn't touched by the sun--is as smooth and unmarked as a baby's bottom. If I would have been more careful and used sunblock, my face would look like a baby's butt.

I told Paige that when she reached my age, she might regret laying out. She asked, "Really, Mom? Do you regret your years of looking good and having all that fun in the sun?" Umm. Got me there. I may regret the results of sun damage, but then I had a heck of a good time.

From imagegossips.com
I regret not wearing a better bra the first time I was pregnant. Let's just say, my figure lost some of its starch and was never the same afterwards. I don't know if it was an overabundance of pregnancy hormones or what, but I went from a generous size D to being a freak of nature. 

When my bosom inflated and overflowed every bra I bought, I got specially fitted at a department store. The salesperson thought I was an F. What? No way.  She got out the tape measure. Hmm. Nope, you have to be at an FF. Maybe even a G. Cripes. I would have to get the bra specially made. I told her not to bother. Once I delivered, it wouldn't fit. Well, after I had my baby, it was like letting air out of of balloons. You can imagine. But I don't blame you if you don't want to imagine.

I regret not getting the bra. But then, the great fall may have happened anyway. It's not so bad really. If you buy a steel-case bra, you can keep the girls elevated to where they belong. I've only found one bra that has that capability. It's going to be a sad, sad day if Bali ever discontinues it. I should buy enough of those babies to last me until I'm 90.

I regret not working out earlier. No matter how much I work on my arms, I still have granny flesh under my triceps. Landon says it's too late. I should've started sooner.  But then, I do look better than before I started. Besides any future grandchildren will have a ball jiggling them back and forth like I did to my grandma's.
I regret not encouraging my kids to wash dishes when they were young. That was very dumb on my part. They loved getting on chairs in front of the sink and washing dishes, soaking their shirts and floor. I looked forward to the day that my kids would be too big to stand on chairs. Well, they got big and didn't do dishes unless nagged. But then, now that they're moving out they do their own dishes. I miss them standing on chairs next to the sink. They were so darn adorable.

I have other regrets. Maybe not so vain. I regret the sins of my youth, but then I wouldn't have the life I have now. There would be only one regret that wouldn't have an upside. And that would be rejecting Christ. I'm eternally grateful that I don't have that regret.

So there you have it. I really don't have regrets. That's okay with me. How 'bout you? Do you have a few regrets, but then....?

3 comments:

  1. Beautiful Jacci. :hug:

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  2. That's a great picture of you and Dave back in the day. Were you still dating? Do you know what year? Was it at a church beach outing. Were Dave and I still living at the Strands rental house on Whittier Blvd?

    Thanks,

    Dan Hackney

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  3. Dan, that was after we were married...before kids. Lived in uptown Whittier in that little house on Gregory Avenue. Did Huntington Beach with the old crew. We brought along Japenese students we were hosting.

    We still visit Huntington whenever we are in Cali.

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