See, i do exist.

A few....well...a very few, have asked me to post a photo of myself. Here it is. I look pretty good for almost 50 huh?

I think this picture is from first grade. My mother has mis-labeled it on the back as if i were 10 years old at the time, but this is NOT the picture of a 10 year old.

Look at those California induced freckles. Look at that plastic headband. My eyebrows are still about this thick. The funny thing about that is that of the Mister, Em and me, i have the bushiest eyebrows. We refer to ourselves as "eyebrow-impaired."

This picture hurts me to look at. I looked so innocent. I was so innocent. This was the little girl who would squeal over clouds flying by, who would dig a hole in the side of a sandy cliff and put a tiny pillow in the hole so that a mouse could sleep there.

This is the little girl who was too trusting of a neighbor boy, and whose parents did not take good enough care of her.

This is the little girl who would climb up on the roof of the house with a book and some mashed potato flakes in a paper cup and spend dreamy hours alone there.

This is the little girl who was encouraged to make fun of her older brother.

This is the little girl who worried over what disaster would next befall her.

This is the little girl who grew up, way up, and became a strong, interesting woman, with many insecurities, who lives a good life anyway.

update: I think all you commenters are right, as was my mother. I was 9 in this photo, not 6.