Remember Those Chain E-mails? Now They're For Blogs!

10 Years Ago: I was 13 and a freshman at a private Catholic school called V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School. Catchy name. I wore a plaid skirt, and got demerits for things like being late to class and chewing gum. I was on the swim team, and swam in the fastest lane. I had a crush on a boy named Josh Hartnett (not the actor, but still really cute). My best friend was Melissa Hines. I went to homecoming in a velvet jumper because I didn't know what homecoming was. I started out as an alto in the high school choir because the teacher thought I had a lovely, dark quality in my voice, but I slowly got moved to second soprano, and then to first soprano (which was what I had wanted to sing all along, you know, because I'm a diva, and all first sopranos are divas). I went to the Sweethearts dance with a junior nicknamed Beavis. He asked me out, I felt sick (probably from the Chinese we'd had before the dance), I called my parents and because Beavis didn't have his license yet they took both of us home. A bit awkward.

5 Years Ago: I was 18 and a senior at Millard North High School. I was on the swim team, and swam in the distance lane with 5 boys. My best friend was Melissa Hines, but our relationship was about to get some tears (and then patches) in it. I briefly dated a sophomore in a moment of blinding brilliance. I started contemplating life after high school, and was anxious to see what it was like. I met the first boy (and hopefully the last), who would break my heart. I went to prom with a total hottie to forget the boy who broke my heart. I discovered some new friends on the swim team. I decided to go to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln because when I walked on campus it just felt right.

1 Year Ago: I was 22 and finishing up my first two months of student teaching. I was busy, but life was still simple. My parents moved to Arizona. I lived in a single dorm room in Pound Hall. Life was rich and abundant and good.

Yesterday: I woke up at my Grandma's house. Ate poached eggs and toast for breakfast. Got ready for the day, and went to my other Grandparent's house. Helped prepare a HUGE dinner (two chickens, green beans, baked potatos, salad, tortillas), ate said huge dinner, started to wash piles of dishes (there weren't even piles like this at Love Hall), then had to run to a neighbor's house to see if they'd turned off their oven (when a person lives in the country, they get to check their neighbor's houses for things like that because their neighbors leave their doors unlocked even when they leave). Finished washing dishes. Watched some TV, then went out to the front room and listened to my Grandma talk (because that's what you do when you are with her, she's really very funny and switches back and forth between English and Spanish). Got ready for bed, and slept on the couch in a gigantic red nightshirt of my Grandma's under many blankets. It was cold in New Mexico. 58 degrees. I live in Arizona. 'Nuff said.

5 Snacks I Enjoy: cheese and crackers, popcorn, fruit, Munchies (the snack with cheetos, doritos, sun chips and pretzels), anything chocolate.

5 Songs I Know All The Words To: Georgia Rain (Trisha Yearwood), Piano Man (Billy Joel), Barbara Allen (EmmyLou Harris), Farewell (Rosie Thomas), River God (Nichole Nordeman).

5 Things I'd Do With 100 Million Dollars: Put it in the bank to collect interest. Start teaching ballroom dancing at Arthur Murray. Start competing professionally in ballroom dancing. Buy a house. Buy a car.

5 Places I'd Run Away To: A tropical island (the kind with the huts and nothing else), France, Nebraska, Costa Rica, England, Italy/Greece (somewhere Mediterranian)

5 Things I'd Never Wear: belly shirts, ultra-low rise pants, certain ballroom dancing costumes, false eyelashes (just kidding Tom), superfluous piercings.

5 Favorite TV Shows: Grey's Anatomy, Commander in Chief, So You Think You Can Dance?, Related, Everwood.

5 Biggest Joys: sweet fellowship, getting to know the Lord, dancing, making new friends, seeing old friends.

5 Favorite Toys: Anything to do with technology. right now I'm really excited about wireless internet.

5 people to TAG (pass this on to): All my people are taken, so the buck stops here folks.