Dear Sweet Betsy, It's only appropriate that you looked like Tweety Bird as a baby.
You'll grow up to be an avid bird watcher and lover!
You will cry when your younger sibling is born another sister, but don't worry. Some day you will be in a houseful of men. Hard to believe but it's true! Don't fret about moving from town to town and state to state during your grade school years. It will be hard always being the new girl but you will grow up to forge your own way. You will be independent and common sensicle. People will always say that you are private and quiet, preferring to listen rather than talk. Believe me, it's always wiser to listen than to run your mouth. And friends appreciate a good listener every time.
In high school you'll be known for your long hair. And even though you will go through a dozen hairstyles throughout your adult years, you will grow it long again only to cut it off and give it to a child with cancer. And don't worry about being so shy. You will do things in life that will stretch and mold you. Every experience will give you strength to care for some really special boys. They will need someone to go above and beyond normal parenting and love them sacrificially.
Don't be too sad that your parents never let you have a pet. You will more than make up for this in your own home. You will have a zoo-ful of fish, birds, cats, and a rabbit. You will care for orphaned baby birds, hurt bunnies and an occasional praying mantis.
This dysfunctional family will permanently split ways and you'll be left alone.
You will try to be a peacemaker but it will not work out.
Don't blame yourself. You did everything you could do.
Stay honest and true to yourself.
And Betsy,..... you will be OK!Enjoy the ride!
♥
I got this post idea from the lovely Susie Harris. Go check out her post HERE. Thanks, Susie. We all need to be reminded to be kind to ourselves. And gee, wouldn't it be nice to start out life with a letter like this? ha. Oh, but then why would we need any faith?
♥
Wow, that was really beautiful. But I guess it had to be. It was a letter to a very beautiful person... inside and out.
ReplyDeleteAwww, Betsy you were such a little cutie. Parts of this letter made me cry. Funny that you would post something like this when I was just thinking about how different my life turned out than what I thought it would. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Silver. Watch out..you're being sweet again!
ReplyDeleteThanks Rebecca ~ aw, dear...here's a tissue. ha. Had to use a few myself to make up the post! Feel free to do one yourself if you want. We'd love to read it!
Hmmm, I might do that. I can't hardly believe you were shy. Oh, and you're right, you ARE a good listener!!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I believe it... because I used to be shy, too, and look what happened!
ReplyDeleteha...I'm still shy! Really! And a hermit.
ReplyDeleteOk, do either of you think I was ever shy? :)
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm not. :) And I never have been. :) But I AM a bit of a homebody, or hermit, and I DON'T like crowds. :)
ReplyDeleteAw. That's a good note for me to leave on. You're a great friend. Love you. Very much. <3
ReplyDeleteRebecca ~ well, good for you. Being shy is awful, actually. ha. But I love being a hermit. :)
ReplyDeleteSilver ~ well now, that was sweet. :) Bye!
Not only are you a great listener, you are a thoughtful, sensitive communicator, Miss Betsy.
ReplyDeleteHelen ~ so are you, dear! xo
ReplyDeleteOh your hair!! Wow!! It's stunning and such a gorgeous colour too! Wow!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your personal timeline! So glad you can look back and put all things in perspective - you did your utmost best, you listened to inner Betsy and are now a most creative and vibrant woman! Yay!
Take care
x
Really lovely - thanks so much for sharing
ReplyDeletemary x
Betsy this is absolutely nice and beauty like you:) Im absolutely shy still, when I trust Im funny and nice but If I feel dont really I need save me, to dont feel hurt, oh dear all of suffer in this life, when we see the persons smiling and sometimes really happy we dont knot what are in their hearts, thats the life, Love yah! betsy
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry...if you had inserted my pictures along the way, what you wrote could have been about me exactly! I am amazed! PS You were always a beauty, inside and out!) :D
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures whe you was little are so cute!! I have one similar (lol)
ReplyDeleteGloria ~ thanks, dear. Yes, lots of hurt along the way but you make the best of it. And God knows!
ReplyDeleteJulie ~ aw, ..,I knew I felt some kind of connection to you! xo
Kitty ~ thank you dear. you are always so sweet!
Mary ~ welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by!
What a neat post! I love the pictures too - you were a cute kid who grew up to be beautiful! (inside and outside!)
ReplyDeleteyou were special and lovely from the start tweety. I love this idea. You did a beautiful letter to your younger self, I'm impressed!
ReplyDeleteThis was simply wonderful...just like you. Bless your loving heart.
ReplyDeleteclever idea for a post - always nice to get to know people better!
ReplyDeletefunny about how your parents didn't let you have a pet and now it is pet central in the family/home of your creation - i have similar experiences.
kudos to you for giving your hair to a child with cancer....
you grew up well :)
ReplyDeleteBetsy that was just sooo beautiful.I cried as well.You truly have come a long way,your doing a super wonderful job.God Bless!
ReplyDeleteI thought I saw a putty cat
ReplyDeleteI did, I did see a putty cat..lol
This was a neat idea I will say
And such a letter would be nice as we make our way
But then we might do things differently and screw things up
Maybe adding any extra drink of coffee to ones cup
You shy?
Pfffft likely story, good try
But yeah keeping ones yap shut works wonders I will say
Can here all the fun things at play
The hermit part I will admit
That I can also be quite a bit
thanks Mari, dear. :)
ReplyDeletejojo ~ now if I could just get a letter for the next 50 years! haha.
Jill ~ thanks, dear. You should do one..I bet it would be amazing. :)
kim~ I know...all these animals! But I love it. :) And I miss my hair...but it's almost been a month already! It already feels longer~ ha.
ReplyDeletelady ~ thanks, dear. :)
ReplyDeleteBecky ~ you should do one!~ yours would be amazing, too! :) love the kitty avatar~
Pat ~
ReplyDeleteyep, that was me...looking like Tweety. :)
Keeping your mouth closed
is very wise, as the story goes.
Wouldn't want to turn out like Flappy being all yappy.
A hermit, too?
Yes, I knew that about you!
That was a truly great letter about how if life gives you lemons then you just make lemonade. But was sad to read that your family has not made peace. Sadly there are so many families that are this way.
ReplyDeleteI like the bird sitting on your shoulder, that is so cool. And your long hair was beautiful but I also like it short too. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, it was sweet and sad but mostly truthful, which is hard to do.
God bless.
aww...that was awesome....your high school pic is very nice...i want a pic of your repo-ing a car...smiles.
ReplyDeleteMrs U ~ yes, it's always best to make lemonade! :) Life is full of sad and happy, that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteBrian ~ haha...well, that is pre-digital camera days! I suppose I could scan and load some. But I'd want an even trade for some of you doing the same! ha. Pre-mohawk I presume?
ReplyDeleteProbably could find one of me in my red raincoat that the voodoo doll had on! lol...
oh gosh.
A letter to yourself is a beautiful idea. It reminds me of something I read a while ago, where you write a letter to your 10 year old self, or your 20 year old self. I guess you were writing to all of those stages of Betsyhood. You're a wonderful woman!
ReplyDeleteG ~ doing it each decade is a really great idea! Would be so fun to compare each one! Love you, too, dear. xo
ReplyDeleteBetsy, I just remembered I had a writing assignment in high school to write a letter to my 25 year old self. I wonder if I could find it.....
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful letter to yourself.
ReplyDeleteRebecca ~ well now, that would be ineteresting...to see how correct or different things were at that time! :)
ReplyDeleteYes Flappy is waaaay on the other end of the spectrum I will say
ReplyDeleteWith her flappiness causing dismay
What I remember of it I was pretty far off. :)
ReplyDeleteRebecca ~ haha...well, that's probably to be expected. :) I would have been way off, too!
ReplyDeleteAs a teenager I had some pretty lofty ideals. :)
ReplyDeleteSmiling through my tears!
ReplyDeleteI hope your family reads this.
You are such a gracious, happy, sympathetic and a great, loving Mother.
I'm always in awe of you.
Rebecca ~ I had some picture perfect ideal in mind. lol. I guess most teenagers do. Sorry for the delay. Had to loose the ponytail. hahaha.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christine, dear. I need to be adopted. Need a sister? :)
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSURE!! I have always wanted a sister.
ReplyDeletewhat a sweet letter, maybe I'll go write one to myself :) Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteChristine ~ yay~ :)
ReplyDeleteMartha ~ oh please do! I'd love to read it!
Becoming like fox with your pictures changes too
ReplyDeleteNext you need a cartoon one of you..haha
Pat ~ haha well, I didn't really have the ponytail any more
ReplyDeleteso needed an update pose, for sure.
You think I need a cartoon?
I'd look like a loon!
Or maybe one with shades
that would be the rage!
You've never changed yours
even though you've aged 7 years or so!
Guess you don't have to worry about changing hair styles
since your look isn't so wild.
ha.
So beautiful to read through! great stuff, thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how quickly life passes us by.
ReplyDeleteJust what I would expect to find here, Betsy. Honesty, optimism, love, and a good heart.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great post - and you were the sweetest little girl and a gorgeous young woman.;) And you still are a looker today.;))
ReplyDeleteHave a great midweek.;)
xoxo
awww Betsy, this is so beautiful! i agree with Silver, you are a very beautiful person inside and out!!
ReplyDeletei feel like i should write such a letter to myself, i think i deserve it :-) but since i'm shy too, it will remain private ... you warmed my heart with your letter to yourself ...
Beautiful, beautiful post, Betsy. You have managed to thrive and create a wonderful life in the face of challenge. I greatly admire that. blessings ~ Tanna
ReplyDeleteps love all the photos!!
blaza1 ~ well, thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeletebragondorn ~ yes, and it's a very fast speed, too!
birdie ~ yes, do it even it it remains private....but you know you're among friends in blogland, too and we'd love to read your experiences!
ReplyDeletemartin ~ thanks, dear. xo
ReplyDeleteNow I have even more reasons why I so admire your spirit.
ReplyDeleteHermits are, perhaps, some of the most dedicated bloggers...
ReplyDeleteI was also touched by your story. Thank you for sharing and thank you for being a friend.
Hi Betsy .. what an amazing story - and such a great idea .. to be kind to ourselves.
ReplyDeleteLove how all things worked out .. the long and the short of it, the birds and the bees ..
Love the photos - a great read and reminder of life as it goes around .. cheers and big hugs .. Hilary
Hi Betsy, that was so touching. I bet your heart felt much better and lighter after that. You are one special lady. Have a wonderful day. Hugs, Chris
ReplyDeletehttp://chelencarter-retiredandlovingit.blogspot.com/
this is an amazing biography in pictures and words! :-)
ReplyDeletethanks, all...as soon as I read Susie's I knew I wanted to do one, too. If any of you post one, be sure to let me know!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteTake care
Marinela
Short Poems
Could I please have a tissue too?
ReplyDeleteVery touching post.
I can relate to the moving around part....we did too. It was very hard to become "really" close to people who have been lifelong friends.
You are an amazing wife, mom and lady! Your five men couldn't ask for better.
We Love You!
thank you for your encouragement Betsy, i'll think about it ;-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful letter!! Yes...we all need a note like this, esp. after some hard knocks!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
SueAnn
This is so touching and I'm tearing. Maybe it's time I write myself too.
ReplyDeletenanny ~ isn't that true! I don't have any childhood friends now. We just didn't stay in the same place long enough to forge those really close friends at that young age!
ReplyDeleteI have a whole box of tissue here, help yourself. ha.
Christie ~ yes, write one! Everyone has a journey and they are all unique and special..highs and lows!
ReplyDeleteBetsy, I'm not good with words, but this was really beautiful and encouraging and honest, and funny....get my drift? It was wonderful. Tomorrow is my two year blog anniversary and the blessings have not been about photos, but about the encouraging and special people I have met. Like you.
ReplyDeleteAnita ~ aw, thanks. I feel the same about you. And happy 2 years! The blogging community is wonderful, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMarinela thanks so much..and I'm glad to see you stopped by!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Loved all these photos of you. You are a beautiful lady on the outside, but more importantly on the inside.
ReplyDeleteOk, Betsy, I took your suggestion, and wrote it. Go check it out, and tell me what you think. :) Oh, and it took a few kleenex to write it too. :)
ReplyDeleteBetsy, looking back, your life may not have turned out the way that you were imagining it would way back when, but I think you have had a life with greater purpose, one you could not have conceptualized as a child. And the challenges you faced along the way have given you strength to do some amazing things. With reflection, we can see how far we have come. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteWow Betsy. This is wonderful. Truly.
ReplyDeleteEach photo is gorgeous too. I think you know your self VERY well.
Jill ~ thanks, dear. But you know, by the time we turn 50, we should! ha. Now what a really want is a letter for the next 50! :)
ReplyDeleteoh jill...you should do one! Really!
Yuji ~ thanks so much for those kind words. You are SO right!
ReplyDeletei just can't tell you what a powerful letter to yourself this is. i mean, you probably know that by now:)
ReplyDeletei have brief internal conversations with my younger self every now and then, but putting it together like this with photos and self insights is original and, certainly, beautiful.
Thanks, Ed. :) Yeah, as soon as I read Susie's post, I knew it would be a very powerful and meaningful thing to do. And it meant more to me putting it into words than I had even expected. Everyone should do this...there is a healing and an understanding that takes place. Thanks for the kinds words. :) xo
ReplyDeleteHe descubierto tu blog y me ha encantado. Desde hoy lo sigo, si lo deseas te invito a conocer mi blog y si es de tu agrado, me gustarÃa tenerte como seguidora en mi blog para seguir en contacto. Un saludo muy cordial.
ReplyDeleteManoli.
It is a wonderful way to appreciate yourself for who you are in spite of all that people maybe wanted you to be. Your family and pets are blessed by our giving and we know that the family and friends do give back. It is a good way to live.
ReplyDeleteSmiles, tears, and a big hug from me to you. Betsy, you are a treasure.
ReplyDeleteI'd take that hug any day from you, dear Christian! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a wonderful heartfelt letter. I like the part about you taking care of your boys. And throughout all those ups and downs you still have that beautiful smile!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great post! Loved seeing you grow through the ups and downs in your life. And you really did look a little like tweety bird (in a good way!). I'm soo jealous of your long high school hair! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jax. My hair was that long again just last month and now it's gone! I miss it. But it's growing. And what are you talking about?...your hair IS long and gorgeous! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliment. My poor hair is going to fall out with all the dyeing and chemical straightening I do. I'm naturally a big poof of jet black curls! lol
ReplyDeleteI would miss my hair too if I cut it. But you pull off shorter hair very well. :)
Jax~ let it go curly...I LOVE curly hair!
ReplyDeleteWow - very touching! Thank you for sharing that. Linda
ReplyDeleteLinda ~ I'm so glad you stopped by..and thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post. I can still see the little girl in your grown-up face. And you had such gorgeous hair in high-school, the envy of all the other girls I'd imagine. And now you've given it away and you look marvelous
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne...although I do miss my hair! ha.
ReplyDeleteYou always put the most beautiful things on you site. I've missed coming on here. You are truly a special person, a gift from God. Your family is blessed to have you Betsy.
ReplyDeleteWell, Ronda, how are you? Thanks so much for stopping by. Wow, it's been a long time. Did you start blogging again? I'll have to come over and see! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful letter to one's self !
ReplyDeleteYou was such a beautiful young women, and an even more gorgeous lady today, your spirit always shines through, who could ask for a more loving mother, wife, and friend.....
Betsy, one of the good 'uns :)
Hugs,
~Jo
Aw Jo, that made me smile. Spoken just like a brit from Tennessee! ha.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and so thoughtful. If only we knew... so many things, when we were younger. I'd like to have seen the beautiful woman that my daughter now is, those nights when she wouldn't settle and seemed so fractious. It would have made me feel so much more confident as a mother.
ReplyDeleteI too had a tear...well, I have lots of tears when something touches me. You seem so together that one would never think any problems ever arise that you can't deal with~effortlessly..you seem that cool. Somehow I had a suspicion about the family...I don't know why...some say I'm psychic (or is that psycho....)
ReplyDeleteI have said it before...you are very lucky to have the boys you have! They do you good!
Kim ~ psycho? lol....no, let's go with psychic. :) Thanks, dear. That means a lot. xo
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, pretty inspirational. By the way, I'm frankly amazed that you've been able to raise triplets - I've sat twins before, and it's hard enough with one arm per baby! How do you do it?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joe~
ReplyDeleteWell, those younger years are a complete blur! I had a two year old when the triplets were born. ha. I know God was looking after us.
Thanks for stopping by!
Betsy, that was a touching letter. I think several of us can relate to parts of it. Your hair always looks nice! Love the high school picture.
ReplyDeleteLana ~ thank you, dear. Yes, I think we can all look back at the highs and lows, can't we?
ReplyDeleteOh wow! That was wonderful. I LOVE your hair in the high school picture!
ReplyDeleteI was looking through old pictures just last night. Maybe I'll do this for a post this week.
This was so touching, Betsy. I am very glad to have been able to read it since I've been quite out of the loop lately since my Mom passed away. Ive been very reflective these past few weeks about many things and I think I've done this sort of "Dear Pat" exercise in my head more than once trying to sort things out.
ReplyDeleteThere is a quote I like by the philosopher Kierkegaard whci I wiull paraphrase: "You can only understand life backwards, but we must live it forwards."
Pat ~ thanks for reading and commenting. I'm sure you have been very reflective lately! And I love that quote...boy, isn't that the truth! Big hugs, dear. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked your post and photos. Also like the short hair in the last photo. Nice.
ReplyDelete