Refined

It is always weird and somewhat comical to go through old pictures of yourself and see how much change you have gone through. You look at yourself and think, wow I am not that person anymore. But really, you are. You still are that same person. You have just become a little more refined.

1995

So cute. A time of innocence, popcicle eating and overall wearing.

2002

Oh the joys of beginning stages of puberty. 

2008

Wow, such an awkward time for me. Remember my eighties obsession that sprouted in the ninth grade? Well I didn't seem to grow out of that until halfway through my sophomore year. The majority of my clothes required shoulder pad removal before usage and I had a tendency of wearing over-sized bows on my head. Honestly people, take my advice, if you are going to do vintage, do it right i.e. please nothing your-grandma's-closet-circa-1980 type stuff.

2009

The year of my first Prom, and also the year I had begun to develop some sort of a style acceptable to the general public. I cut my hair short, and fell in love for the first time.

2010

It would appear from the first picture that I had a small relapse of my eighties stage, that also happened to be the night I got pulled over for the first and only time. Imagine that conversation going on. Oh why hello Officer, why yes, I am wearing spandex and a ripped off the shoulder tee. No I had no idea how fast I was going! It was a year Shelby and I discovered we had very white thighs, and the year I become infinitely more attractive as I finally grew into myself and figured out how to do my own hair.

2011

The year I graduated high school, discovered the joys of long johns and moved out to college with my best friend. A year of learning and struggling to find my niche in the world of adulthood. A wondrous time, but also a difficult one.

2012

Remember that time I moved to Kansas? What about the time I rode horses like everyday? This year I  fell in love with that wonderful man, got engaged, and will also get to go through the temple, get married, change my last name, and enter into my third decade of life. Certainly 2012 is a year to remember.

Reminiscing is fun. Life is kind of weird, but definitely worth living. Even if you have to go through a bunch of awkward stages to get to the good stuff. But you know what, looking back on myself in my former years - bad haircuts, shoulder pads, heartaches and all, I realize I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world.