 |
| Exhibit A: Me 5th Grade |
After the family history lesson here is an overview on me: I was a nerdy, lonely child. See exhibit A. I had a best friend that would read my diary and then tell everyone about what I had written. In 7th grade I had a crush on a boy named Jeremy and she told me he wanted to ask me to the dance. When I approached him after hearing nothing from him he said "I would never go to the dance with you."
 |
| Exhibit B: Me 8th Grade |
|
Eventually I started growing bitter. In 8th grade, I would make fun of people before they had a chance to pick on me. I remember a boy from my class was wrapping and ended with "And Amanda Anderson is fat!" (Before the slang adjective "phat" was invented.) I would spend most of my junior high days crying in my room after school. See Exhibit B.
 |
| Exhibit C: Me 11th Grade |
By the time I was heading to high school I finally ditched my lopsided glasses but the wounds from Junior High were fresh. My first time ever being asked out was from a senior at another high school that was at my sisters wedding. I had a great night dancing with him but when he called later I was sick with worry. In my mind the only reason he was asking me out was to lure me into some situation were he could make fun of me... or torture me. Not a chance. The next time I was asked asked out was 2 years later and I lied about my entire life to this poor boy because I didn't want him to know what I really was. In my mind, anything was better than admitting to being a loser. He was also from another school.
No better place for an outsider than the renaissance festival! I started working there when I was 15, the summer before my junior year. See exhibit C. A guy I worked near asked me to my Home Coming dance. He was a year younger than me... but I was ready to at least experience a high school dance. Over the next 3 years we dated, but it grew into an unhealthy controlled relationship for both of us. If I wasn't controlling us he was. Nothing good could have come from that in the long run.
 |
| Exhibit D: Me 24 years old |
Oh college... a train wreck for a girl with low self-esteem. I dated a few boys, joined a sorority, and most of those years I can't remember at all. Either I blocked them out or drank too much... probably both. And then I met my future husband. Everything in my life changed. I would have done everything and anything for him so THANK GOD he wasn't abusive.
 |
| Exhibit E: Me 30 years old |
He was a little controlling and a lot jealous but I played my cards right and within 1 year he had proposed. He was going to dental school in Florida and I was going with him See Exhibit D. Little did I know how superficial South Florida was... depressed, anxious and 100% responsible for our financial welfare. I lost who I was again until I found my first career and flourished. It gave me confidence that nothing in life had been able to do. Eventually we married and moved to Colorado. I have a great job and I have no issues with life. In fact I believe I am a more compassionate person because of everything I went through. See Exhibit E.
